What is Help at Home Service ?
Our aim is to enable people from Amber Valley and Erewash to live independently in their homes. We carry out tasks which many of us have undertaken in the past but are no longer able to do because of age, disability or illness.
Sub Sections
Focus on Gardening Support
Mrs Jenny Baker started using the gardening service in August 2012 after a spell in hospital. On her return home Jenny quickly realised that her garden would be too much for her. Following a recommendation from Social Services, Jenny contacted the Help at Home service. After the initial assessment, it was established that Jenny’s garden was in need of some urgent attention and she agreed to have the service weekly. Since 2012 Jenny decided to extend the service from Help at Home, and now receives Domestic Support in addition to Gardening Support.
Speaking with Jenny she said: 
Since the initial recommendation by Social Services I have never looked back. I was a little worried at first, in fact I was a nervous wreck! I now trust both the gardener and the cleaner implicitly. It gives structure to my life to have the visits weekly and gives me an incentive to do what I can myself.
Jenny feels very comfortable with her workers, she feels that they are both a real asset. Having the service has been a big factor in her recovery therapy. It has given her confidence to go and meet old school friends and she now attends a poetry class. Jenny feels pleased with herself that she is slowly beginning to get out and about more.
Jenny has since recommended the cleaning and gardening service to members of her family.
Help at Home Workers brave the BIG FREEZE to support the most isolated members of the community
The Help at Home project have continued to provide support through the recent cold period to ensure our clients received the much needed service.
Due to the amount of snow over the past week, it has been a quite a challenge to ensure that our workers are able to visit our clients to provide the much needed service and to do so safely in such hazardous driving conditions.
With lots of juggling, and diary management including a change in working times, the large proportion of workers have gone to clients homes to carry out their domestic duties either on foot or using public transport.
May we take this time to thank all of our workers who braved the elements to ensure that our clients received the service, and to all of clients who were happy to accommodate changes to their normal visit.
Help at Home Case Study – Mr Hibbard
John Hibbard has been living in his present home in Amber Valley for the last 6 years. When he first moved in he employed various private cleaners and helpers, but for one reason or another they did not work out.
When he mentioned this to his warden from Futures Homescape he was given one of our leaflets regarding the Help at Home project, which provides practical support to elderly or disabled residents of Amber Valley and Erewash to help them maintain their independence within their own home.
Following an assessment visit with Jane Massey, Amber Valley Coordinator, John talked to Jane and felt very reassured that he would be able to go ahead with the service. John has had many different cleaners from Amber Valley CVS and has enjoyed every one of them.
“I can honestly say that I haven’t had a bad worker, Jane Massey is very good at getting it just right and matching me with workers” said John
John has two gardeners who alternate each week and a cleaner that goes in once a week. He has been able to build up very good relationships with his workers and says “Nothing is too much trouble for them, they are always wanting to help and to make sure that I feel part of the decisions that are made, especially when it comes to my garden”…. “I have never had a garden before, so I didn’t know much, but I am learning every day, the gardener and I have a chat about what I would like and they give me advice about what will work”…. “I have colour all year round, I am especially pleased with my spring garden patch”…. “The garden helps lift my spirits when I am feeling down, and I have lots of birds and other wildlife that come to my garden now, its lovely”
John has been so pleased about how the service has worked for him that he even cancelled his holiday in order to spend his money buying more hours for the service.
“I decided not to go on holiday, as I didn’t really want to spend the money, I decided to stay at home and have my cleaner and gardener to do some more work for me”…. “I know that the workers are here to work and they do a very good job, but for me it’s so much more than that, it’s about the company and conversation that I get from their visit, it lifts my spirits and mood, I really look forward to them coming around”…. “Everyone I speak to back at the office is always so kind and helpful, I would recommend this service to Everyone!!!!”…. “This service has enriched my life, that’s thanks to everyone involved at CVS and the Help at Home project”
Help at Home Case Study – Mr Mitchelson
Mr Mitchelson of Long Eaton was referred to the Help at Home service back in 2009 by his Social Worker. Michael sadly lost his wife at the end of 2008 and due to poor mobility was starting to find daily tasks at home increasingly difficult.
The aim of the Help at Home project is to enable elderly and disabled people in Amber Valley and Erewash to live independently in their own homes by providing domestic and gardening support. The workers carry out tasks which many of us have undertaken in the past but are no longer able to do due to age, disability or illness. All workers receive an ongoing training program and are DBS checked.
Michael has two domestic workers who visit him twice a week for a total of three and a half hours. Jo visits on a Tuesday and helps with various tasks such as making the bed, putting the washing on and cleaning the kitchen. Karen visits on a Friday and shops, hoovers and cleans the bathrooms.
Michael said of Karen and Jo “The ladies radiate goodwill, I think the world of them and the service, it is excellent, I would be lost without it”.
Michael has four children and nine grandchildren. One of his daughters lives locally and is often on hand to help. Michael said “I see a lot of my daughter and she is extremely supportive. This service is a great benefit to her as it means that she doesn’t have to help with the cleaning!”.
Although Michael has poor mobility he is still able to cook for himself and keeps himself entertained making cards, listening to Dolly Parton, following Nottingham Forest Football Club of which he is a huge fan. He also uses his mobility scooter for visits to his local fish and chip shop. Michael also visits the Parklands Day Centre twice a week.
Michael said “I would highly recommend the Help at Home service, it is a lot more than a cleaning service. I have built up a good relationship with the ladies and enjoy having a chat with them and seeing them weekly”.
Help at Home Case Study – Meet Mrs Olive Kirk…………
We recently visited Olive Kirk who lives in Erewash to find out her views on the benefits of receiving the Help at Home domestic support on a weekly basis. This visit was planned at a time when Ruth, Olive’s domestic worker, and Carole her daughter were present so we could gain the views of all concerned.
Olive uses the Erewash Help at Home Domestic Service weekly. She has just celebrated her 90th birthday and, being partially sighted and deaf, quite understandably finds daily tasks at home increasingly difficult.
Olive usually uses the Help at Home service, on a Wednesday when Ruth cleans her home from top to bottom, changes bed sheets and occasionally gives the curtains a wash. Carole, Olive’s daughter said “It’s not easy for mum to look after the house. I used to do all her cleaning but now with Ruth’s help I am able spend more quality time with mum.”
Olive said “Ruth is excellent; where possible I always have Ruth as I have built up a great relationship with her. I look forward to seeing her each week”.
Olive is quick to assure us that, although her eyesight is deteriorating and she needs a stick to walk, she still cooks and makes the weekly trip to her hairdressers in the village where she has been going for the past 28 years.
Carole tends to do her mum’s weekly food shopping for her but whenever she is away Ruth is able to offer this support for Olive.
Carole said “Ruth is fantastic, she will often leave notes for me on what mum is short of. Ruth gives me the peace of mind that mum is being well looked after. When I go away it is a great reassurance to know that the Help at Home service is here and Ruth is able to do mum’s shopping”.
At the end of each visit, Ruth requires a signature from Olive on her paperwork. As Olive is partially sighted, this is not always easy. Ruth and Olive have created a system of using a torch on the paperwork which makes this job easier for Olive as well.
Olive quoted “Having Ruth here gives Carole a day off each week”