An extra care scheme transforms a resident’s life as she has the support she needs and a home she loves to be in.
Our resident Delcie Taylor, 94, lives at Devonport Views in Plymouth which allows people to live as independently as possible while still being in their own self-contained flats.
As the celebration of Starts at Home Day continues, Delcie has praised the support service for making sure she has what she needs to live independently but also for being a place that has brought her much joy.
Delcie said: “I’m very happy here, we have nice games, and everyone is very friendly. I walk up and do my shopping every day. The only thing I struggle with is my legs, they’re a bit poorly but other than that I’m okay.
“Everything here runs very well so I’m a very, very lucky person. I’ve got a lovely sister, and I had a great husband and I have a lovely family too. We stick together and all my aunties and uncles come and visit me.
“I’m not a worry to my family because I’m looked after here and if I’m poorly then staff try to make it better.”
Delcie first spotted the scheme back when they were putting in the foundations and feels lucky to have a flat here. She arrived in Devonport Views in 2011 with her husband Alan who sadly passed away in 2015.
She has become a social butterfly and attends as many of the activities she can with supported housing offering her friendly staff and company whether that be day or night, somebody is around.
Delcie added: “We have some fun here, we all sit around and talk so it’s nice. My family come for lunch often, I used to go out for lunch with them but there are lots of steps and I’m not very good with them. I decided to stay home instead, so I have my meals here which are excellent.
“I got married to my first husband young, so I knew I had to mend things and make my money go a long way, so I was used to doing that and it made everything much easier.
“LiveWest has been supportive by helping me in lots of ways with my lifestyle. Without this scheme I don’t think I would be as happy. I feel there would be something missing so that’s why I’m so content here.
“Without the support, I wouldn’t have much of a life, but that’s what we’re here for so we have the support.
“Only last week I fell in the bathroom, I didn’t feel giddy, but I left something on the floor, and it was a bit slippery. But I had my ringer on me, so I pressed the bell and there were two girls already halfway up the lift or stairs to get me.
“They came in to check on me and said, ‘What have you been doing?’ because I was on the floor. They picked me up and that’s what it’s all about.”
She has also highlighted the importance of having the extra care scheme not just for her, but others who may need it and revealed her secret to a long and happy life.
Delcie said: “I’ve had a good family and a lovely mum, dad and sister who are very loving and kind. We’ve always been very close, we’ve not had a lot of money, but we’ve had enough to eat and enough to pay our way.
“I realise I’m getting older, and I may need more help but the girls here, I know them all and I know they will be there. That’s proof when I fell, they were there right away and picked me up and kept coming to see if I was alright. Well, you can’t get any better than that, it’s fantastic.
“Places like this are needed, I would have to be relying on my family or my nieces otherwise, but they have their life to live they don’t want to have to wait on me all the time.
“I would feel awful if my nieces had to be watching me all the time, but with me being here they can go and enjoy themselves and they know I’m okay.”