Our Better@Home service provides short-term support to people aged 50+ who have recently been discharged from hospital. It is a free service that we offer to people living in Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Better@Home can be a vital resource as many older people live alone or with an elderly partner or relative. After a stay in hospital the transition from hospital ward to home environment can be challenging, and additional support may be needed. Our hospital discharge service complements the services provided by other agencies and is able to liaise on behalf of the service user with other providers.

We were recently contacted by Margaret who wanted to thank one of our Support Workers,  Andrea Parry, for the support she had provided to her husband Fred following a stay in hospital. We are grateful to Margaret for telling us about her experiences and allowing us to share her words.

“I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to review the services which have been provided to me by Age Connect Morgannwg.

I cannot thank ACM enough for the support made available to me since my husband came out of hospital in March. The effect on my husband's mental health, as a result of a hospital stay, was worsening dramatically by the day.  Social Services were trying to organise some support for myself at home which had been a condition of his release from hospital. 

I was fearing that Fred would never return to the home environment, and I feel that this may well have been the outcome had ACM not been approached by the Rehab Sister and agreed to provide some interim support to bridge the gap until Social Services were able to put a plan in place.

I have to admit to having been extremely apprehensive at the prospect of having a person in my home to sit with Fred, so I could have a break, but immediately I met Andrea I felt relaxed, as did Fred. She is a real star and a true asset to your organisation.

I stayed very local on the first occasion she sat with Fred, but I truly had no need to as she just slotted in as if she had known us both for years. She understood Fred's dementia diagnosis and knew immediately how and when to communicate with him. She was even willing to cope with his continuing insistence that her name was Andreas and that I was incorrect in my pronunciation!

I truly do not know how I would have got through those initial weeks without her helping hand, it is such a bonus to still be able to ask for assistance from time to time, which adds to the support provided by Social Services.”

Tina Down manages the Better@Home service and said “We were so pleased to hear about the positive impact of Andrea’s support on the lives of both Margaret and Fred, focussed short term support can make the transition from hospital to home, so much easier. Well done Andrea.”

If you are interested in finding out more about the service please visit our Better@Home page.