Sunday
12th March 2017
in support of Age UK Sheffield
Ethel's Story
Ethel lives on her own in a house that she shared for forty years with her husband who passed away last year. Shortly after her husband passed she had a fall at the end of the road that frightened her so much she hadn’t left the house since; she hadn’t even been in the garden. Ethel has Motor Sensory Neuropathy and hadn’t been able to attend any Physiotherapy sessions, check-ups or appointments relating to her health in the last year due to her severe anxiety around leaving the house. She hadn’t seen her Doctor, had her flu jab, or been to the dentist or opticians for the last year either and was very worried that her physical and mental health were quickly deteriorating.
Ethel had always been very active and the last year had left her battling severe depression. This put a big strain on the relationship she had with her family because she cried most of the time and her daughters and grandchildren simply didn’t know how to help, so their visits has slowly got fewer and fewer. Ethel had been unable to do her own shopping, go out with family, see her friends, or even enjoy some sunshine in the garden; she felt her independence had been completely taken away from her because of her anxiety and depression. She told us she had never felt so low, and saw no way out of her situation.
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Ethel’s daughter Janet contacted Age UK Sheffield and Sarah, one of our Independent Living Coordinators, went to visit her at home shortly after. They talked about the problems Ethel had been having, and over a cup of tea they discussed the different support that was available that might help. They made a plan of what they would do over the months that followed to help her regain her independence.
Sarah contacted Ethel’s GP and explained that she was very concerned about missing appointments and not having her flu jab; the GP rang Ethel straight away to offer a home visiting Doctor’s service and a Nurse to visit her at home to provide a flu jab.
They spoke to the GP about Ethel’s anxiety and depression and she was prescribed medication to improve it which was a huge relief. Sarah also referred Ethel to Sheffield Mind and they rang her shortly after to offer to visit her at home and provide counselling on a weekly basis to help with her anxiety, depression and bereavement. Sarah provided information about home visiting dental services and home visiting opticians so that Ethel could start to manage her health at home until her confidence to leave the house improved.
Over the weeks that followed Ethel started standing on the garden for a minute at a time, and gradually built this up until recently going to the supermarket with her granddaughter to do her own shopping. Ethel told Age UK Sheffield she feels happier and much more confident now and is sure this will keep improving as her counselling continues. For the first time in months she wants to start going out more, would like to meet new people, and is really enjoying time with her family. She is having more counselling sessions and is going to restart the Physiotherapy she was having as soon as she can.
Ethel and her family felt that Age UK Sheffield provided a lifeline to them when they thought that things would never get better.