Dorothy always likes to look her best, so when she needed her fingernails and toenails trimmed her daughter Marie asked BelleVie to help.
We organised for our partner, Chrissy Cares *link* (founded by Wellbeing Support Worker, Chrissy) to cut Dorothy’s nails. Unlike other nail services, Chrissy is trained to work with older people and delivers a compassionate, trusted service. In line with BelleVie’s values, Chrissy Cares doesn’t rush or watch the clock. Each treatment takes a minimum of one hour, and Dorothy loved having a chat while she was getting pampered.
To keep on top of her nail care Dorothy made it a monthly appointment, and because she booked via BelleVie, she didn’t have to worry about payment on the day, as it was added to her monthly invoice.
When Dorothy’s granddaughter got married she asked Chrissy to paint her nails for the special occasion. She was so pleased to have pretty nails to match her new outfit!
We visit Jim and Maggie regularly to support them with washing, cleaning and other household activities to make sure they have an environment they can thrive in.
Both Jim and Maggie find it difficult to leave the house so it’s important their home is a place they can spend quality time together and relax.
The Wellbeing Support Workers recommended an assessment (carried out by our Occupational Therapist) to help them make the most of their home. Following the assessment, we sourced products to make day-to-day activities easier, so they had more time and energy to do the things they enjoyed.
Small editions to their home such as a tipping kettle so Jim can make his morning cup of coffee, or a hands free hairdryer so Maggie can dry her hair easily made a big difference to their lives.
We started visiting Joan when she was first diagnosed with dementia to help her get ready for her day, and to support her to continue doing the things she loves. The team love creating special moments for Joan, such as baking her favourite cake that she has fond memories of making with her mum and her sister.
Joan’s daughter Catherine works full time and has a young family, so when she does get to see her mum she wants to spend quality time with her. We help to make this happen by organising all of the things Joan needs to thrive while living in the house she shared with her late husband. This way, when Catherine visits they have time to have a stroll along the riverside, or potter around the garden.
Thriving at home for Joan means she has nutritious, frozen meals delivered regularly to give her a break from cooking for a couple of nights a week. Because our Wellbeing Support Workers have built a strong relationship with Joan, they understand her likes and dislikes, and it’s this knowledge, paired with advice from a nutritionist, that is the basis for Joans tailored menu.The menu is then carefully selected by our team and shared with Joan during her support visit. Catherine also receives a copy of the menu and nutritionists advice once a month so she has peace of mind that her mum is eating well.
Joan also loves to look her best and get pampered, so we organise a regular visit from a mobile hairdresser, and appointments with our partner, Chrissy Cares (set up by Wellbeing Support Worker, Chrissy) for Joan to have her nails cut and painted.
Both Joan and Catherine are reassured by the support available from BelleVie, they know that if Joan ever needs anything the team are on-hand to help.
Charlotte, 30, has PTSD and has associated physical symptoms, including chronic pain. Because of this, Charlotte can struggle with the social side of life and everyday tasks such as meal preparation and housework.
When we first met Charlotte she was very nervous about meeting new people. We made sure she felt comfortable, chatting to her over the phone first and offering additional information about the small team of Wellbeing Support Workers. We also spent time getting to know her, her interests and her concerns to understand how we can support her.
As she began to feel more comfortable, Charlotte opened up and now enjoys having someone to speak to regularly. She has built a strong relationship with Wellbeing Support Worker, Lisa. They bonded by sharing memories and experiences, which has resulted in an open, honest and trusted relationship. Lisa makes sure the environment is non-judgmental and open, so that Charlotte feels comfortable enough to communicate how she’s feeling.
Charlotte and Lisa also enjoy going shopping together, and planning nutritious meals for the week. Each day is different for Charlotte, but she now has the peace of mind that if, for example, she isn’t able to do the hoovering or wash the bedding herself, Lisa can support her. We offer Charlotte just enough support, and seeing a friendly face regularly has helped to build her confidence.
Kevin, 19, is autistic, and recently began studying at college. To help him prepare for his transition from school to college, we did travel training with him. This included planning out his route, accompanying him on practice runs and going through any “what if” scenarios. Because of this support, Kevin is now confident about travelling to the city centre, and instead of worrying about how he is going to get to college, he can instead focus on his studies.
During lockdown Kevin has found keeping in touch and maintaining his relationship with his friends challenging. The Wellbeing Support Workers have helped by signing him up to Zoom and social media platforms, so he can connect with his friends virtually.
Kevin also loves exercising, so Wellbeing Support Worker Marc, who has previously worked and trained in fitness and nutrition, has been training with him three times a week. Kevin and Marc love cooking nutritious meals together, and have recently been perfecting five staple recipes for Kevin to cook on his own.
Alice, who is autistic, and her mum contacted us looking for support for Alice on her journey to becoming self-sufficient. We began helping Alice by guiding her through the steps to employment, including working with her to write her CV and applying for volunteering roles in the community.
Alice loves animals so while she has enjoyed volunteering at the local cat and dog shelter, it has also built her confidence and her communication skills. We are now supporting her to apply for permanent employment, and something Alice is very excited about…house hunting for a flat of her own. While Alice has a strong bond with the Wellbeing Support Workers, we are also supporting her to keep in touch with friends and to build new relationships. This includes joining local groups, such as the dog walking group who meet once a week to walk on the beach.
Joan’s family contacted BelleVie for support after she was diagnosed with dementia. Because Joan needed extra support, the family had considered a care home but Joan had lived in her home for over fifty years and had great relationships with her neighbours and friends in the area. They also felt staying at home and being in familiar surroundings would help Joan feel more comfortable and willing to accept the help. We began visiting three times a day, once in the morning to help her get dressed and washed, a lunch time visit to prepare her lunch and again in the evening to help her to bed.
Although reluctant at first, Joan began enjoying our visits and loved singing along to the radio with her Wellbeing Support Worker Beth. Beth and Joan bonded over a love of music and they each introduced one another to artists they hadn’t heard of before.
In the months that followed, Joan’s health began to decline. She’d often become confused and anxious, and went missing a couple of times. Joan didn’t have any family in the area, so it was our Wellbeing Support Workers who first noticed this decline and became concerned about her wellbeing. The team spoke with Joan’s family to express their concerns, and it was decided that Joan’s visits would be increased to offer extra support.
However, although increasing her visits did help, once she was left alone she again became very anxious. Because of this, it was agreed with her family that we would begin the process of helping Joan to settle into a care home. Her Link Worker, Caron, began researching care homes in the local area, because we knew Joan had lived there
all of her life and would be reassured by moving somewhere familiar.
Luckily a care home was available very close to Joan’s house, with a specialist dementia wing. BelleVie helped her during the moving process to pack and sort through her
belongings. Joan loved her photos, so we made sure she had them all packed carefully to take with her. Joan even bought her a photo album so she could look through them
all in her new home. Joan is now very happy in the care home and has made some very close friends. We often visit and call to see how she is, and the team who supported her are always pleased to get updates.
After a surgery and a few weeks in hospital, Amanda was very frail, and needed support 3 times a day, 7 days a week. We started supporting her on the day she was discharged from hospital. She needed help to get ready for the day, have breakfast and take her medication. Her medication after hospital was quite complex and our Wellbeing Team helped her sort it out, arranging visits with district nurses and follow-up hospital appointments. Her package costs £2510/month.
Alan had a complex medical history and had been diagnosed with dementia. His wife, Karen, was supporting him but she needed daily respite for her own wellbeing. We offered a package with long visits 7 days a week to go for walks along the river, play games, do crafts and to talk about animals and cars, which Alan was very passionate about. His monthly package cost £1385.
Ellen was quite reluctant to get support, but her daughters strongly felt she’d benefit from having someone coming in for some companionship, and support with meal planning and shopping. We started with a package of 2 visits each week and shopping, for £340/month.
We give the people we support the flexibility to change their package to suit their changing needs. Ellen was no different, she started to enjoy the company of our Wellbeing Support Workers and asked to increase support to include daily visits to help her get ready for the day, have a shower, and get a good and nutritious breakfast. We visited her 7 days a week, with a new £980/month package.
