Penny finds freedom in independence
When Penny Pritchard returned from hospital after being on life support, she quickly found herself in need of extra care.
“I couldn’t do anything at all and it was too much for my husband who was still working,” says Penny.
“Even though I’ve now recovered somewhat, without carers, I just wouldn’t be able to live as independently as I do now.”
As a resident of an over-50s village, Penny is a huge advocate for in-home services and particularly Feros Care.
“There are some elderly people who are too proud to have carers but I tell them how wonderful carers are and how they give me the physical and emotional support to enable me to do things that I want to do, while they do the necessary things that wouldn’t otherwise get done,” says Penny.
“Independence is the hardest thing to have to give up, but finding the right help has given me my freedom back.
“There are people I know who complain about their providers and I say “go to Feros!”
“Feros Care look after their staff, they look after their clients and they think outside the box and go beyond what other providers do.”
Feros Care’s innovative technology is a plus for Penny who manages her services using the MyFeros Portal and is an active member of the Virtual Social Centre (VSC).
“I love the portal. If I think of something late in the evening, I can just write a message for Mallory or Sue and they’ll deal with it in the morning,” says Penny.
“It’s a very useful system that I think every provider should offer their clients – it’s a big time saver as you don’t get put on hold on the phone and generally are answered very quickly.
“The VSC is another thing I love about Feros. It’s opened up my world.
“I really enjoy the outings – like the Toowoomba Flower Festival and the Swell sculptures. I can’t get to these things any longer but I can sit here in the comfort of my home and watch it all.
“It’s also been great with Covid, especially for people living on their own I know it’s not the same always sitting in front of a screen but you can see and talk to other people, see how they are coping and not just be surrounded with your own four walls.”
Penny receives help around the house but her favourite service is her Thursday shopping trips.
“Sometimes you just need to get out and having someone to talk to in a more social setting, rather than just around the home, does me a lot of good,” says Penny.
“Carers become friends and we have a lot of fun. It’s because of them that I can stay in my own home – which for me is vital. There’s still so many things that I can do and enjoy that I simply wouldn’t be able to if I had to go into full-time care and I’m just not ready for that.”
While Penny had been receiving care for some time, after her daughter became an employee of Feros Care and Penny realised the varied services they offered, she decided to become a Feros client 18 months ago.
“I learnt a lot about Feros Care, read the mission statement and George Feros’ book, and knowing how well they look after their own people through my daughter’s experience, I was really impressed and moved to them as my care providers,” said Penny.
“I recommend them to everyone! I love Feros. Nothing seems too much trouble for them. If it can be done, it’s done. I can’t recommend them more highly.”
