A Day in the Life #1 – Ella’s story
This is the first in a new series of ‘A Day in the Life’ profiles which will be appearing on the Bayswood Care Group website over the coming months. The profiles will build into a series of articles and interviews documenting many aspects of life within Bayswood Care Group homes.
Some articles will spot-light residents, and other pieces will cover staff or other people connected to the family-run group of independent care homes.
The following interview/profile is with Ella at our Park View Care Home. Interviewing Ella seemed like a great place to start the series, because her story typifies the reasons and how many carers have decided to choose the care industry as their career of choice.
It’s a Wednesday afternoon and I walk with Ella as she cares for residents on the dementia wing (called Bluebell Lane by everyone) at Park View. The sun’s shining and everything feels calm. ‘It’s not always like this,’ she tells me, ‘But it is lovely when it’s quiet, and I can sit down and talk to my residents.’ Ella is sat next to a resident in the advanced stages of dementia. She is reminding him what they’d just had for dinner. ‘Did I really?’ he asks.
Ella has worked in care for seven years; the last year being at Park View. In recognition of her creative approach to providing an interesting environment for residents, Ella has been made the new events coordinator. It is obvious when you meet her that Ella has a great rapport with residents. I ask Ella how she got into care.
Ella explains that she was inspired by the nurses that gave advice and help when she cared for her father who, sadly, became terminally ill and died in 2015. Initially Ella’s father was given only two months to live. ‘He lasted six months,’ Ella explains. ‘We kept him at home and the care my family and I provided kept him going. We knew we’d made a real difference, helping him to pass away with dignity.’
The experience of caring for her father convinced Ella that she could help other people too. ‘It’s the sector for me. I can go to bed feeling like I’ve done something really worthwhile and made a difference,’ she says.
I asked Ella how different looking after others is from looking after her father. ‘I love the residents. The job can get emotional. It was a shock to the system to see dementia can happen to any one of us. They may not be my relatives, but we form real bonds,’ she replies.
Ella has lots of great ideas planned for her activities coordinator role which fit in with her overarching desire to improve the quality of life for all the residents. ‘Care is a lot about mealtimes and personal care, so it’s important we fill the rest of the days with something productive. I’m new to the role but have lots of ideas.’
The first thing Ella wants to implement is a Gardening Club. ‘The club will give people a sense of belonging and make residents choosing to get involved feel useful. It also gets them out of the home and into fresh air. We can bring items they grow into the home and even grow fresh food for the chef. It’s great to be able to mix care duties with organising activities.’
Ella begins her new role in earnest from August, but will continue with some shifts on the dementia and residential care units at Park View. Hearing her speak with such responsibility and passion about providing a good quality of life for residents, I have no doubt she will be successful activities coordinator.
Ella’s story about being inspired to enter the industry due to having to care for a loved one is a story repeated regularly within the industry. We salute the diligence and energy that Ella brings into the Park View Care Home. It’s reassuring for families to know their own loved ones are in such safe hands with Ella and her like-minded colleagues.
Interview by Kelly Farrington