In 2016, Maurice’s life completely changed following a stroke which left him paralysed on his left side, immobile and needing a PEG feeding tube for food and medication.
Desperate to stay in his own home with his family around him, Maurice (or Morris as he likes to be known) approached Helping Hands for what was initially short-term respite care. But because of the beautiful relationship he later formed with his carer, Christos, he’s now receiving full-time support.
Ex-carpenter Christos becomes a likely match for Morris
Christos came to Helping Hands in February of this year. He was relatively new to being a carer, having previously worked in carpentry and DIY, but was keen to try something different.
After standing out during his training, Christos was then spotted by our Head of Clinical Care, who thought that he would be a perfect match for Morris.
“You could tell that Christos would go the extra mile and this is exactly what Morris needed – someone to reassure him that everything will be ok,” she explains.
Morris and his family were impressed by Christos’s calm and caring personality, something which our training team had the pleasure of witnessing first-hand. Christos always gives his all, and does everything he can to be a reassuring friend and companion for those in his care.
The start of a beautiful friendship
After reading Christos’s unique carer profile, Morris met his new carer for the first time. It would prove to be the start of a wonderful relationship.
Though both of them were initially nervous, Morris and Christos soon began to settle in with each other. Christos strived to learn everything he could about what made Morris Morris – what food he likes, his hobbies and what he needed from his carer.
Christos and Morris have been working together for almost three months now. In that time, they have shared some remarkable moments. When Christos first came to him, Morris relied on the use of a PEG feeding tube for his meals, but he now no longer needs this and can take medication orally too. Morris has also healthily gained weight and the pair celebrated this with a delicious cake. 
As well as supporting Morris with his meals and medication, Christos has also helped him to reach a significant milestone. One day, Christos took Morris out into the local community for the first time in six months. Aware that this was a huge moment for his friend, Christos gave plenty of encouragement and reassurance, resulting in Morris having a great day!
Morris commented, “Christos is an asset to the company, and my friend. We were both apprehensive at the beginning but it worked.”
Home care support unique to your needs
At Helping Hands, all of our carers, like Christos, are trained by our expert trainers to provide one-to-one care at home. Each of them are committed to helping their customers live as independently as possible.
Do you or someone you know need support at home? Find out how live-in care can help or call our support team on 0808 274 7734. Apply now if you’d like to become a live-in carer.
