Six months ago Carole was introduced to Plan with Care as a client by her attorney for property and finance. The introduction was made in order to improve and maintain her wellbeing, over the past six months her quality of life has transformed.
Carole is a highly sociable, friendly lady with a strong character, who was struggling to adapt to life in a Care Home, despite being part of its community for many years before becoming a resident. While she clearly articulated a desire to be active in all senses of the word, she was holding back in part seemingly due to reluctance to admit to the outside world that instead of hosting tea parties for the residents at The Lawns Care Home in her garden, she herself is now a resident. Due to some cognitive decline and possible depression, signs of self neglect were reaching a critical point when Carole decided it would be best that she move into the Home. It is a beautiful property and Carole has always expressed being very comfortable there. She knows the staff well, but they reported she tended not to join in activities, and would often have a cross word towards fellow residents.
This has completely changed, and on the day of our six month Review, Carole’s confident, smiling and cheeky-humourous personality shone through loud and clear.
Over the past six months Plan with Care have managed Carole's wellbeing, and liaised with the care home, we have supported with: facilitating a day-long dememtia specialist drama intervention using for relationship-building; sourcing, training and inducting a Creative Companion and providing ongoing supervision.
Six month report
Physical Wellbeing: Green
Carole continues to have very good physical health, with the additional improvement that the risks of skin degredation and UTIs have now depleted as she is regularly accepting support with her personal hygiene.
Emotional Wellbeing: Green (Amber 6 months ago)
Carole has gone from being at high risk of social isolation and depression, to the return of her old self - the life and soul of the party! With her Creative Companion she is gardening again; going out regularly in the local area and chatting again with people she used to know very well; exploring the garden centres, shops and countryside; and her general demeanour from day-to-day has shifted from closed and cautious, to welcoming, friendly and full of cheeky humour. On the day of the Wellbeing Review she welcomed me - as a stranger - into the lounge and patted the seat next to her, and ‘held court’ with me and the other residents: introducing us, making sure I got a cup of tea, proudly showing me the trees that she had planted in the Home’s front garden, and laughing at her obsession with Wimbledon.
She has two good friends as residents now – catalysed in part by the Ladder To The Moon relationship building intervention – and one of these joined recently Carole and her Companion for her 90thbirthday celebrations in the local pub.
Environmental Wellbeing: Green
Carole has always had a close bond to the Care Home and its staff, having lived next door for so long. She is clearly happy in the home, she expresses her comfort with the staff, residents and environment, and now that she is becoming an active gardener again her body language exudes a confident sense of ownership.
We will continue to manage Carole's care and wellbeing over the next six months, and supervise her creative companion as part of her Wellbeing Membership. Plan's include: Focus on local gardening and fashion events, musicals and tennis tournaments. All designed to support Carole to continue to thrive.
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