"They have made an enormous difference to our family"

I just wanted to write to express my sincere gratitude for the incredible support and care provided by Claire during a very difficult time for both myself and my parents.

My dad has severe disabilities and has lost most of his vision. Following two recent hospital stays at Ninewells, he was discharged without a care plan in place. My mum, who is his full-time carer, is also struggling with her own physical and mental health, and her ability to cope has been severely affected.

Living over 400 miles away, I felt helpless and knew I had to step in. I honestly couldn’t have asked for a more understanding and responsive care worker than Clare.

Although my dad was already on the system, there was no current care plan in place. Claire immediately took action, arranging a home visit within a couple of days to assess how my dad was managing. I was incredibly grateful that she moved so quickly to support him.

On the morning of the assessment, however, my mum, who was overwhelmed and confused, forgot about the appointment and took my dad to the GP for blood tests. She rushed back to meet Claire but was stressed and not making much sense when Claire arrived. Claire quickly picked up on this and was even going to reach out to me out of concern for my mum’s wellbeing.

After that missed assessment, I knew I had to make the journey up to see them in person and take over. I called Claire to apologise, and she was so understanding and kind. She arranged another home visit that same day while I was there and I was incredibly thankful.

Claire was amazing. Her compassion, responsiveness, and ability to act quickly were beyond anything I could have hoped for. Within two days, she had identified a care team with availability and arranged an initial assessment for the following Monday mornin, just in time before I had to head back home on the Sunday.

She also raised concerns about my mum’s health at the Monifieth Health Centre weekly meeting, for which I was so grateful. Thanks to Claire’s swift actions, the new carer started on Tuesday this week, and both of my parents think he is fantastic. It’s been such a huge weight off my mum’s shoulders to know my dad is now being washed, cared for, and kept safe during the morning routine and that she doesn’t have to worry about him falling in the shower.

Claire is an absolute angel, and we are so lucky to have had her support during this critical time. Her professionalism, empathy, and dedication has made an enormous difference to our family, and I can't thank her enough.