This was found in the house of a friend’s mother after she passed away. I expect she never complained about the home care she got and even goes on to thank them for the work they did. See what you think for yourself.
On being looked after by the social services and how to learn to love it
Twenty-one people a week tramp through my kitchen, all bent on doing me a good turn.
They all have different ways. Some funny, some deplorable.
Some will wash out and rinse an empty milk bottle, others will leave it until a more helpful person deals with it.
Some will put a milk bottle on the doorstep, others will be terrified to do so.
Some know that I have two fridges, one in the back room and another in the kitchen.
You have perpetually to tell them that the back milk is fed into the front and is replaced by the new a t the back.
There are some who are completely unable to grasp the concept.
One (who shall be nameless) after two abortive attempts at it, was walked by me through the procedure, and now ‘has it’.
One will fill a large bowl with metered water plus a generous helping of fairy liquid to wash one plate rather than leave it for others to deal with in the morning when there is more.
They love bubbles.
One helpfully threw out a bowl of grated cheese from the fridge when there was nothing wrong with it.
She probably thought it looked untidy.
One is so short sighted, I grab the drugs box before she can get to it, so I can do my own.
Some will greet with a cheerful remark, others will maintain a stony silence throughout.
Some will ask if there is anything more they can do for you before leaving, others wouldn’t dream of saying such a thing.
Some will leave the kitchen light on after lunch and you don’t find it till teatime.
Some will leave the gas stove on stand-by similarly, and you wonder why the place is so hot.
One filled my breakfast dish with rock hard uncooked prunes from a packet standing next to the bowl of newly cooked ones.
One took my wallet out of my handbag one Christmas night, pocketed the contents, and threw the empty wallet behind my fridge freezer, where another carer found it weeks later when looking for a missing oven glove. Let us be charitable and say she probably spent too much on Christmas presents.
They don’t like bending down and will ignore an object like a pair of scissors on the carpet until specifically asked to retrieve it.
You have to play hunt the object in the kitchen, as some of their ideas on correct places after washing up, are ingenious to say the least.
One took the last bit of cling film roll and put the empty box back on the shelf.
One, looking for the sugar, rooted about on a nearby shelf, and found an old grimy jam jar with a few grains in the bottom. These were carefully scraped up and spread on my weetabix and presented for breakfast.
Believe it or not, a second person did the same thing a few weeks later. The offending jam jar has been removed and the sugar is in a clearly marked jar on the kitchen top.
They are good at posting letters. Unlike some people, and you may be sure your letter will get there, which is comforting.
Honestly, though, they do a grand job, and I couldn’t do it. The inside of some people’s houses must be grim, and dressing and undressing old ladies must be even more so.
I give them home-made cakes from St. Peters as I am sure they never get time to make any, and they are delighted. It’s nice to give something back.
Comment: Everycare are determined to make sure that the client is served according to their wishes and would ask for regular feedback from clients on whether their care is being delivered to their absolute satisfaction. Are aim is keep the number of carers visiting a client to a minimum but some practical issues sometimes prevent this. We are not perfect but will endeavour to move heaven and earth to put something right when we make a mistake.
By Mike Frizzell Everycare Central Hants www.everycarehants.co.uk