My Background in Caring

I was born into caring. My mother was diagnosed with MS in the early 1960's when I was a toddler.

As a family (and for the 40+ years my mother never went into residential care), we adapted our lives to meet the challenges of her complex, changing medical, physical and emotional needs, so she could remain with us at home.

During that time I was a working professional mother to 3 children, one of which also had a disability. I was also an early computer programmer and then later I trained as a Legal Executive in a solicitor's office. At one point, when I was married, I even had a dairy farm and helped with milking and calving.

Throughout all this I juggled (honestly - not always successfully) school runs, work, home, dogs, homework, shopping, cooking alongside my mothers daily care needs.

For the last twelve years of her life my mother was quadraplegic, she could no longer eat or verbally communicate. She needed a 24 hour care rota, and turning every 2 hours. This took a huge physical and emotional toll on my entire family.

I often felt guilty - as a mother, and a daughter, and employee as there was never enough hours in a day to do all things I needed to do.

I was permanently exhausted and living life on auto pilot.

To have someone I could have called upon, to have picked up on some of the things I couldn't fit in would have been so useful. To have someone who could have sat with my mother so we didn't have to rush home after shopping could have given my young family precious childhood family time.

I dont regret looking after my Mum but I do feel very guilty how it impacted my family.

Professional Caring

Fast forward 20 years and my children are all adults, living happy, busy lives. I have lived in Spain, reforming a cave house in the mountains. I have rescued and re-homed more dogs and cats than I care to think of, as well as running a feral cat trap, neuter and release scheme.

During that time I have worked for a care agency in the UK (pre-COVID), and given both private support and agency palliative care in Spain (during COVID).

Having lived a a pre-covid and pre-brexit dream in Spain I have decided to return to the UK. But I want to provide a more personal, flexible support service to those less active or confined to home.

Professional qualifications

I have all the mandatory UK qualifications for safe handling, data protection, administering medicines, palliative care, mental health care. I have a 2022 enhanced DBS in order that I can professionally care for vulnerable people of all ages.

I am fully insured to provide care work in your home. The policy is underwritten by SAGIC (The Salvation Army General Insurance Corporation), which is owned by The Salvation Army, and which gives profits back to help people in need.

References and Testimonials

I can provide full references and testimonials