Martha (75 year old lady) cares for her elderly husband Tom who has dementia and a son with ADHD, Learning disability and asthma.  She also has a son with a learning disability who lives in supported accommodation in Derby.  He decided he was going to move back to his mothers just before lockdown started.

Martha has health issues herself and is in kidney failure, but has to have a special diet to prevent dialyse.  She is also recovering from cancer and is in the shielded group but has no one to do the shopping for her.  She has been nipping to the small local shop which had limited supplies and was very expensive.  She also did not like leaving her sons with their dad.

The son with Asthma would not go out and the son from Derby was unable to do the shopping because of his LD.

Martha was extremely anxious and vulnerable and needed to have something in place that would prevent her from being exposed to the virus.

I contacted the Ripley Covid volunteer group and the DCC community response team. I also got Martha put on the Government Vulnerable adults list.

She now has support to ensure that there is adequate food and special food, plus has medication being brought in.

On several follow-up calls, Martha expressed that she was extremely grateful for the interventions put in place to help them during the crisis.

Get the latest news and information for Carers – sign up to our newsletter

Newsletter Sign Up