Belong Atherton home care service going swimmingly!

07/12/2015

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Ron Fuller, a tenant at Belong Atherton, has shown fantastic progress after undertaking weekly swimming sessions with the help of our award-winning home care service, Belong at Home.
Sports enthusiast Ron, 84, has been living in an apartment at Belong Atherton, for four years. Following the passing of his wife, Dorothy, staff at the village suggested the home care service to give him the support he needed to help him through the difficult months that followed. A short time later, Ron was matched with Support Worker Mike Brimelow.
Speaking about his partnership with Ron, Mike commented: “Ron and I both have a very keen interest in sports, so I was looking forward to working with him. He has completed the London Marathon several times in the past, and he’s even swum the English Channel! Now he enjoys going for walks and playing golf, even having a kick about of the football when the local team are playing.”
Despite this love of sport, Ron increasingly suffers from painful joints, which can be a hindrance to the activities he gets involved in. So as to avoid missing out on maintaining an active lifestyle, without putting too much pressure on Ron’s knees, Mike suggested swimming sessions. A short time later, Ron and Mike were heading to the local pool every week, fitting in 8 – 10 laps each session. Already, Ron and Mike have noticed fantastic results.
Mike added: “Even though we’ve only been going swimming for a couple of months, lots of people have commented on the difference it has made to Ron. He was very down after losing his wife, and to see him happy and excited before every session is great. Ron is a natural sportsman, so he likes to challenge himself and he thrives when he beats his previous performance, which he does all of the time. His progression has been fantastic and it is a privilege to work with him.”
Claire Culshaw, Belong at Home Manager at Belong Atherton, added: “Belong at Home is built on providing the quality Belong service to those in the local community that wish to remain in their homes and live independently. We provide the support you need, when you need it, and it is successful because we take the time to match customers to the best member of staff for them, whether you need help doing household chores or getting out and about. Seeing a familiar, friendly face can really make all the difference for our customers and it is a real testament to the talent and dedication of our staff when we hear stories like Ron’s.”

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