Sarah and Natasha are a mother and daughter team and combined have been in the care industry for 40 years. I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about each of us individually and how we each became a carer and what values that holds for us. So please read on and get to know us as real people and not just names attached to a website.
Natasha is 35 years old and started her career as a hairdresser in a local salon, diversifying later to become a mobile hairdresser, this is where she discovered she had an affinity with her elderly clients, quickly becoming much more to them than being their hairdresser, she began to care for their well-being and soon enough she transitioned to become more of a carer to them than a hairdresser finding this work much more rewarding. Natasha started to work for an agency to gain valuable experience and adding systematically to her qualifications which include her NVQ’S 1,2 and 3, moving and manual handling, health and safety awareness training, food safety and hygiene, equality, diversity, and human rights, safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. Basic and advanced first aid training.
Natasha decided after extensively working for the agency to work privately in the community as she felt she needed to help more people in ways she was able without the work policies of a restrictive agency. All Natasha’s clients love her attitude and dedication to her work and the knowledge of care she provides 100% of the time.
In her private life Natasha unfortunately suffers herself from a debilitating condition known as Fibromyalgia which leaves her in tremendous pain with her joints, unable to walk at times and weakness in her limbs resulting in loss of everyday movement and activities. Although Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition it is also unpredictable and can flare up at anytime leaving her immobile until it recedes and she can get on with her life. On a lighter note Natasha loves going out to the theatre, cinema, restaurants such as Sushi bars, cycling, going to the gym and on the odd occasion will read a book whilst on a holiday! But her true love is exotic animals such as Bearded dragons and parakeets which she has one of each, she devotes all her spare time to the love and care of them, she is extremely knowledgeable and is often asked for advice on their care by other pet owners.
I’m Sarah and I began caring for private clients when I was 14 years old, my dad was a carpenter and worked for various households and sometimes they would need some care for their relative whilst they went on holiday. So my dad would offer my services as he knew I was interested in caring for people, plus of course it gave me some pocket money. When I left school at 16 I applied for the governments work experience course so I could go straight into a private care home which was local to me. This was a prelude to go into Nurse training, but I couldn’t start training until I was 18. I carried on working in care homes, performing personal care, cooking and planning meals, taking into account people with dietary needs. I progressed to working for an agency, which gave me my first real start. I passed all my NVQ’S which included safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. Moving and Manual handling and all the necessary skills required to care.
I met my husband during this time and settled down to have four wonderful children. My nurse training was put on hold. After a good many years and a divorce! I decided to go back into care as nurse training would be a lengthy process and I couldn’t afford to take the time off and bring up my young children. I have been in care ever since and loving every minute of it.
I also enjoy going out to the theatre, swimming, good and diverse restaurants, walking, reading and cooking new recipes from scratch (which don’t always work!).
I work with my daughter and together decided to start our own business of renting out equipment to people with needs but cannot or would rather not buy. We provide long or short-term rentals for people who require interim equipment for recovery after an accident, surgery, holiday use, rehabilitation or any number of requirements.