Jo Reynard is an infection prevention nurse working for the NHS. Her aunt Joan grew up in Bradford with mum and sister Ann and has lived there all her life.

Joan previously lived in Westwood Hospital – an institutional setting for people with learning disabilities. Jo remembers visiting Joan when she was a child:

“It must have been so hard for anybody living in that environment, day in day out, the same monotonous things that they did,” said Jo.

Now Joan lives in one of our Supported Living bungalows with two other ladies, Pauline and Joanne.

Joan and her housemates like watching dancing on the telly together. They also like going to the theatre and recently saw a pantomime.

She also likes cooking with her support workers – making her favourite dinner of pie and mash!

Jo told us how she’s chosen all the furnishings for her bedroom, including new wardrobes:

The staff discuss it with her, showing her options so she’s able to choose which design she wants.

As a lady who has probably only had that sort of decision-making in the last 20 years, it’s amazing that she’s got that now.

From left – Katie and Joan at her birthday pub lunch; Joan cutting her cake with a member of support staff

Living life to the fullest

Lead Senior Support Worker Katie McKeating has supported Joan for five years now. She says she loves supporting people to do things that they enjoy:

“We go shopping in garden centres so Joan can buy things for the garden. She’s just happy and always willing to give. She likes to buy gifts for people too – usually something for her sister.”

Joan loves visiting her sister Ann and often brings her presents.

Sisters Ann and Joan

“She likes going to the salon and getting her hair and nails done. She likes singing and dancing,” said Katie.

“We’ve been on two cruises and about eight different trips to Blackpool. She loves Blackpool – anything to do with dancing!”

Katie explained how empathy is really important in her job as a support worker:

You’re not just supporting them to have their basic needs, you’re supporting them to live their lives to the fullest. You’re doing everything to make their lives what they should be.

Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes means you give them the dignity they deserve.

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Cruising round the Caribbean

For her first cruise Joan and her support workers went to the Canary Islands, then last December, she visited the Caribbean for some winter sunshine, rest and relaxation.

Joan really enjoyed getting off the shop and visiting the different beaches. She even treated herself to a massage!

Cruising: Joan’s holiday photos

Other people we support went on the cruise too, so Joan spent some time chatting with them. A Lead Commissioner from Gateshead Council was also on the cruise. He noticed the great support Joan was getting from Katie and Mariam and his friends assumed that they were all related!

Jo said:

Joan loves her support workers. It’s not just a job. The staff that work with Joan see her as extended family. I don’t ask for that but it’s what I see them doing.

The Commissioner wrote a letter, praising Katie and Mariam for their ‘warm, empathetic, patient and dignified approach’ supporting Joan, saying they provided ‘some of the best person-centred care I have ever seen.’

Working with family members

Jo, her husband and daughters Jessie and Beckie love visiting Joan’s house because she’s ‘a bundle of fun’. They even bring the dogs so Joan can have a cuddle!

Jo feels really proud to have such a strong relationship with her aunt:

To be able to look at pictures of us as a family, she loves those pictures, she loves those memories.

When I hear her excited about seeing them, it’s that real warm feeling because she gets a lot from having that connection with us.

From left – Joan video calling Jo from the airport; Joan petting the family dog!

She thanks Denzel, Katie, Beatrice, Jane, Kelly and the rest of our Bradford team who support Joan, for being so attentive, sending regular photos updates and helping them keep in contact with her:

All the staff there are just absolutely amazing. If there was ever anything I wasn’t happy with, the team would be fully aware of that.

I cannot fault them. They’re just the best and they couldn’t be doing a better job for Joan.

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  • Jenna Lloyd is Senior Content Officer for United Response.