Tuesday 10 July 2012

Family praise for Domestic Angels


Samantha Acton, Director (centre)
and Supervisors Marie Raggett (left)
and Lisa Cooper (right)
Home help service cared ‘above and beyond’

The family of a former mainstay of amateur dramatics in Bournemouth has praised a home help service for caring “above and beyond the call of duty”.

Don Colley, who died last year, some years after his wife Lilian, had been housebound for most of the last two years of his life but with the help of Domestic Angels was able to stay in his own home until the very end.

Now his closest relative, stepsister Frances Short, is keen to pay tribute to those care providers.

“It is thanks to Claire from Domestic Angels and Sam who owns the company that Don was able to be where he wanted to be, at home, long after the doctors wanted to put him in a home,” says Frances, who lives near Axminster.

“It is so important for the dignity of the elderly and frail that their wishes be respected. Don was very ill with asbestosis and was bed-ridden by the end, but was adamant that he wanted to be at home. He was quite difficult and could be dangerously forgetful, but thanks to Claire who went in to see him every day and tidy up he had three meals a day and a little company.”
Don and Lillian had both been active members of Bournemouth Little Theatre Club, but when she died in 2004 he became increasingly withdrawn, particularly after he was diagnosed with asbestosis at the age of 84.

“I used to come up every week to keep an eye on him, but the strain on me was beginning to show,” says Frances, now 68.

“Dom’s quality of life was seriously compromised and it was not a very happy time for any of us, but Domestic Angels were able to give him some quality of life and a little peace of mind for us with simple human kindness that really was above and beyond the call of duty.”Family praise for Domestic Angels