Listen and learn - growing old in the 21st Century I
t takes a certain amount of courage to ask people to tell you
what they think of you! And it takes a relaxed, informal atmosphere to encourage people to be open and honest. So it was when Cherwell Care, a home care provider in Bicester, invited their clients along to an innovative “Growing Our Community” event – and really listened to what they had to say. The afternoon started with a Whose Shoes? workshoporkshop –
with a difference! In addition to the normal Whose Shoes? scenarios, looking at all aspects of personalisation from different viewpoints, there were new scenarios exploring key issues around maintaining or regaining independence in the community. We looked specifically at mobility, nutrition, use of technology and the wider challenge of ‘staying connected’ in the community. We considered the roles of family and friends and informal carers and also people such as bus drivers, shop assistants, hairdressers… people who really have a chance to influence whether older people ‘have a nice day’ – or not! There was a real buzz in the room. A constant stream of Post it notes were fed through to Carrie, our talented graphic facilitator. Before long the huge blank piece of paper on the wall was filling up with words and pictures reflecting all the ‘expert by experience’ points about what it is like to grow old in the 21 centur The rest of the afternoon passed
st century.
in a whirl. There was a ‘growing’ demonstration by ‘the Flowerpot Men’ including how to grow your own vegetables and new friendships blossomed Because it was half term, Home Support Workers were invited to bring their children in to meet clients who had heard all about them. Children always bring a lovely vibrancy and this was no exception, being appreciated by staff and service users alike. We wanted to capture the event in
66 August 2011
ways that would be truly memorable and interesting for the participants. People were relaxed as they chatted on camera. We even got a few people ‘tweeting’ as they embraced the possibilities of new technology.
people confidence to use public transport. There were lots of great suggestions
that would not cost huge amounts of money: more seats inside shops, using plain English rather than business jargon and the practical sharing of ideas and simple tips. The owners were visibly thrilled to
have had the chance to meet their clients and were open to new ideas and improvements. Owner Graham Barclay commented
• Working on the ʻexpert by experienceʼ poster
We all know that money is tight in public services but there is a danger that ‘the cuts’ become an excuse for poor practice. One lady feeling obliged to get
out of her hospital bed to help and another saying she was not allowed to help set the table in her day centre unless she was wearing rubber gloves are just a couple of examples to make us hang our heads. Fortunately,
there were really positive examples too! ‘Age UK Silver Surfer’ courses had brought a whole new experience to one man; helpful families, neighbors and reliable care staff were similarly much appreciated; as were meals delivered to the door; alarm systems to reassure the family; and recommended trusted handymen. There was special praise for a bus driver who always waited until everyone was seated before setting off, thereby giving
“We have a real opportunity to develop the service in line with clients’ wishes. This will be really crucial over the next few years”. Similarly, his wife Eileen raised a communication issue: “the clients don’t know how to go about approaching a social worker or their local GP,” and pledged to help them get the information and advice they needed. “More functions like this” was emblazoned in large letters across one part of the mural. Somehow I think that this event was just the beginning.
We need committed, reliable Senior and Home Support
Workers to join our expanding team, enabling us to fulfil our lead provider obligations with
Oxfordshire County Council in
Bicester, Kidlington and Banbury and surrounding villages
We are a local family owned business, with a vision
for achieving the best quality of life for the clients that we provide services for in the community. This is an
exciting time for us. We are growing our business and expanding the range of services to support people to
achieve their aspirations and outcomes in partnership with family, friends and the wider community
If you enjoy working with people and can travel from one client to another in your community, please get in
touch. We offer full and part time positions and a range of different training opportunities.
Telephone 01869 243839
www.cherwellcare.co.uk to find out more or visit our website
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