Bryan is 94 years old and is a renowned sculptor and highly respected artist who lives in North London with his live-in carer Tessa. With his huge passion for creativity and a little help from Tessa, Bryan has continued to produce artwork while remaining in his own home of 40 years. Here is Bryan and Tessa’s story.
After suffering a stroke in 2012, Bryan continued to work in his studio but needed more help at home. SweetTree Home Care’s specialist team has enabled him to continue living in his home, with his beloved dog and studio. We asked Bryan’s daughter Kate what difference the care provided by SweetTree has made for Bryan and the wider family, and why choosing the right carer has been so important.
Flexible Live-In Care for Changing Needs
“Dad has always been fiercely independent, but following his stroke needed some extra support. Initially, we had someone visit for a few hours every day then we doubled that to morning and afternoon visits. The support has since continued to escalate, driven by key trigger events, and as Dad has become physically more frail”, Katie told us.
“One of the many benefits of working with SweetTree is the flexibility of support. We’ve been able to adjust the support we have in place to meet his needs. Whether the change in care regime needed was short-term or long-term, SweetTree was always able to accommodate, which took huge pressure off us as a family.
Previously, it was a bit of a nightmare. We had quite a lot of care from social services, and different people came on different days, at different times, doing different things. There was no consistency, and it was quite erratic and hard to manage. Working with SweetTree has helped stabilise the situation and given us consistency.
We moved to live-in care in March last year. For dad, the flat in North London has been his home for coming on 40 years, so being able to remain living there was really important, especially because he’s now housebound. He’s got his studio there. He’s got his dog there. And we were lucky enough that there was a room we could use for a carer”.
Finding the Right Live-In Carer
I think finding the right live-in carer is key, but can be really tricky. Again, SweetTree has been brilliant.
I cannot praise Tessa highly enough. She’s the complete hero of this picture. Tessa combines calm professionalism with caring and empathy. My dad’s not always easy, but she’s always calm, understanding, and professional. She’s worked with him, and they’ve become very good friends, providing consistency, as well as companionship. It takes time to build a relationship like that, and I’ve got a massive amount of respect for her for not giving up on him and for taking the time.
Tessa is very sensitive to what my father wants to do. If he wants to go to the studio, he goes to the studio. If he wants her there, then she’ll go with him. If he wants to be by himself, then she’ll respect that and leave him alone. She’s very sensitive to his interests, finding books and television programmes that will stimulate and interest him.
(Tessa)
“When you are a live-in carer, one of the most important things is building trust and making the person feel comfortable with you there. I see the person I am caring for and I treat them the way I would want my own parents to be treated. It comes down to respect, patience and communication.
“I’m very happy that having my support means Bryan is able to remain in his home, the place he is accustomed to, for as long as possible.”
– Tessa, Live-In Carer
The Impact of Live-In Care on the Family
“Tessa has completely transformed what was a challenging situation into a kind and caring, stable situation. My dad is very grateful because it’s allowed him to stay in his own home, and the rest of the family is very grateful too. It’s given us back some balance and calm”.
It’s always going to be about the quality of the care at the front-end and the calibre of the carer and how well they are supported, which is where SweetTree is exceptional.
If, like Kate, you are also considering live-in care for a loved one or yourself, you can arrange a non-commitment call with SweetTree to discuss your needs.