Friday 29th November 2024
"The most rewarding job I’ve ever had"
Helen Nathan
After calling time on a high-flying career in advertising, Peter has taken on a brand-new role as a Hummingbird, supporting those living with dementia at Milward House, our home in Tunbridge Wells
Not so long ago Peter, 69, found himself out on the common with David, 77, attempting to fly a toy drone. The difficulty? The instructions were in Hungarian. “Thanks to Google Translate we managed to get a rough idea of what we were supposed to do, then we went for a cup of tea,” says Peter,
“It was a lovely little adventure.” Peter’s ability to think outside the box is one reason the team at Milward House named him The Way We Care Champion for July. The award recognises those staff members who are embracing our approach to care, The Way We Care, getting to know each person really well and ensuring they have opportunities to do the things they love.
As well as jaunts out with David, Peter could just as easily be found swapping painting tips with Maureen, a prolific watercolourist who sometimes manages to knock out two or three paintings per week to Peter’s modest two or three per year, or settling down for a game with arch Scrabble player Anthea. “She always beats me,” says Peter.
It was at the end of 2021 Peter came to join the team.
“I’d retired at the end of 2019. For me, lockdown wasn’t such a terrible time – I’d take our two dogs out for a walk and spent lots of time painting and doing DIY. However, I got to the stage where I knew I had to get out there and do something else. Retirement can feel like stepping off a precipice, you do the same thing for years and years and then what?”
Peter saw the part-time role of Hummingbird advertised and decided to apply. As a Hummingbird, he supports those in our care home who are living with dementia, ensuring nobody goes long without an interaction. Having someone like Peter around to provide companionship and initiate contact – something those living with dementia can struggle to do – can make a big difference.
“It’s all about understanding each individual and relating to them on their terms. We all have good days and bad days. If someone is sad then it’s my goal to leave them in a better place than before I came,” he says.
During the afternoon, he tends to visit people in their rooms, while others are occupied in the lounge with activities. In the early evening, he’ll head to the lounge himself, chatting to people while the carers are busy with bedtime.
“It’s lovely when I arrive and people say ‘oh Peter’s here!’ They are genuinely excited to see me and I’m delighted to see them, too. It’s incredibly rewarding, in fact it’s the most rewarding job I’ve ever had. You see the impact of what you do immediately and your presence means so much to people.”
Peter finds that being older himself is an advantage. “Many staff who work in the home are two or three generations younger than those who live there, whereas I’m only one generation younger. I remember things like Winston Churchill’s funeral and the era of The Beatles. We have a lot of common ground and people appreciate that.”
In many ways, Peter’s old job as the creative director for an advertising agency, working with big financial services clients like Legal & General and Prudential, feels a world away. “I enjoyed my job, although it did change a lot over the years. At the start it was quite exciting, we’d draw the artwork by hand and motorcycle messengers would race proofs across town. We’d get wined and dined by clients. By the end, it was basically sitting around looking at computers – which made life easier, but also less dynamic.”
One thing Peter always enjoyed about the role was connecting with people. Now he finds the connections he makes with those he meets are on a deeply spiritual level.
“There’s one lady who lives here, Evelyn, who is over 100. She was a missionary in South America and she has such a deep understanding of the Bible. To sit down and go through a devotional with her is an absolute joy and privilege. I’m growing and deepening in my own faith. It is a blessing to spend time with her.”
When Peter tells his contemporaries about his new part-time job they are often surprised. “They can’t quite get their heads round it,” he says. “I feel a bit sorry for them, actually. They spend their days on the golf course and going on nice holidays, all those clichéd things you do when you’re retired and live in a place like Tunbridge Wells. There’s so much they could be doing that’s infinitely more rewarding.”
Peter’s desire to make the most of his time is driven in part by a recent health scare. “Shortly after I retired, I was diagnosed with a serious illness which I’ve now fully recovered from,” he says. “It shook me up a bit and made me consider my own mortality. While I still have the ability, I want to get out and do something that’s of real benefit to others. If you have reached retirement age and are fortunate enough to have your health, then why not?”
Please pray:
Thank God for all our wonderful members of staff who care for older people as they would their own family.
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The Way We Care Champion Award goes to…
Each month across our homes a member of staff is named The Way We Care Champion. A round of applause goes to these recent winners...
Alice Kitchen Assistant at Framland, Wantage
Alice says,“When I’m here, it’s like I’m with another family. I had a really close bond with my grandparents and I treat those who live here as I would have wanted my grandparents to be treated.”
Nicole, The Way We Care Lead at Framland, says, “Alice is very hard-working but will always make time to come out of the kitchen and interact with our family members. She promotes The Way We Care by reminding other staff to give our family members choice at mealtimes using visual show. She ensures family members have time to respond. She always wants what is best for our family members, will go above and beyond and is always happy to learn more.”
Lynn Carer at Shottermill House, Haslemere
Lynn says, “I love doing the little things that make life special for our family members. Recently, I bought bath bombs for a family member to enhance her bathing experience. It’s these small gestures that mean a lot – I believe they truly improve their quality of life.”
Lux, The Way We Care Lead, says, “Lynn always goes the extra mile, making sure our family members are well cared for on a person-centred level. She ensures they have the right nutrition and encourages them to socialise and interact to avoid isolation and boredom. Lynn has a responsible and active approach, supporting family members to have showers or baths. She is an excellent communicator which reflects in her being a good team member.”
Find out more about The Way We Care
The Way We Care
Our unique approach to ensuring that older people have all that they need to flourish in their later years
Meet a kitchen assistant… Alice
Alice was recently given a The Way We Care Champion Award in recognition of how well she puts our approach to care into practice
Meet a carer...Lynn
Lynn was recently given The Way We Care Champion Award for her compassionate approach to caregiving at Shottermill House, Haslemere