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Q- Where did you hear about Helping Hands

A- Two years ago I was thinking about studying abroad, I thought about London as it is not to far away from France. It is important to learn English so I that is what made my mind up. I approached the French Association of Disabled People and asked for their help and they managed this project for me. Thanks to them I have managed to do this. I explained what my expectations were and they have helped me a lot to find everything, for example Helping Hands. I chose Helping Hands because you are a successful Live in Care company and you are not too big or too small. I looked at your website and I had an appointment with Melanie Dawson and she explained that to expect and showed a lot of professionalism, I was satisfied after this meeting and that is why I chose you and Helping hands is a very established company and that is why I can trust you and have chosen you.

Hi I’m Nicola, I’m 31 and I live in Manchester.

Q-What made you decide on Live in Care?

A-     When I first moved into this flat six years ago, I used to have just hourly care four times a day plus the district nurses came in four times a day. I didn’t really have a life because they were not able to do certain parts of my personal care. I had to rely on my mum if I wanted to go out. I realised that I needed something more. I spoke to social services to see what they could do and realised that Live in care would be the better option for me.

Q- Tell me about the process that you went through.

A-     I had an assessment done, I had two actually but once I had decided that it was the best thing for me, I got in touch with social services to sort out the go ahead to get Live in Care.

Q-Tell me about your carer

A-     Jo has been your permanent carer since April 2009 and we get along really well.

Q-What do you do with your Carer?

A-     We do all sorts; we go out shopping and to the cinema. She can drive my adapted car, so we have been all over really. We have even been to Blackpool, Southport and she also takes me to see my family in St Helens.

Q-What is the most important factor for you in receiving Live in Care?

A-     I think it has got to be the fact that now I can have a life and I don’t have to rely on my family as much to take me out and I can get a good quality of life with my family as well but on my own.

Q- Tell me about the relationship you have with your Care Manager?

A-     It’s a pretty goon one actually. We are always in contact via email mostly; I have met up with her a couple of times. With her being local it is a lot easier and it seems to be helping when I need cover, when Jo goes off.

Q- What would you say to someone thinking about Live in Care?

A-     If somebody had been in a similar situation to what I have been in, I would certainly say look into the possibility of having live in as it is a wonderful idea. Not only does it give you peace of mind it also offers you companionship as well as helping with personal care and every day household task and everything.

Q- What made you select Helping Hands?

A- I did have a list of agencies to interview. I was with my social worker at the time, she knew the problems that I was going through and she was very supportive. We phoned Helping Hands and asked them if they would be happy to do an assessment for me and a lovely Lady called Melanie came with a colleague of hers and we just went through (quite diligently) the care plan and for the first time, she acknowledged every aspect of my life and said “this is what we can deliver” which is very refreshing. The fact that Melanie had knowledge about my condition, it’s not important but it does help with knowing that the agency understands what my care needs are.

Q- Can you tell me about how helping hands became involved in the care for Gordon?

A- That started in 2006 through social services and myself because I had be rushed into hospital to have a bone marrow transplant because I had Non Hodgkins Lymphoma. If I didn’t have it done my life would be over in four weeks. So we got Helping Hands and the carer came and it was more or less baptism by fire, he came at 2 o’clock the day before and 9 o’clock the next morning I was off. That was in February and I came back in April. He looked after Gordon, my house, we kept in contact through telephone until I came home.

Q- Tell me how it works with the carers, how you Gordon and the Carer work together?

A- We work as a team because if you don’t it doesn’t work. The carers main objective is helping Gordon, assisting Gordon with showering, dressing, cleaning teeth, breakfast, making his bed, packing lunch up and getting ready for the transport when they come. They help around the house and anything else thati ask them to do within reason they can do.

Q- What is Gordon able to do now?

A- He stands up for himself. Once upon a time if anyone went up to him he would shy away, where now he doesn’t. He looks people straight in the face, looks them in the eye really, he introduces himself, shakes hands and converses with people. He is not shy.

Q – How has Live in Care affected your relationship with Gordon?

A- It stops it being fraught as sometimes when I have to go into hospital Gordon gets himself all wound up and tense. He doesn’t want me to go and then he gets wound up. But with a carer, he is used to a carer and his day doesn’t change and he copes very well.

Q- What about the difference it has made to your life

A- A lot! I don’t have to worry about if I have to go to hospital or if I am going to back in time for him, if I don’t feel very well. I don’t have to worry about caring for Gordon. If my temperature spikes I have half an hour to get to the hospital. If it wasn’t for Helping Hands Live in Carers, it would be very hard to have to, do my house, look after Gordon, hospital, trying to get everything all together and keeping the time. The hospital can give me an appointment for seven o’clock at night or they can give me one for quarter to four or half past three. You have to just take it when you can. I used to have to panick and ask people to be here for Gordon, where now with the carer I don’t. The carer is always here for Gordon. It means that he is not shoved from pillar to post, he has a continuation of his time and his day isn’t interrupted.

Music, the gym,theatre, college, shopping, discos, computer games and cooking. This is what positive support means to Gordon.

See for yourself, we left Gordon and his PA Roland with a flipcam to capture some of the activities they get up to – and its go go go. From Lady GaGa to Stairlight Express and an ambition to DJ, this is a man who likes to be in the thick of it.

Insert flip cam.

“There has been a huge difference in Gordon’s independence , confidence and capabilities” , an observation not just from his mom Caroline but by the staff at college too, “ he stands up for himself, shakes them by the hand and introduces himself”. The positive one to one support his live-in PA Roland provides is the platform for busy weeks in the McFadyen house, within a typical 7 days Gordon will have studied Computers, Photography, English,Computers and Drama, been to the gym ( at least twice) shopped for and helped prepare his evening meals, been to the local disco, played his music for too long ( and way too loud) and beaten his Personal Assistant on the Wii. As well as planning their next daytrip out, its difficult to keep up.

Hi my name is Jo and I am Nic’s live in PA at the moment. I have been with Helping Hands since February 2007 and came to Nic in April 2009.

Q- How do you enable Nicola to live in her own home?

A-     Basically I help her get up in the mornings. We do the shopping list together sometimes, providing her with her own independence, driving see her family, we go out to eat somewhere or to the cinema.

Q- You have obviously been with Nicola for a long time; you must enjoy your placement?

A-     Yes I do, when I first came to Nicola back in April 2009 it was just as holiday cover for someone. I didn’t know that it would turn out to be a permanent placement for me, because at the time I was looking for another permanent service user to go to.

Being here with Nicola it’s quite a relaxed atmosphere. Once I have met and done all her care needs and she is happy with everything I can pretty much leave her for a couple of hours in the afternoon to go off and do what I want or stay here or we go out together. She doesn’t demand, once you know what kind of food she likes then I can pretty much go out and get it or make it. When it comes to food shopping I just know what to get , so yeh, its quite  easy going and relaxed and doesn’t demand much.

Q- What involvement do you have with Nicola’s family?

A-     Basically when it comes for Nic to go and visit her family I don’t just take her there and drop her off and pick her up at a certain time. When I take her to see her family I stay with them, as if I was just part of them. Sometimes if we go and meet up with Nics mum to eat somewhere then I take her and spend some time together.

B-     I know my Mum feels comfortable knowing that I am with somebody that she feels that is looking after me “after me” as she puts it. I say to her “I don’t need looking after, Jo helps me live independently”.

Q- What do you enjoy about being a PA?

A-     It is quite nice to know that I am giving independence back to someone who other wise cant live without it. Making Nis life easy for her really. In terms of socialising, she has been able to go out a lot, as I can pretty much drive her car anywhere she wants to go.

Q- What makes you a good PA?

A-     Gosh, I’m quite reliable, adaptable as well. I can relate to pretty much any age group. Not just with Nic who is like a similar age to me but for the elderly as well. Did I say reliable already?

Come on Nic what makes me a good PA?

B-     Erm, with us being a similar age and that you don’t come across as if you were my mother really. We are more like friends, rather than PA and service user.

A-     I guess having someone that is close to our age group it is easier to have more things in common, like going out together, cinemas clothes shopping.

B-     You have started getting me into all kinds of music as well.

Hello my name is Stacey Evens and I come from Swindon.

I describe myself as a bubbly person. I like playing darts I have a trophy for darts. I go to rugby a lot with my family and my friends. I have around two years care experience. I have worked in care homes, nursing / residential homes in the customers homes (live in) I’ve done day centres and I have enjoyed them all.

I believe that I make a good carer because I’m confident, a good listener, I love my job, I’m a people person  and I love spending time with people.

I’m Christina, I’m originally from Cumbria but I live in North Wales now. I love cooking; I love experimenting with cooking; different recipes and sharing the cooking.  I like yoga, reading, watching movies and listening to music. I am really bubbly, I am patient and I am a good listener. It’s good to laugh buts it’s also equally good to cry.

I have got twenty years experience in the care sector. It doesn’t matter how many years experience you have because there is always something new to learn each day.

I have experience in Parkinsons, Dementia, visually impaired, colostomy, palliative care; you name it I’ve got it.

I think I will make a good carer because I’m a passionate person that always takes on board the specific needs of each individual customer. I don’t find it a job caring. To me its not a job, it is a privilege to look after someone’s loved one in their last stages of life. No money can replace that, just being there looking after your loved one is reward in itself and it is a privilege not a task, nor a job but a privilege and a honour.

Hello my name is Katy, I am 34 years old and I live in Spain. I have been living in Spain for the past eight years but obviously I was born here in England. I have come back to England to work and I am looking forward to meeting all my new customers.

I have numerous hobbies one being my family, I have two boys and a husband. I absolutely adore animals; I love cats, dogs, birds. I enjoy walking in the mountains, I enjoy walking anywhere. I originate from Yorkshire, so I enjoy going to the Lake District, the Wolds and the Dales.

The reason that I would like to be a carer is that I already am a carer. I have my own family I have experience with working with a variety of people who have disabilities ranging widely.  My Parents brought me up in a caring business. They had a nursing home and a residential home and from when I was born right up to the age of about 25 I was always involved in the running of their business and obviously as I got older the more hands on I had.

The reason that I am a good carer is I am able to make people comfortable in any situation and nothing fazes me.