No fuel, no care

The current fuel crisis has yet again highlighted the incredibly important work done by carers across the country. The implications of care staff not being able to get to their clients, are severe. From missing medications to time delays in calling ambulances for those in need, the repercussions are endless.

Panic buying affects the supply chain, as the demand suddenly increases it causes a shortage. Many people only put £20 worth of fuel in their cars which means that they are not as protected against a fuel crisis. Yet again, it is the key workers of the country who are affected by a national crisis. Many people who rarely use their cars filled them up as the sight of growing petrol station queues triggered their panic.

Philip Ashwell, director of Ashwell Home Care Services, contacted the local paper to try and raise awareness to the plight of the care sector during this time. You can read the full article in the Worcester News by clicking here. The care sector has had an extremely difficult two years. Care staff have continually gone above and beyond during this time.

If you see a care worker waiting for fuel, let them go ahead of you in the line. Imagine it was your mother, your grandmother, patiently waiting for their carer to arrive. During the pandemic key workers could go to the front of the queue, could shop at different times, we know how to do it, why not continue to strive to be better? Why not continue to appreciate and value our key workers?

If you are worried about a loved one, speak to our friendly head office at Ashwell Home Care Services. We offer home care services across Malvern, surrounding rural areas, North Worcester and the St Johns area of Worcester. Our care companions are handpicked to provide care to those who need it most. Call our team today on 01684 778750.

Celebrating Homecare

Celebrating Homecare takes place on the 22^nd of September and is a celebration of the work done by the wonderful carers across the country. Carers have long been unsung heroes, but during the pandemic, the work done by carers has become more noticed by the general public. The theme for this year’s celebration is “made with care” and encourages people to share the amazing things they have made or created with carers. Whether it is a plate of biscuits or a hand-made card to send to a loved one, everything that is created is not only “made with care” but also made with love.

We know how vitally important the work done by carers is across the country. At Ashwell Home Care Services, we know that the time spent with our clients is also incredibly important. This is why we call our carers, Care Companions, to highlight the time spent with our clients. “Man cannot live on bread alone” and the elderly don’t just need help with daily tasks, but also companionship. Companionship can take many forms but spending time doing an activity with someone else is hugely enjoyable. Whether it is cooking a meal together, playing a game, taking someone to the wool shop to buy some new wool, our Care Companions are here to help.

Anything that engages our brains will help us. A craft activity, a project, will give us focus, a sense of purpose, it will keep us occupied and fulfilled. When we, at Ashwell Home Care Services, plan the day for our Care Companions we always allow time. Time for a chat, time for a cuppa, time for companionship. Care isn’t just helping with the physical tasks of daily life, care is; laughing, talking, engaging, interacting, being, giggling. Care is so much more.

We take great pride in the amazing work done by our care staff every day. We value, respect, and appreciate our Care Companions. We have Care Companions working across Malvern and the surrounding countryside, as well as in North Worcester and the St John’s District of Worcester. If you think care should be about more than just the physical task of daily life, you could be our sort of person! If you love the idea of “made with care”, if you love the idea of bringing a smile to someone’s face, and companionship to their day, speak to us. We are always looking for kind, compassionate people who want to make the world a little better. Call our friendly Head Office team today on 01684 778750.

Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis – what’s the difference?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful and debilitating condition. It is different from osteoarthritis, which is the more common of the two. Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease where the body thinks the soft lining around joints is a threat and attacks it. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease where inflammation occurs around joints that have worn down over time. Osteoarthritis is a disease that manifests as we grow older, whereas rheumatoid arthritis can strike at any time during a person’s life. Rheumatoid Awareness week begins on the 13^th of September and aims to increase the understanding of rheumatoid arthritis.

Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis can be restrictive. Inflammation around joints can make everyday activities a challenge. Both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis commonly start in the smaller joints such as our fingers and hands. Think about how often you use your hands. From first thing in the morning to the end of the day, our hands are constantly busy. Joints in the fingers are often attacked by arthritis, leading to pain and swelling in the knuckles. The inflammation in the fingers reduces your strength so that previously easy activities such as opening a jar can suddenly become impossible. Think about how often you use your hands and all the activities that would be affected if your hands were too painful to use.

At Ashwell Home Care Services, we provide trained care companions who can help those living with chronic health conditions. Whether you need assistance once a day with certain activities, or multiple visits a day to enable you to remain living independently in your own home, we can help. Our care companions provide support, comfort, and care to those who need it most. Being able to continue to live independently is vitally important to our clients, and we can help them to achieve that with care delivered according to their needs. One client says: ““As I am someone with chronic arthritis the help I receive from Ashwell Home Care Services is vital for me. The concern shown by the carers also helps my mental attitude towards coping with the pain.”

If you are suffering from either rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis and require support for your day-to-day living we can help. All our care is designed around your needs, so when we create your care package we would take the time to understand your condition and the limitations that it may cause. Our aim at Ashwell Home Care Services is to enable people to continue to live independently despite age or illness. If you or a loved one are struggling, please contact the friendly team at Ashwell Home Care Services today on 01684 778750.

We are expanding!

We are so excited to be able to offer our great quality care to even more people. We had the opportunity to expand into North Worcester, and the St John’s area of Worcester, so we took it! Of course, we are still keeping our Malvern area, looking after our lovely clients in and around Malvern and the beautiful countryside that surrounds us. Obviously, we do now have to contend with Worcester traffic (sigh) but it’s worth it if we can help even more people receive top-quality care in their own homes.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring great care to more people,” says Debbie Ashwell of Ashwell Home Care Services. “Home care enables older people to continue to live independently in their own homes.” Ashwell Home Care Services was founded by husband-and-wife team Philip and Debbie Ashwell, after struggling to find good home care for Philip’s aging mother. “We couldn’t find the sort of care we wanted for my mum, so we created it!” says Philip.

We have been recognised for the quality of our care by both our Governing body and the public. Winning the homecare.co.uk Top 20 Home Care Providers West Midlands 2021 award, as well as receiving a “Good” rating from our Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection. “We are thrilled to have been publicly and professionally acknowledged for the quality of our care,” says Philip. “We have an exceptional team of care companions, who do an amazing job!”

The work done here at Ashwell Home Care Services by our care companions is incredibly important. Many older people wish to continue to live independently but struggle with everyday tasks and loneliness. Being able to access support makes the world of difference for many of our clients. It means they can spend quality time with their family, rather than using that time for jobs. It enables them to remain in the home they love. Many older people don’t want to move into a care home, and good quality home care can help to prevent this.

If you are concerned about a loved one and feel they could benefit from home care, why not speak to us? Our friendly team at head office are always on the end of the phone with help and advice. We now cover Malvern, and the surrounding rural areas, North Worcester, and the St John’s area of Worcester. So, if you are looking for home care for yourself, or a loved one in these areas, please get in touch. Call Ashwell Home Care Services today on 01684 778750.