Who am I?

Who I am and why I am providing help at home in Hook

Penny Metcalf

Hi, I’m Penny. Having seen friends and family try to arrange various forms of care for loved ones, and the issues that they have faced around knowing who is going to come and when they are going to come, and what quality of care they are going to receive, I have decided to offer reliable companion care to people who need it in my local community.

I can guarantee to be there at the right time and to stay for the right amount of time.

I genuinely enjoy listening to people’s stories and supporting people to be able to thrive.

Experience

I am an experienced support worker and have worked with a wide range of clients of all ages. I have worked with vulnerable people as they faced challenging situations offering practical help and providing emotional support.

I was a Support Worker for Family Mosaic, supporting adults with diverse needs including learning difficulties and literacy issues. In this role, I provided practical and emotional support to adults of all ages to ensure that they were able to continue living independently.

As a Support Worker, my roles included supporting clients to maximise their physical and mental health through liaison with the health services as well as practical support with:

  • Opening and understanding post

  • Dealing with tenancy issues, liaising with landlords and contractors

  • Helping to organise hospice care and support

  • Helping to access the right benefits and liaising with the relevant authorities

  • Helping to find paid employment and voluntary positions

DBS & Qualifications

I am DBS (criminally) checked and fully insured.

Relevant qualifications:

NCFE LEVEL 2 Certificate in Principles of Care Planning

NCFE LEVEL 2 Certificate in Improving Personal Exercise, Health and Nutrition

Qualified Mindfulness Trainer

I’m also trained in:

Safeguarding

Confidentiality

Mental health awareness

Hook Home Help provides support and companionship care and help at home for those who need it.

The Story So Far

When M came out of hospital her family knew that she would need some support. They had had a bad experience with support previously and were looking for someone who they could trust. M was suffering from anxiety and it was important to have the same person come every day. This continuity has allowed the family to know that she is in safe hands and to know that there is someone there to make sure that she is managing practically and emotionally.

At first, they were unsure as to how much or what sort of support she would need but we soon developed a routine to help her to get back on track.

After a long stay in hospital, many daily tasks seemed overwhelming but having someone with her has enabled her to deal with the practical aspects of living at home such as food shopping, getting prescriptions, the post, changing the bed and some cleaning and decluttering. The family have been grateful to have someone to manage the many medical appointments both in terms of diary management, taking her there and being there for moral support. 

As a qualified Mindfulness trainer, I have introduced various techniques to help to manage anxiety on a daily basis and also when things feel overwhelming. These include basic breathing techniques and also activities like mindful colouring. An awareness of what can cause anxiety and how to deal with it has enabled me to understand when she is more likely to need support and to support her through the more stressful times.

During her time away from home the garden had become very overgrown to the point of being quite unrecognisable. It had seemed like another overwhelming task at first but bit by bit we worked together to get it back under control. 

Time spent being active outside is beneficial for everyone’s mental and physical health. It helped to lessen the anxiety while there was a specific task to focus on. Each week we spent a small amount of time on one aspect of the garden and soon made considerable progress. This was a very rewarding experience for us both and each week the upkeep became more manageable. 

It was important for this client to have someone with her for the first few times of getting out and about, but it was more important to have someone there at medical appointments and when contractors or anyone was likely to call at the house. It was essential for the family that they knew that there would be someone reliable and flexible that they could call on to help both with the practicalities of life back at home, but also to be there to help to manage the anxiety.

Services

  • Food preparation

  • Changing the bed

  • Collecting Prescriptions and managing appointments

  • Housework - light clearing and tidying/decluttering

  • Managing post and domestic administration

  • Having someone there when contractors call

  • Managing your mental wellbeing

  • Managing your physical wellbeing

  • Weeding and basic gardening

  • Someone to chat to, with a cup of tea

  • Planning and booking clubs and societies

Out and about

You might also like some help getting out and about:

  • Support with food shopping

  • Support getting to your Covid and flu vaccinations, dentist or other medical appointments

  • Some company going for a walk. Find new routes and get to know the local area.

  • Going somewhere new and meeting new people

  • Running errands

  • Starting a new hobby

  • Going to clubs and societies

What is Companionship Care?

Companionship care is about having someone you can rely on for company and conversation and a bit of support when you need it.

If you are new to the area, far from family, recently bereaved, or have spent some time in hospital, it can be helpful to have someone to talk to, and to be with you when you need someone there.

Companion care can include almost anything that isn’t medical or personal care.

Who is Hook Home Help for?

Hook Home Help is for anyone in Hook who is looking for some company or some support. You may be new to the area or have had some time being unwell or in hospital.

I am visiting people in Hook, Hampshire. Visits can be regular or ad hoc. Visits are charged by the hour.

If you feel that you would benefit from some company and a pair of helping hands then get in touch and have a chat about what you need and how I can help.

You might need some practical help with organising medical appointments and getting to them, or some help doing your shopping and changing the bed or a bit of a hand with the garden, or you might just want some company and someone to chat to.

You might like a chat about the news or the old days, or places you have been or want to go to.

If you are feeling anxious about anything, I can help with tips and techniques to manage anxiety and to help you sleep.

You might like someone to come with you the first time you go to a new club or society or someone to help you find out about what is on and how you can get to meet other people.

Some tasks can seem overwhelming if you have to do them on your own. You might have an overgrown garden or a part of your house that needs sorting out. It can be helpful to have some moral support when starting big projects, both with the practical sides but also just to help to make them manageable.

Having some help with these things can make it easier to stay at home, can help to relieve anxiety and loneliness and make life a bit easier and a bit happier.