When my grandparents were alive extended families tended to live in the same community.  Indeed, I originate from Barnsley and on the coalfield communities of South Yorkshire it was commonplace for several family members to live in the same street!  The advantage was when someone fell ill or on hard times other family members were in walking distance and could provide the care and support needed with little outside help.

This community structure was starting to weaken when I was a child in the 1970s and of course today people live anywhere in the world.  My own cousin left his wider family to take up a post as a fireman in Australia.  The problem occurs perhaps 20 years later when parents get older, in their 80s, and need care and support to live at home but their son or daughter is no longer local.

An increasing amount of our work at Independent Living is caring for elderly people whose family are not local.  We can give family members peace of mind that their mum or dad is in decent health, safe and being cared for.  We can visit people daily to make sure they are clean, dressed, have taken medication, have eaten and drank and that the house is tidy.  If we find things are not as they should be we can report back, or engage the emergency services if required.  We can also take customers to medical appointments and leisure activities which older people require more frequently.

By providing care we can give next of kin more peace of mind whether they live locally or some distance away.

If you are looking for care for a loved one why not give Lilian or Amanda a call on 01257 696 050 in office hours.