HammondCare Home Care client Sheila and her husband John, both in their 80s, have been receiving support at home for 18 months - and Sheila wonders why other people would even think twice about getting more help.
The couple live in the tiny, picturesque fishing village of Greenwell Point on the NSW South Coast, ‘a great place to bring up children,’ says Sheila, who worked at the local school while raising their three children and John fished professionally with his brother-in-law.
As if that wasn’t busy enough, they were both active members of the rural fire brigade, Sheila making history as the first female with the Greenwell Point Brigade to join the front line as most of the men were unavailable owing to work commitments.
Now blessed with seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren, Sheila and John are still very involved in their family’s lives.
Their daughter Sharon lives nearby and is a regular visitor. After Sheila experienced back issues in 2022, Sharon could see that getting more support at home was becoming a priority.
‘Mum and Dad have always been such humble, hardworking people who just get on with things,’ Sharon shares. ‘But I could see the strain on Dad’s face during my visits; caring for Mum was starting to take its toll. I asked friends and people in the community about homecare, and HammondCare came out on top.’
‘We knew Sharon had done her homework, so we felt comfortable with this choice from the start,’ says Sheila.
Sheila admits it took a while to get used to the idea of having people they didn't know in their home of 50 years. ‘We were used to doing everything ourselves, but it was time for us to share the load and accept the help.
‘I wish we’d got help sooner, especially when I was in hospital for five months after an operation. Then when my back went, the future became an unknown quantity. I think John was exhausted, but he never complains.’
It’s the thoughtful communication among the HammondCare Home Care team that the couple are most grateful for.
When Sheila had a bad fall in the local town of Nowra requiring five stitches in her neck, the care team quickly followed up with team member Mel, a clinical care manager.
‘Mel ordered a moon boot for me to wear as I had broken a small bone in my foot as well. She came out to see me again just a few weeks ago and was concerned about my psoriasis. Two days later a truck turned up in front of our house with a delivery of some new cream that she highly recommended.
‘And when I casually mentioned we needed a tipping kettle, Sandra made sure it arrived the next day.’
The domestic support the couple are receiving has made a huge difference, especially for John. They’ve recently been approved for a Level 3 package and are looking forward to the extra help around the house and in the garden.
‘We’ve been here since 1971, and everything could use a bit of attention. John has grown most of our veggies over the years and now does all the cooking and washing, too.’
‘HammondCare are like family to us,’ Sheila continues. ‘The team notice things when they visit, and the first thing they do is always ask how we are going.’
John adds: ‘We’ve recommended HammondCare to a lot of people, some of them are older than us and aren’t receiving any care yet. With their support we can keep enjoying our wonderful life here in our own home that’s full of special memories – and we can make more beautiful memories, too.’
‘HammondCare has been a godsend,’ Sheila pipes in.
