Home Care - support whatever the weather
Warwickshire County Council staff with 4 x 4 vehicles have come to the rescue of Home Carers struggling to reach elderly and vulnerable clients in the poor weather conditions.
Staff with 4 x 4 vehicles from across the Adult, Health and Community Services Directorate were asked if they could help transport Home Care staff to and from their visits in areas where the ice and snow was making travel difficult and dangerous for normal vehicles.
Graeme Betts, Director of Adult, Health and Community Services joined colleagues to help escort Home Carers to their destinations yesterday evening (Thursday), he said: "I would like to express my great appreciation to all those staff who have helped out in the last few days to make sure we could continue to run this essential service."
The snow has caused difficulties for Home Carers across the county. In North Warwickshire, many walked long distances through the snow to reach their clients homes. On Thursday two homecare workers walked for an hour each way to enable a bedridden customer to receive her essential care. Earlier this week another walked over a mile down a remote snowbound and pot-holed lane to get to her call.
Staff in the team have continued to report to work and Home Care Supervisors have managed to maintain essential services. One Supervisor came in on her day off and another managed to walk to work to open the office at 7am to ensure sufficient capacity to organise calls and contact customers and Home Carers.
In Shipston and the surrounding area new falls of snow today (Friday) added to the problems but Home Carers and supervisors are again doing all they can to keep services running. Staff have been walking to clients homes, using 4 x 4 vehicles to reach the more inaccessible locations and phoning clients, especially in outlying villages to checking on their welfare.
ENDS
For media enquiries please contact Helen List in Warwickshire County Council’s press office on 01926 414142.