By Mark Darnell
Owner
Home Instead East Northants
HOME Instead East Northants achieved so much in 2019, from being the Number One Home Instead in the UK to being runner up in the SME Northamptonshire Business Awards Community Business of the Year and finalists in the Business over 50 Employees.
Also, having one of our caregivers reach the final twelve for CAREGiver of the Year, out of 211 offices around the country, was a great achievement and she’s certainly our winner!
Home Instead are delighted with all our achievements and look forward, as a team with great expectations for 2020, ready to accept all the challenges a new year brings, especially as we will be celebrating our tenth anniversary in August.
The new year starts our CAREGiver recruitment drive, with 50 new CAREGivers jobs available. Get a head start and apply now. Come and work with our clients and help change the face of ageing in East Northamptonshire. With more people wanting to stay in their own homes, we try to match our CAREGivers to our clients.
We have also seen over the past year the importance of our community events and community engagement activities, which mean so much to people.
A testimonial from one client’s daughter said: “I would like to thank you and all at Home Instead for organising and running the Companionship Cafe. It has proved to be a lifeline for Mum. When Dad passed away, she had very few local friends or contacts mainly as a result of being at home caring for Dad for several years. She felt daunted by the prospect of going out alone after 65 years of marriage, but with some gentle encouragement from family and yourselves she took the step to go to a Companionship Cafe and she has not looked back.
“She has enjoyed every meeting right from the start and it has had numerous benefits.
Firstly, it gave her something to look forward to and something around which she could start to build a new routine and a structure to the month, something which had disappeared completely. It has also boosted her confidence in her ability to meet new people and helped her regain the art of conversation (something she really felt she’d lost). This, in turn, has encouraged her to go to other events and as a result she has made friends and acquaintances. I believe it has helped prevent her from becoming isolated and lonely.
Overall, she is now generally positive about what she can do rather than focused on what she can’t.
“The Companionship Cafe has been a real success for Mum, and I know she looks forward to coming to it each month. Thank you again. Best wishes, Carole.”
As we have seen the importance of these events, we have made the decision to add to them, we are starting new Companionship Cafes and Friendship Groups:
– Companionship Cafe the Grain Store Coffee House, Woodford 10am to 11am Come along for a chat and social meet up with people from Woodford and surrounding areas on 6 February, 5 March, 2 April, 7 May, 4 June and 2 July.
– Milton Ernest Garden Centre Over 50s Friendship Group (Last Friday of the month 10am to noon. A chance to come and meet new people in the Bedfordshire area. Come and enjoy an informal chat and new activities: no cost involved apart from refreshments which you can purchase on 31 January, 28 February, 27 March, 24 April, 29 May and 26 June.
– Harrold Village Hall Over 60s Group, first Friday of the month 10am to noon. Come and join in on some social activities in the village hall. No cost and complimentary tea/coffee and biscuits on 3 January, 7 February, 6 March, 3 April and 5 June.
For the new year we also hope to do more talks on dementia for families, to support them during a difficult period, which can be exhausting for anyone caring for a loved one with dementia. Giving them facts and practical advice that they don’t always find out at the time of diagnosis.
Scams, unfortunately, due to ever growing technology, are becoming more prevalent because they are becoming very clever at finding ways to hack people. Telephone calls have been received about Amazon accounts being compromised, bogus BT telephone line faults and broadband etc., and many more via post, cold callers – the list is endless. It is a concern for everyone not just the elderly. If we can help, make more people scam aware then at least they can protect themselves with the knowledge of what to be alerted to.
Our pop-up stands with Marie and Lucy are there to explain the myths of home care. We at Home Instead are letting people know what home care is actually like. Often, people have an old-fashioned preconception and are surprised to hear all the things we can do to help them remain at home.
We are looking forward to another exciting year in 2020 and cannot wait to see what the new year brings.
For more information call 01933 678775 or visit www.homeinstead.co.uk/eastnorthants