An Interview with one of our clients!

Interview with John, by Jemma Kelleher.

I called into see John this morning just to see how he was and to check on his well-being, he gave me permission to speak to him about his progress and how he is feeling 3 years on from starting care with Ave Maria.

John first came to Ave Maria in March 2017, he was very low and all he wanted was a little support and some companionship. John at this time wanted to sleep and would often just ask to be left alone and refuse care from the carers. When I said this to John he laughed and said, “that was until I got 3 bossy girls coming in!”.

John went on to say that Jade would come in and say;

“Come on you, you’re having a shower and a shave. And she bought me a shaver to make sure I did. The other Jade would come and do my shopping with me and make me go with her for fresh air, and I’d often stop at the barbers to get a haircut.”

He then went on to say;

“…and then there is you, trouble, (Johns nickname for me), you would come in and open the blinds with a big smile on your face and say, come on wake up its lunch time, or it could be the morning when you’d come in but you were always jolly, and thinking about it, that’s what I needed…three girls who wouldn’t take no as an answer from me.

I also liked Byron who would come in and help with shopping, cleaning, and laundry etc. he was always happy to see me and chat which was nice.

Liz also pops in to see me from time to time which is always nice, and we will go for a walk” – John is referring to Director/Head of Care; Elizabeth.

I asked John about how he is feeling now and what he has been doing with himself because he is always out when the carers come to see him, he said – “I am a busy man these days!” and smiled.

John went on to tell me that he is feeling so much better in himself and in the past 6-7 months he has got back in touch with old friends, one of which has been searching for him all along when they eventually reconnected.

John says that he enjoys going to the local pub for a meal, chat and a game of pool, and he will often just take himself out now, sometimes into Sutton Town Centre, and other times to his friends’ houses.

John is noticeably happy and smiling, and this is great because I remember the John who came to us in 2016 and was so low that he did not want to do anything, all he wanted was to lie on the sofa and sleep.

John said that he now gets up has a shower and shave and gets himself set for the day, but he also said that;

“without you lot, I don’t think I’d be doing this well, I think you have all been great and I even see one carer when I am out, and she always sits and has a chat and no one would ever know that she is one of my carers.”

When John and I had finished talking, he said, to think that only you are left from the 3 bossy girls (Jade and Jade have moved on to other careers now). I replied yes, and you’re stuck with me popping in to see you. He laughed, and we hugged each other.

John is looking really good, and it feels so good to be part of a team that achieved and helped John to get back to his old self and start enjoying things again. John still has carers that visit him 3 times a day.

Jemma Kelleher – Registered Manager, Ave Maria Care Sutton Coldfield.