Daniella was nominated for her work as part of a team who supported four people to transition to a new residential home in Norfolk. In particular, she supported one man who was apprehensive about the move, staying with him all day. Her positive encouragement helped him to settle in very well and she ensured that he saw her waving goodbye as she left. She also checked up on him via phone on subsequent days.
When he died suddenly shortly afterwards it was a huge shock and surprise. However, Daniella continued to do her best for the man liaising with distant family and ensuring that both his and his late mother’s wishes were adhered to. She helped to write the eulogy and guaranteed his funeral featured his chosen hymns and songs.
This was a difficult and traumatic time and Daniella was moved to tears on many occasions, yet she completed the task with the utmost professionalism. Her careful documentation also showed that he wished to have his ashes scattered with his mum’s in a specific place. Daniella plans to do this on a sunny summer day within earshot of favourite sounds of both people – birds singing and a babbling stream.
Huge personality
Daniella says: “Mark was a lovely man who didn’t have a bad bone in his body. He was funny, kind, thoughtful and treated everyone with respect as they did him. He had a huge personality which shone through on the rainiest of days, loved his quiz programmes and answered D every time even if the options were only A, B and C. Also, he loved to sing along to the adverts and, as everyone knew, there are more reasons to shop at Morrisons!!
“In August, on what would have been his mother’s birthday, Mark’s ashes will be scattered along with mum’s at the place that she chose. He has left a big void in everyone’s hearts and is deeply missed. I was very touched to be awarded this, but, in all honesty, I was just doing my job.”
Runners up
Runners up this month are Ellie Bradshaw, Support Worker at Supported Living in Chester and Dilfuza Karimova, Support Worker at Grenville House residential home in Plymouth.
Ellie is recognised and praised by fellow team members and people she supports. She is also recognised by multi agency colleagues including social workers and doctors. She has worked closely with people supported, developing their independence and confidence to try new things. One of these is supporting a person to learn to drive. In a letter to Ellie, a doctor wrote:
‘…I have never come across a Support Worker who was so knowledgeable about a client, warm and empathetic towards them, while supporting their own decision making and never speaking for them. You made a challenging situation so much easier for your client and us at the centre’.
Dilfuza, known as DiDi, received her nomination for her dedication and remarkable consistency which recently led to a significant outcome. She supported a person to shower after many years of self-neglect and disengagement with the support team. Over many months, DiDi supported the person first to have a strip wash from a bowl in a bedroom. Gradually, they moved this activity into a bathroom and finally to a shower. With lots of tiny successes, DiDi broke the cycle. Daily showering has now become part of the person’s routine again.
