Bluebird Care Stratford & Warwick Opened its doors in July 2009. The very first person to wear our uniform and set off to provide the very first care visits in August of that year, was Helen Bent. Helen celebrated 15 years of caring with Bluebird Care Stratford & Warwick this year. An immense milestone and we are all so proud of Helen and everything she has seen change and grow in that time! We held a little surprise party for Helen and presented her with some lovely gifts and treats, including a luxury spa hotel stay with dinner and breakfast.
Read Helen’s interview below.
"I have a caring nature; it just comes naturally to me to try to help someone. I think when you’ve been through some tragedies yourself you have an inner strength. I lost my parents when I was 12 years old, my father had a heart attack and died on the way to hospital. Sadly my mother, who had a brain tumour, died just three months later. They were only in their forties. I was quite lost, and that feeling of being lost went on for many years. I lived with my elderly aunt, and she was brilliant.
I’ve worked in a number of different roles, including hairdressing, and retail. Then fort ten years I did some private care for a lady in her eighties, I took her shopping, did a bit of housework, took her dog for a walk. I knew then that I wanted to be a carer.
I saw a job advertised with Bluebird Care Stratford & Warwick and joined in August 2009. I felt there was more I could offer, that I could meet more people. I don’t have any regrets about staying so long with Bluebird Care. I have some lovely customers. I enjoy the variety of what I do, it doesn’t actually feel like work, it almost feels like I’m going to visit my friends.
I used to go and see one lady almost every day, and I was with her for around six years. She was in her nineties and was very friendly, we got on great together. She used to say: ‘promise me you are never going to go, you are never going to leave me, I told her I had no intention of that. I never let her down.
I’ve seen the difference that I make to people. I find something they like doing, something that makes them happy. Another lady was interested in music, and she’d put on the tapes and dance in her chair. I danced along with her. She was very jovial, always cheerful. I believe in having a nice smile on my face, having a bit of fun and doing things with my customers.
Another regular customer I see has dementia. I’ve taken her clothes shopping, and she bought a dress recently, she was over the moon. I’ve taken her to garden centres, I’ve taken her out walking and we’ve gone for coffee. She’s very grateful and will always say: ‘thank you.’ I see her regularly. Sometimes she has a few tears just of the blue, she’ll get quite upset when she’s talking. I say: ‘let’s have a hug,’ so we have a hug and suddenly she’s better and has a smile on her face. She sits down as though it never happened, I find it works.
I like the feeling that I have helped someone, and that people are happy with what I’ve done. Many of the people I see are in their nineties. They’re fascinating and I enjoy listening to the stories of their lives.
This is not a nine to five job and that’s what I like about it, it fits in with what I do. I still have time to take my grandson out and go to keep fit classes. I work around 36 hours a week over six days. The staff are all very nice and supportive and we get on well together. For the last few years, I’ve been a mentor too and I enjoy that, I’m meeting the new staff coming on board.
I would encourage other people to become carers. This role makes me feel good and the years have ticked by so fast. I’m 62 now and I have no plans to retire. I hope I can carry on for as long as possible and I’m happy staying with Bluebird Care Stratford & Warwick."
