Across the Excelcare family, we welcome relatives, friends and family members of the people who live in our homes to play an active role in their care. Our approach to care is collaborative, and each person's care plan is created with support and input from those who know the person best! This ensures the care we deliver is tailored to the needs, likes and dislikes of the person, aiding their quality of life and personal wellbeing.
Sadly sometimes people need to be in hospital and we want to ensure that everyone knows about Johns’ Campaign and ensures their loved one has the visits they need to help their recovery whilst in hospital
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have also encouraged loved ones who wish to play a more active role in the care of their loved ones on a daily basis, to become their registered Essential Caregivers. This role enables people to play a more hands-on role and help to deliver personal care to their loved one. Throughout the pandemic, this role has seen a larger uptake amongst relatives, as they have readily signed up to play their part in ensuring the well-being of the people we care for.
This support is so beneficial for a person, as highlighted by Wendy Mitchell in her recent post about John’s Campaign. John’s campaign was set up in honour of Dr John Gerrard who was a doctor and businessman. John was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which saw him decline, but very slowly. He was an able man that could look after himself, garden and live a good life.
In 2014, John was admitted to hospital after the ulcers on his leg became infected. At this time, there was an outbreak of norovirus in the hospital, which meant visitation was closed to all.
John stayed in the hospital for 5 weeks and in this time, wasn’t able to be visited by any of his family or friends. When he left, his family described him as skeletal, immobile, incoherent, requiring 24-hour care and barely knowing those around him. His family are sure that if he had not spent that time alone, without them, he would not have descended into such a state of deep delirium. They say, “Having someone with you - someone who you love, who you know, whose face you know - helps keep you tied to reality, to life, to sanity.”
John’s campaign now exists to encourage care settings around the country to enable and encourage loved ones to be able to support people with their care and have a friendly face to talk to turn to.
Here at Excelcare, we support John’s campaign and actively encourage families and friends to play a role in the care of their loved one who lives with dementia when they are admitted to hospital.