Catrina who lives in York enabled to live with independence by ubu could have had a really miserable Christmas last year. “I usually go home to stay with my mum every weekend and she helps me to do things that I find difficult or can’t do for myself” says Catrina. “I love going home to spend time with my mum, it’s really important to me. If I can’t go for any reason I get really upset”.
“I was looking forward to going home over the festive period because not only did we have this time to enjoy together but we also had my mum’s birthday to celebrate. I knew that it was going to be a very happy and exciting visit with my family and one I didn’t want to miss”.
But just before Christmas Catrina’s mum had a nasty accident. “I’m right-handed” she said later, “I had fallen at home, breaking my wrist…I wasn’t able to do many of the things we all take for granted”. Catrina’s mum had to have a plaster cast on her arm. “Because I need some help every day with getting dressed, it meant that my mum wouldn’t be able to help me get ready for bed or get up in the mornings” said Catrina.
“I started to get anxious about my mum and I could see that she was getting very upset too. She was worried that she wouldn’t be able to have me at home”. Catrina’s mum tried to find someone to come and help her. Unfortunately because it was so close to Christmas, private carers and support workers were hard to find. It started looking very bleak and she was afraid that Catrina wouldn’t be able to come home.
When the enabling team at the ubu support where Catrina lives heard about this they got into action right away. “They talked to my mum and together they worked out a plan so that I could still go home. The ubu enablers offered to come to my mum’s house and support me in the morning and at bedtime”.
“They came each day over the Christmas period which was brilliant because it meant that my mum and I could enjoy being together. Having the ubu enabling team visit also gave me a chance to show off my birthday card collection which I keep at my mums house. I am very proud of the cards I’ve gathered over the years and love to share all the happy memories they bring back with other people”.
Catrina’s mums arm is slowly getting better now but she is still not strong enough to give her all the support she needs. “My ubu enabling team have carried on giving me support when I go home at weekends and they are going to keep helping me in this way until my mum’s arm is strong again”.
Catrina’s mum wrote to ubu after Christmas to say “The marvellous response to Catrina’s needs is worth recording. All of the enablers who made their way here…demonstrated great professionalism, patience and gentleness…and my heartfelt thanks goes out to them all”.
