Proactive home care from Walfinch Eastbourne is helping client Margaret improve her health and wellbeing.

Margaret’s journey to better health started when Walfinch home care in Eastbourne took over her care in January this year.  Poojita Patel, who owns Walfinch Eastbourne, says: “I always meet new clients myself, so I can see how we can improve their lives.  Margaret had swollen, almost purple, legs.  The skin was dry, and walking was painful, which I could see was distressing for her.”

Poojita created a personalised care plan for Margaret that included 15 minutes of careful exercise, gentle mobilisation and leg massage each care visit.  Walfinch specialises in proactive care that involves clients being encouraged to gently increase levels of appropriate activity, something proven to improve physical and mental health.

Active care worked fast

Within two weeks Margaret’s legs were much improved and she gradually started mobilising by the start of the fourth week.

Margaret says: “Since starting with Walfinch, the difference in my wellbeing has been incredible. I can actually see the shape of my legs again, and even my toes!

“That alone shows how much progress has been made with the right level of care and support.”

Technology brings help

Walfinch’s proactive approach also helped later, when Margaret was not feeling quite right. Poojita says: “We offered her an assessment with our Whzan Blue Box, a portable device that painlessly measures a range of vital signs and comes up with a NEWS2 score, as used by the NHS, which can be used to inform GPs about their patient’s health.”

Margaret’s score indicated a concern. Poojita says: “We contacted her GP, who visited and diagnosed a case of Shingles. She was given medication which helped treat it before it got any worse, so once again Margaret benefited from proactive care.”

Margaret is now back on the route to health, and Poojita and her team hope to help her attend the Walfinch Eastbourne Thrive Club, which offers free chair yoga and meditation, plus refreshments and a chance to socialise, at Willingdon Park Manor Care Home each Wednesday from 11am.

Poojita says: “Proactive home care benefits clients, and can reduce hospital admissions and the load on the NHS.”

Championing active care

Walfinch, which has branches in England and Scotland, champions proactive care and physical activity for home care clients.

Walfinch founder and CEO Amrit Dhaliwal says: “Care that includes activity and mobility can help roll back the effects of medical conditions, restore physical ability, help counter mental ill-health and increase wellbeing. Walfinch clients are offered activity of their choice, aided by their carers, such as gardening, or moving more around their home.

“Care that includes activity and socialising redefines what care is about.“