108-year-old’s family praises work of care home staff
THE family of a 108-yearold woman living in a Carmarthenshire care home have praised staff for their work during the coronavirus lockdown.
Mary Keir from Carmarthen is the oldest person in the county - and the third oldest in Wales.
She is a former ward sister and district nurse and lived in Llansteffan independently up until the age of 100, when she became a resident at Cartref Awel Tywi residential home in Llandeilo.
Mary has one son and daughter-in-law and enjoys holding webcam chats with them on an iPad during the lockdown.
The family have paid tribute to the staff at the care home for all they are doing during the crisis for Mary and the other residents.
Mary is described by her family as being in very good health, knows her own mind and likes to take charge.
She regularly plays the keyboard for occasions such as Christmas concerts and for fellow residents’ birthday parties.
She likes to look after everyone, and is the spokesperson for all the other residents in her unit.
Her daughter-in-law Sian Keir said of the staff: “They are our heroes and we couldn’t do without them.
“The carers have their own families and they choose to put themselves in the frontline to look after our families during these difficult times.
“I take my hat off to them, they really are special people to be able to put aside their fears and look after our loved ones so dearly during these difficult times.
“They also ensure we have regular communication and visual contact with Mary, while being unable to see her in person.
“I know it means so much to her to be able to see us and it puts her mind at rest when she can see we are both well.
“We look forward to the day when the doors of Cartref Awel Tywi will once again be open and we will be reunited with Mary and can then thank in person all the staff for their dedication and care, and above all for putting our most vulnerable loved ones first.”
Her message to the carers at Awel Tywi is simple: “You are our heroes!”