Caring

This week is half term for most places, but not for Sheffield; theirs came a week early.  So last week whilst local children were still working away, our South Yorkshire cherubs came down for a few days by the sea with Grandma and Penma and Merry. And the seaside did not disappoint. There was even paddling! 

Caring for lively growing children, giving their mum a break, playing bird bingo and walking the dog , was tiring and great fun! 

                                     

                                         Anenomies for no occasion at all 

At the same time, the planning for my dads future continued to take shape , and on Friday he moved into our chosen nursing home . After six weeks of superb stroke unit care up at the Royal Sussex County Hospital , he was ready to start the next chapter of his story . He had already declared his house move and the stroke as marking "an end of an era". We were keen that he begin the settling process before the Valentine's Day anniversary of the death of his beloved wife, my stepmother, whom he'd cared for throughout her Alzheimer's until her peaceful death at home exactly a year ago. 

     

         Valentine's flowers

Unable now to enjoy walks with Merry, dad has to settle for home visits ,for looking out on the garden, and to hearing of Merry's adventures on the Downs and the beach. Hopefully, in time, his strength will return enough for trips out,  even if only in his wheelchair. 

Monday's blue skies and snowdrops at Highdown , a Worthing hidden gem , offered just such an adventure to recount . 

                                   

                                  

                                   

 

                                       Highdown sees Spring springing early 

I see a lot of discussion in the media about the NHS and weekend care, and can give testimony to the superb response we received from the ambulance service and the hospital on Saturday 2nd January, and indeed, ever since ....24/7. 

Today, I took a card and biscuits and goodies up to the Stroke unit, on dad's behalf . The message had to be dictated; it was sincere and appreciative, nonetheless. And it was addressed as much to Paula, who served meals and offered us cups of tea, and Tom the nursing assistant, as it was to Lisa, Joanna, Emma and countless other kind and patient nurses. It was a message for physios Nicola and Liz , the senior OT,Sally , the student Social Worker, Mary, Jonathan the responsible doctor, and ward manager, Mark.  And it was a message that I have already passed onto Amanda the acting CEO and Brendan the interim Deputy CEO of the whole Hospital Trust .....for they set the tone in the way they lead the organisation, value the staff, focus remorselessly on patient care , and take on the huge challenge of making ends meet . The simple message was "Thank you". 

It's not just the NHS that we need at times of illness and with the infirmity of old age, it's public health and social care too. To sustain our health and wellbeing we need to do what we can for ourselves,  living the mnemonic CLANG - Connect ,Learn , be Active, take Notice and Give . We need to value caring and carers .  We also must have services that can support the frail and vulnerable , whether it's to stay independent and at home , or as my father is choosing, to be looked after. 

And for all of this we need to invest in our public services, value and train the caring professions and their support staff , and to appreciate those who work in these services and institutions. 

I've mentioned before the key role that Merry is playing in my father's care and recovery , and so I will end with a picture of one of the ways  we care for her , by  giving her lovely runs on the beach. Yesterday, she enjoyed on a cold ,sunny ,wintry day's romp, before her nursing home visit .