You can see from some of our recent articles that Gabriel’s Angels really embraces family values in the care they provide for their clients.
Care Supervisor Becki Bridger and daughter Sophia - a Care Support Worker - have been amply demonstrating this with a long-term client of Gabriel’s Angels.
They explained further “The client has Korsakoff's syndrome - most commonly caused by chronic alcohol abuse, and this results in severe memory loss and creates confusion in the person’s mind. The client lives alone and was referred to us by his neighbours as the house had become uninhabitable due to a build up of rubbish and mouldy food. In our initial engagement we formed a big team to go into the house to do a massive clean-up – the carers doing this in their own time - and the client was not charged!”
“We then engaged with the client’s GP and local Social Services and obtained a solicitor to assist in managing the client’s funds by becoming the client’s deputy as unfortunately because although the client had money access to the funds was very difficult. This was because the client could not recall where the accounts existed, and what the passwords were.”
Becki and Sophia became the principal Gabriel’s Angels carers for the client - often engaging with him in their own time initially, with Sophia actually buying groceries with her own money to help out until the client’s funding issues were resolved - and Gabriel’s Angels providing care for free until they were. Hence this is why we refer to Gabriel’s Angels treating their clients as a family member providing the highest standards of care at all times.
Becki specialises with clients who have dementia issues - she has an affinity with people with dementia, and she gently accepts each person as an individual making sure she listens intently to what they want and need. Becki is a fantastic advocate for people with dementia and she specialised in dementia care when she completed her QCF qualification.
Becki explains “this client has needed help in many different ways, and I have communicated an awful lot with the client’s social workers and occupational therapists. I have helped & supported the client when in meetings – the syndrome has the effect of not being able to understand questions easily, so I help by breaking the questions down in such a way for the client to be able to take the question on board so that they can get across what they want to say”
Becki added – “going forward we are helping the client due to mobility issues by obtaining a new bed and walk-in shower, and also getting more interaction socially with trips out of the house.”
Care takes many forms but the key point to reinforce is to treat each client as you would in your own family - even with what can be some really debilitating issues.