Helping hand for couple whose lives were hit by floods
WHEN THEIR home was struck by the flooding that swept across Yorkshire on Boxing Day 2015, Joyce and Fred Parker lost all their possessions – but worse was the loss of confidence they felt in returning home seven months later.
“Everything was replaced, the house was raised 12 inches from the ground, but I was just so worried,” Mrs Parker, 85, said. “Every time it rained, I would panic that it would happen again. If it was raining when we went to bed, I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t want to go out.”
Mr and Mrs Parker had lived at Nidderdale Lodge Park in Knaresborough for 11 years. They had no need for any type of social care support before the flood, but after Mr Parker, 91, fell and cut his head in their new lounge, and that combined with Mrs Parker’s raising anxiety, the couple’s daughter found out about the Extra Care scheme in Knaresborough and arranged for the manager to visit.
After later visiting Hill View Manor, one of 19 Extra Care schemes across North Yorkshire’s market towns, they decided to take a flat. Extra Care is North Yorkshire County Council’s flagship adult social care programme that supports people to live in their own home, with care and support if they need it. The individual schemes might include GPs surgeries, libraries, meals, hairdressers and even Tai Chi classes.
It is just part of the council’s prevention programme, which sets out to help support people to live longer and healthier lives; prevent, reduce and delay the need for social care services; and create a public health agenda distinctive to North Yorkshire’s specific needs – all three aim to help people while keeping costs down.
Mrs Parker said moving to Hill View Manor last November had changed her life. “It is just lovely,” she said. “I was in a real state before, it was a very bad time for us. Life has changed so much. We don’t have anybody come in, we just look after each other, but if we did need attendance, they would be there at the pull of a cord.”
Jan Gallagher, manager of Hill View Manor Extra Care, said extra care enabled people to live with “independence and control”, but support if they needed it.