Tracey's story: "Moving my mum into a care home prolonged her life"

Tracey Duffy shares her experience of moving her mother into a care home after living on her own for almost 20 years 

Tracey's mother, Marjorie, had been living on her own for almost 20 years following the death of her husband. Over the years, Tracey 55 from Birmingham and her sister had been sharing the responsibility of caring for their mum. 

Tracey said: “We were popping in to see Mum every day to make sure that she was eating. We looked after her much as possible and did things like her shopping and cleaning. But over time, we could see that she needed more care than we could give her.”

Tracey admits that Marjorie had always been reluctant to move into a care home, but it became clear that Tracey and her sister weren’t able to provide the care she needed when she started losing a lot of weight. 

Tracey commented: “We were becoming really concerned about Mum’s health. We could see she was losing a lot of weight and wasn't able to take care of herself properly. With both of us working full time, we weren't able to be there as much as she needed and even if we cooked Mum a meal, she wouldn't necessarily eat it.”

Recognising that they needed to do something more to help their Mum, Tracey and her sister started looking for a Care home in their local area. 

Determined to make the right choice for Marjorie, the Sisters made a series of unannounced visits to nearby Care homes to ensure they got a true representation of what life there was like, eventually deciding Sanctuary Care’s Castlecroft Residential Care Home in Weoley Castle was the best place for their Mum.

According to Tracey, moving into the home has enhanced Marjorie’s quality of life.

Tracey said: “My Sister and I felt really overwhelmed when we were looking for a Care home for Mum. It was such a big responsibility to make sure she would be happy as well as cared for and there is so much to think about and take in. 

“When I visited Castlecroft, I had a long conversation with the Care home Manager who helped me to understand the care options available and made me feel so much more confident that we were doing the right thing.

“Mum had lost so much weight. We were always worrying about the risk of a fall whilst she was living on her own. I can’t describe the relief we feel now knowing she has 24-hour care and support.”

She added: “Castlecroft has such a welcoming atmosphere, it really feels like home. There are always lots of activities taking place and the staff are so friendly. Mum looks healthier than she has in years. She’s even made friends with a couple of ladies, which is so reassuring. I believe that moving Mum into a care home has prolonged – and enhanced - her life”.

For further information about life at Sanctuary Care’s not for profit care homes, our Enquiry Support Team are here to talk: 0800 046 4812.