Albert's story
Albert is a retired Engineer and had a very successful career in the Army. He met his wife Jayne when they were both in their late teens, they enjoyed a long and happy marriage, and brought up two children, Sally and Liam.
While immensely proud of his Army career, Albert was a bit of a rebel at heart too. As a motorbike fanatic, his Triumph was his pride and joy in his younger years. He loved spending his leave getting lost in the UK countryside with Jayne. While his riding days were now behind him. He loved looking back at photos of his and Jayne’s road trips. He was also a fantastic, if modest guitar player. He could usually be convinced to play at family gatherings, and he would shine with pride when doing so.
Sadly, Jayne passed away suddenly last year, leaving Albert alone in the family home. He loved the home he and Jayne had created, surrounded by memories of them, their children and grandchildren. However, it was a big house and Albert was finding it difficult to stay on top of things – there were so many things that Jayne used to manage that he would forget. Cleaning and tidying took a lot of energy and he found it frustrating when his body couldn’t keep up. He’d had a few minor trips and bumps which he felt embarrassed about, and he was finding his days lonely too. While he loved having his dog Webster around, he missed meeting up with friends, however the worry of getting into the village alone, or them thinking that he wasn’t coping kept him home most of the time.
He didn't want to ask Sally to do any-more. After all he was her dad, he should be looking after her.
His son, Liam, lives in Belgium for work, so Sally would pop in after work and at the weekends to make sure he had what he needed – such as doing a small food shop, or quickly running the hoover around. He was really grateful for her support but knew she was very busy with work and her sons. He didn’t want to ask her to do any-more. After all he was her dad, he should be looking after her.
After some difficult conversations, Albert finally opened up to Sally about what was going on. He was surprised how relieved he felt, but was still conscious of being a burden.
Sally suggested some form of formal support for Albert, and they both decided that live-in care could be worth a try. While Albert had some reservations about someone moving in and taking Jayne’s place, he did like the idea of having someone there he could really get to know and talk to, who could help him in a way that Sally shouldn’t have too.
Sally introduced Albert to Elder, who she had found online. He liked that they could find someone who shared a similar outlook on life, and could potentially become a friend as well as a carer. Albert chose Louise. After talking on the phone with her he felt she was kind and easy to get on with. She also came with fantastic reviews from other families.
Louise started a few weeks later. While it took Albert a little while to get used to sharing his home again, this wasn’t a bad thing. He liked waking up in the morning and making plans for the day while eating breakfast. Over time Louise helped Albert feel more confident – she drove him to see friends and Albert got back into walking Webster, and enjoyed showing Louise all his favourite local spots. Most of all, Albert felt lucky to have found someone who was genuinely interested in his stories of his life with Jayne – he could keep her memory alive and share what made her so special.
Sally's story
Sally lives a full life of her own, and was struggling to keep on top of things when she recognised Albert needed some extra help.
Louise's story
Louise loves to make a difference, but wanted a job that gave her more time to get to know the people she cared for.