Support worker is changing an 89-year-old’s life for the better
Alan Hill has a secret weapon in his mission to keep living independently well into his 90s – his friendly support worker Ashliegh.
“I wouldn’t be able to live on my own without her,” the 89-year-old said of the Feros Care Community Support Worker who visits him every fortnight courtesy of his government-funded Home Care Package.
“As I’m vision impaired, I have a bit of trouble getting around but Ashliegh helps me tick a lot of important jobs off my to-do list every fortnight. She helps me clean my home. She takes me shopping. She’s just so supportive and helpful.
“I love it when she’s here because I tend to forget my inability to do things for myself.”
Alan lives in a Northern NSW retirement village these days but looks back fondly on his years as a farmer and contract harvester who loved nothing more than a hard day’s work.
With failing eyesight and the occasional health scare, those days are long gone and despite being a proud man, he has no regrets about reaching out to Feros Care for a little help – especially as it means he can continue to live independently.
“I’ve got a lot of living I still want to do and Ashliegh is helping me do just that,” Alan said.
“She visits me every fortnight for four hours and we get so much done. We normally spend two hours cleaning and then she takes me to the shops for a couple of hours as I gave up my driver’s licence due to my eyesight.
“She’s so reliable and a really hard worker. As well as doing a general clean, every visit we’ll tackle an extra job around the house such as sorting the linen cupboards or cleaning the screens. This week she even helped me go through my receipts and paperwork that had piled up on the table.
“Nothing’s too much trouble for her.”
The same goes for their excursions to the likes of Tweed City Shopping Centre, with journeys up and down the aisles of the supermarket mixed with clothes shopping or one-off missions such as looking for a new mattress.
While Alan is grateful for the practical benefits of Ashliegh’s visits, one gets the sense the kind-hearted senior cherishes the conversations they share just as much.
“She’s such great company and her visits give me a real boost,” he said.
“She has a great outlook on life and even though I’m a lot older than her, I appreciate her advice and insights on so many of the subjects we discuss. She’s got the right idea about life.
“You wouldn’t think that two people so far apart in age would have so much in common but I consider her a friend more than a support worker. She really is wonderful.”
Alan then signs off with the best tribute of all.
“I wouldn’t swap her for anything,” he said. “I’m actually sad when I see her walking out the door.”
From in-home nursing to cleaning, cooking and pet services, Feros Care’s in-home care services are designed to help seniors stay happy, healthy and independent at home for longer. If you are 65 or older and an Australian citizen, you may be eligible for government funded support.
feroscare.com.au/home-care.
