Having care at home doesn’t mean losing your independence

by David Haswell, Bluebird Care Darlington, South Durham and Yarm, Director

Having care at home doesn't mean losing your independence

When people use the word care, people often assume and feel this means taking away their independence and the been labelled as someone who needs help, we can’t get away from the fact that generally people do need some sort of support, but it’s the language we use around the word help. As well as not taking control away from the individual, and ensuring that the support and care package is built around what they can do and not what they can’t. 

Here at Bluebird Care Darlington, South Durham and Yarm, we support our customers to remain independent at home, as well offering much needed support around mental wellbeing associated with social isolation and loneliness. 

Look at what our customer can do, not what they can’t 

Here at Bluebird Care Darlington, South Durham and Yarm we have a different approach, we look at what people can do and not what they can’t, and how we can assist people in achieving their daily tasks and independence, so we are helping people but we are helping them to help themselves to live the life they want.

Individual and Bespoke Support Plans

Each of our customers is unique and we treat them as individuals and no support plan is the same, and that is what it is a support plan. We work with the individual, and if they choose their significant others and family to devise the best way to allow them to live as independently and as safely as possible in their own home.

Wish we had the support sooner

Frequently, customers get introduced to our service at a point that they say they wished they had our service sooner, as they had been unaware of the additional support, we could have given them. For example a recent customer and family came to ourselves, at a point where their loved one had become socially isolated due to mobility issues and slight memory loss, as a result customer had lost confidence in going out to her social activities in the area and as a result became house bound. 

Mental Wellbeing improved 

One of the first goals and outcomes we set out to achieve for this customer tailored support plan was to reengage with her in her social network, by accompanying them to her bingo night, as well as her church group, and coffee mornings. To ensure that the customer was comfortable we made sure that the staff did not wear their uniform, as the customer did not want to be labelled with needing care. The outcome was not only did she attend these groups, but her mental well-being was dramatically improved, which had a positive impact on her overall health.

Levels of support and care

As aforementioned this depends upon the customers’ needs and aspirations, and is driven as partnership, through the customer, their loved ones and our expert Care Managers. Together an agreed support plan is developed to cover 

• Companionship - to help combat loneliness, and/or to support out in the community and continue to live the life they choose
• Housework
• Social Outings
• Accompanying to medical appointments 
• Personal Care - such as getting washed and dressed
• Medication Administering 
• Complex need support 

Giving peace of mind 

Our aim is to always give peace of mind and place the customers wishes and aspirations at the heart of everything we do. Each of customers come with their own story, their own beliefs, as well as their own way of how they want to love their live, here at Bluebird Care Darlington, South Durham and Yarm we are just in the background working away to make sure this happens to the best of our ability.

Bluebird Care Darlington, South Durham and Yarm

I hope this has given some insight into how we build our support packages and how, having help, doesn’t mean losing control or your independence. We are passionate about delivering care that works for you and lets you live the life you want, where you want, and, how you want.

If you would like to hear how Bluebird Care Darlington, South Durham and Yarm could help you or a loved one to remain in their own home safely without taking away their independence, then please get in touch.

E: darlington@bluebirdcare.co.uk

T: 01325 582 011