Angels delivering a new way of social care aimed at delivering the best treatment

A SET of Angels is helping people who need care – and those who deliver it.

And Visiting Angels Manchester East believe their approach can help people, on both sides, get the best treatment possible.

Based on Featherstall Road South in Oldham, the group cares for people on the entire eastern side of Greater Manchester.

Tales of social care providers and care workers not being up to the job are spreading through communities – Visiting Angels believes it can change that.

Roxie and Badar of Visiting Angels. Image by GGC Media

The domiciliary care provider started in Pennsylvania and grew to about 850 offices across America before branching into five countries internationally, including the UK.

And its ‘carer-centric’ approach also brings the best out of the people who are responsible for giving out the care.

Badar Usmani of Visiting Angels said: “The model is very different, it’s what we call carer-centric, which means we, above all else, support our care staff.

“They’re what drives this machine and if the engine is ignored or not serviced properly, it breaks down. Social care is in crisis because the engine is not properly supported.

“Care workers are not recognised for their value. The real front line staff are care workers because they’re the ones that go into someone’s house and say, ‘You don’t look too good. Let’s get you some help or medical support.’

“Early intervention can improve health, avoid GP surgeries and more importantly, free up hospital beds. That’s a plus also for the NHS crisis.

“If a carer’s been with us for six months, we’ll valet their car. If they’re with us for 12, we’ll pay for its service.

“The car is an essential tool for them to do their job. If their car breaks down, they break down.

“They’re all Angels, we just give them their wings.”

Visiting Angels Manchester East currently has an 11-strong team with three more coming on board shortly.

It all starts with a free in-home consultation and they believe that actions speak louder than words, so they get to know people and apply that personal touch – as managing director Roxie Taj found out.

She said: “Other providers don’t deliver what we deliver. I’ve seen two clients and the son of one couldn’t thank us enough for what we were doing.

“He said, ‘So you’ve come out of the office to drop flowers off? Are you not busy? You look like you are.’

“I said, ‘I am but the carer’s not coming until later, so I thought I’d drop by and drop some flowers off for you.’

“He responded, ‘I’ve never met a care company like you.’ Those touches make a big difference and the feedback we’ve had is amazing.

“A carer doesn’t just make cups of tea. Some of our carers can speak three or four different languages, others don’t have that skill. Others do hair, make up, nails, they have religious knowledge – there’s so much quality to them.

“And after we get to know the client, we select the carer carefully. We share every journey with a client as if we’re family.”

Visiting Angels is not just about personal care. It has specialists in dementia care, palliative care, and dealing with conditions like autism and diabetes. One person’s feedback after their care was: “We’ve got our father back.”

And Badar added: “We let the client interview their carer – how many providers do that?

“We work to the client’s needs and that stands us out, it’s catered to the individual – we do a one-hour minimum call.

“The elderly slow down with age so we slow down to work at the client’s pace.

“We have to respect the person, take some time and allow them to maintain their independence – a slower pace also caters for the companionship element, which is completely lost with other providers.

“And one client said to us, ‘Thank you so much for the work you’ve done and the days you’ve given us with our father.

“’When you said to us our carers will change his quality of life and personality, we didn’t believe you but to experience that, I can’t thank you enough.’

“We have four values – Family (strong carer/client bonds), Relationships (building trust and confidence), being Nimble (responding quickly to changes in needs) and Freedom (empowering people to live). People really respect them.”

*IF YOU are interested in Visiting Angels, you can visit their website at www.visiting-angels.co.uk/manchestereast/, where you can fill in an enquiry form. Alternatively, you can call them on 0161 850 7862 or email manchestereast@visiting-angels.co.uk.

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