“Penny and her team are fantastic, it has given us such peace of mind knowing that our relative has someone regularly checking in and helping where needed”

“Penny and her team are fantastic, it has given us such peace of mind knowing that our relative has someone regularly checking in and helping where needed. Can’t recommend highly enough”

Sometimes when our parents live far away we wish we could do more. Sometimes this is exactly how Hook Home Help can help. When people ask me what we do, I often reply, “We do exactly what you would do for your parents if you lived closer”. So we pop in and do whatever is needed that day, and then we can report back to the relative to let them know how everyone is doing.

At the beginning it can be a bumpy ride as we all get used to each other. Often this is the first time that people have accepted any help. Sometimes they feel frustrated that they have to have help. We just do what we can to understand what they need most each week, and slowly we get into a routine. 

Then we get to know when the sheets get changed and which wash they go on. We know where things go and how people like the bed made - and their tea. We try to make people a cup of tea and a glass of water when we are there because dehydration can be very damaging for older people. We can make sure everyone has eaten and that there is no stale food in the fridge.

We do random jobs like cleaning the fridge, popping to Tesco for emergency supplies, as well as the usual cleaning and tidying. We are a listening ear when times are tough and things hurt and go wrong. Other times we listen to happy memories of holidays and adventures from long ago. 

We hear all about grandchildren and sometimes great grandchildren. We remember their names and ask after them. We listen to stories about how people met their partner and sometimes about how they lost them. Sometimes we listen over and over again to the same stories and share the grief and the sadness. Other times we smile with pride at their families’ news and happy stories. 

In getting to know people, we notice when they are not well or are feeling down. We notice when their memory is not so sharp, or if they are confused. If needs be, we can tell the family or encourage the partner to call the doctor, or both. We can stay with them until help comes. And when that happens they know us and they know that we care. The family knows that we care and we will always do whatever we can to help. 

We do all the very small things until the small things become the big things. 

Contact me if you would like to know more about how we could help you 

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