Care of FDS Team helps restore independence
We recently received some good news stories from our Front Door Services (FDS) Team, in which service users have regained their independence following injury or illness.
All three cases show the importance of treating each service user as an individual, asking what outcomes they would like to achieve and ensuring their care is person-centred at all times.
The first story involved a service user with COPD and bowel/stomach problems, who was referred to the team for home care three times a day. They’d recently been discharged from hospital following a pacemaker fitting and was struggling to wash, dress and prepare their meals.
FDS staff worked intensively with the service user, five days a week, to help them regain their confidence with daily living tasks.
To achieve this, the team made a referral to Wiltshire Farm Foods, which enabled the service user to heat their own meals safely and independently. Given that the service user had COPD, a perching stool was ordered, as FDS staff felt it would help to preserve their energy while preparing food. A kitchen trolley was also provided to enable them to safely transport meals.
Thanks to the help and support of the FDS Team, the service user is now fully independent with all their care needs – a brilliant result!
The second service user had recently had a bad fall. They were sore, stiff and struggling to walk due to back pain, so had been referred to the FDS Team for care twice a week.
Although they required assistance with personal care and meal preparation, the service user explained that they preferred to be independent, despite the pain they were in.
A member of the FDS team assisted the service user every morning by helping them shower and make breakfast, and then prepared a sandwich for them to have at lunchtime. This enabled the service user to take their morning pain medication, as they were able to eat something beforehand, which allowed them to move around more comfortably throughout the day.
FDS staff also identified that the service user required a kitchen trolley and a grab rail in the shower to support them. A referral was made to the Occupational Therapy Team. Enablement visits went extremely well and the service user was fully independent with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) tasks.
Another great success story from the FDS Team. Well done to everyone involved on getting this service user the support they need.
The third and final story involved a service user with heart failure, diabetes and glaucoma, who suffered from dizzy spells and struggled to walk. A referral was made to the FDS Team for care once a week.
As she was still able to drive and manage some of her needs independently, it was agreed that a member of FDS staff would only help the service user with showering and dressing.
The service user’s home was already adapted to her needs, with all relevant small aids in place. However, her home environment had become unsafe as she was finding it difficult to cope with household tasks due to low mood.
She had recently lost both her son and daughter and had become depressed and anxious about allowing anyone into her home. The service user also had her grandson staying with her, who has a disability.
A member of the FDS Team is currently supporting the service user three times a week: once for showering/dressing and twice to help her clean and tidy her home.
It was agreed that if a staff member was able to establish a routine and get her home back to a safe environment it would greatly benefit the service user’s mental health and would be a step towards helping her feel better.
The staff member will now work with the service user intensively throughout the next few weeks, with the goal of helping her shower independently and to give her enough confidence to allow a private cleaner into her home one day per week.
Well done to everyone on the FDS Team who took the time to listen to this service user and provide kind, compassionate care as well as practical support. After experiencing such sadness, your empathy and help towards recovering her independence will surely have been a source of immense comfort for her.
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