It’s a 15-minute walk from Frances Hill’s house to Stan Green’s Hindley home.
And it’s a journey that the dedicated carer has been making virtually every week day, rain or shine, for the past three years.
As an Adult Placement carer Frances calls on Stan and spends about an hour a day with him. They talk about life, what’s happening in the world, the weather and if the sun’s shining they may even head outdoors for a while.
Over the years it’s fair to say they’ve become firm friends.
Stan is 89 and blind and Frances’ real role is to make sure he’s got everything he needs.
“I call on Stan to make sure everything is ok,” says Frances. “It can be little things like opening his letters and reading them to him, helping him sort out his finances or just reading the newspaper and having a chat.
“I sometimes make soup and bring it over and I’ll do other things like help Stan to prepare his meals. I’m just here to give him a helping hand.”
But it’s more than that for Frances…
A grandmother in her own right with a busy family life and full-time career as a care worker at Hindley Day Centre she’s certainly got enough on her plate.
“Sometimes it’s good for me to come around and chat to Stan,” she says. He’s a great listener and we’ve always got plenty to talk about.”
Frances has been there through the good times ands the bad and when Stan’s beloved wife Marie passed away she was on hand to help.
“Frances helped me to build up my confidence again,” says Stan. “I didn’t go through the door for a long while after my wife died but it was good to have some here to talk to. I really don’t know what I would do without Frances.”
Adult Placement carers need to be friendly, patient and of course have a caring nature.
“I was already working in care but I saw the advert asking for people who might be interested in Adult Placement and decided to give it a go,” says Frances. “You get all the training you need and plenty of support from the council’s Adult Placement Team so if there are ever any problems I can’t handle, I just contact them.
“It’s very flexible and Stan and I just make the arrangements between ourselves.
“It’s extremely rewarding work and ideal for anyone who wants to try new things, meet people and make a difference.”
Wigan Council’s Department of Adult Services is currently backing a national campaign to turn more people on to the benefits of a career in care.
The Department of Health campaign is promoting the rewarding careers on offer in both the worlds of social care and social work.
Director of Adult Services Bernard Walker says: “It just goes to show that even an hour of your time can make a big difference to someone’s life.
“Many older people in our borough can often feel isolated and lonely and people like Frances provide them with a vital lifeline. They are the true unsung heroes who are doing whatever they can to help those who need it most and we cannot stress enough how important their roll is.
“Adult Placement is just one of many ways into a career in care. It can provide great experience and be immensely rewarding as well. We’d urge anyone who’s interested to find out more.”
- For more information on the Department of Health’s recruitment campaign you can contact 0845 604 6404 or visit the Social Work and Care website: www.socialworkandcare.co.uk
- For more information on careers in social work and care in Wigan contact 01942 488338 Or e-mail ssdhrd@wigan.gov.uk for more information
- To find out more about Adult Placement in Wigan and how you can get involved called the Adult Placement Service on 01942 515093.
