After the initial assessment, the hospital staff discovered that Elaine had broken and dislocated her shoulder, and it became clear that, when she was discharged, the couple would struggle to cope. Thankfully, they referred the couple back to Royal Voluntary Service for some ongoing support once back at home.
“The fall and damage to my shoulder has really affected my hand too. I find it very difficult to do a lot of things that you take for granted,” explains Elaine. “Luckily, the ladies from Royal Voluntary Service came to see me at home after I was discharged to offer their help going forward.”
Royal Voluntary Service went on to support the couple with a variety of tasks, including providing safe and reliable transport to and from their hospital appointments, and doing the food shopping when needed. “They take me to my physio appointments, and they take David to his chemotherapy,” says Elaine. “They ring us up each week to check in on us and ask us how we’re doing. They ask if we need anything and where we need to go and when. They’re a godsend. They’ve never let us down.”
Elaine and David were both very nervous about attending their appointments initially, but having the support of Royal Voluntary Service has changed all that.
“They’ve given me so much more confidence,” says Elaine. “I was really nervous about going for my treatment, but they pick us up, take us there, and even sit with us to keep us company while we wait. They’ve taken a lot of pressure off us, and it’s made such a huge difference to our lives. I can’t thank or praise them enough.”
Reflecting on the support Royal Voluntary Service has given the couple since Elaine’s fall, David is so relieved to have them in their lives. “Health wise, we’ve both been in a bad state for quite some time, but we’ve always struggled on as we don’t like to bother anyone,” explains David. “It’s been such a relief having Royal Voluntary Service to rely on. They’ve taken all the strain off us, and we have far less to worry about. It’s a real comfort to know that there’s someone there to help.”
Elaine adds: “It’s really cheered us both up. It’s restored our faith in human nature! Everyone at Royal Voluntary Service is so nice – we think of them as friends now, even though we’ve not known them for long.”
