The role of trust in positive client outcomes

These three very different cases illustrate some of the invaluable work done by one of  our case workers and highlights

the benefits that arise from developing trusted relationships with clients.

Rising up from a fall

MB had been in hospital following a fall and had become very ill, on discharge he was referred to Age Connects Morgannwg for support through our Hospital Discharge Service. We assigned a case worker to support MB with additional shopping needs and to provide emotional support.

As the case worker got to know MB, she discovered that he had lost his wife five years earlier and was suffering from Parkinson’s disease. They followed up on this information by checking MB was claiming the benefits he was entitled to but discovered he was not aware of concessions and benefits like council tax rebate and water bill reduction schemes. He was also experiencing difficulties with parking close to amenities when his daughter took him out.

The case worker explains that one of the key benefits of the six-week support programme was the time she got to build a relationship with the client. "You get to know them pretty well in six weeks, what they like and what their needs are, that period is crucial to build trust."

With information in hand, they set out to improve the situation. She first contacted his water supplier but was not able to reduce the bill as the usage was low, she then completed the SMI (Severe Mentally Impaired) forms and submitted these to the local authority. This process can often be slow with long waits to get through on the phone, but she preserved. The case worker also completed and submitted the application form for a blue badge on MB’s behalf.

The hard work paid off and MB was awarded a council tax rebate, backdated for five years which amounted to over £5,000. The client was delighted and described the service as marvellous, or as the case worker described, “he had a big beaming smile on his face like a Cheshire cat when the refund came through!”.

The emotional support provided also worked wonders for MB. His mental health improved as did his wellbeing. He received the blue badge which meant that his daughter could now take him out and be able to park the car without too much difficulty.

Getting outside again

Another client was DS, a hospital referral. She was suffering from low self-esteem and loss of confidence. This was mainly due to the effects of the lockdown which meant that she could no longer participate in the community activities she had engaged in prior to the pandemic. The fact that she had collapsed previously due to health problems exacerbated her problems and created a fear of falling when out on her own.

The case worker initially started by encouraging DS to use the four-wheel stroller and then taking her out for a cup of tea, a chat and shopping. Through these activities the client gradually regained control of her movement and after six weeks was confident enough to go out by herself and started to enjoy life again.

Rebuilding confidence

A third service user that was supported by our case worker was DM. She went into hospital with multiple health problems including breaking her neck twice. The lockdown meant that she could not carry on with her normal activities, especially her WI meetings which had been an important part of her life. These things had led to a huge loss of confidence and had resulted in a referral to Age Connects Morgannwg.

DM was delighted when the case worker offered to see her once a week during the second lockdown and they formed a very positive relationship. They met up for chats and a coffee and within a short period of time DM’s fear of going out started to dissipate and she began to leave the house on her own. The ill health suffered by DM had resulted in her neck being fused and a lack of mobility. As a result she was unable to do housework so the case worker successfully applied for a cleaner to help, which made a huge difference. DM described the service from ACM as wonderful, and when she was admitted to hospital again, she requested our support.

Although the outcomes was positive in all three cases, the real difficulty can be finding a more permanent programme to refer the clients to when the six weeks of support ends.

Find out more about our Hospital Discharge Service.