Kristian’s story, carer

We would like to introduce you to Kristian. Kristian is a home care assistant with Radfield Home Care Harrogate, Wetherby & North Yorkshire. After a career of 25 years as a support worker in the NHS Kristian was looking for a flexible role that allowed him a few additional hours each week to supplement his income and to do something he loved.

18 months ago Kristian was introduced to Dan. Dan had had a tough time over the few previous years culminating in 6 different providers over the course of a few short years and nobody seemed to understand him. When Dan and Kristian met it was an instant hit. Their ‘jokey’ relaxed attitudes immediately clicked.

Dan wasn’t looking for much, he was just looking for a carer who treated him like an adult and promoted his fierce independence but also someone that he could confide in and trust.

Kristian says “visiting Dan on a care call on my way to football on a weekend no longer feels like ‘work’ to me”. For Dan, he has found someone that doesn’t make him feel like he is receiving care but rather a professional friend who gives him the support he needs to live his life the way he wants.

As a big country and western fan Dan was excited when he discovered that a Kenny Rogers tribute act was due to visit a local theatre. Dan however had already written off the idea of attending as it finished after his normal bedtime care call and would take up more time than he was usually alloted.

Here’s where Kristian stepped in. Kristian and the manager arranged to reschedule Dan’s care calls for the week to allow him extra time that evening and Kristian offered to work as late as needed that night so Dan could enjoy the whole show.

What followed was a typical ‘boys night out’ when Dan got to feel like ‘one of the boys’ and not limited by disability – a good curry, a couple of pints and a cracking night at the gig!

The care professional’s work has not gone unnoticed at Radfield Home Care, “Kristian upholds the values that we seek in all of our carers. Carers like Krisitan are the very reason why we are able to say we offer ‘Exceptional Care by Exceptional People’”.