Blog: A Day in the Life of a Mamwlad Caseworker

The Mamwlad Project supports older people in the farming community in Powys to stay living at home safely and independently and to tackle loneliness and isolation. It is a partnership between Care & Repair in Powys and Age Cymru Powys, funded by the Welsh Government. Here Lesley Price, from Care & Repair in Powys, shares what a day looks like as a Mamwlad Caseworker.

9am

It’s Monday morning and time to look through my emails and phone messages, check referrals and prepare for the week. I ring two clients who I am visiting later on in the week to ask them to get their bank statements ready so that I can check their eligibility for the Disabled Facilities Grant. We have received Occupational Therapy (OT) recommendations for both of them for a level access shower.

I do a quick check of my Caseworker stock to ensure I have all that I need for this week’s visits including CO monitors, smoke alarms, lightbulbs and attendance allowance forms.

10.30am

After dropping some Mamwlad leaflets off at the local vets, I arrive at my first visit of the day to a rural farmhouse. The client is a man in his seventies who has had a stroke and struggles with his mobility. His ninety-five-year-old Mum lives with him. I carry out a Healthy Homes Check with the client to ascertain what is needed. The property is in disrepair with no heating system, broken windows and out-dated electrics. The client is struggling with the stairs and has refused a stairlift and the option to sleep downstairs. Social Workers and OTs are involved, and Carers and District Nurses visit daily. After discussion, we agree on a plan to help make the home safer. We agree to put in a stair rail and take measurements for this. The client also agreed for me to look into his financial situation to see if we can source any funding to check the electrics and make safe if needed. I also agreed to do a fire service referral as there are a number of electric hazards in the property. A CO monitor is also provided. I also agree to make a referral to Age Cymru Powys to the Homes Energy Officer to look at the heating in the house as currently there are no radiators and also to the Mamwlad Caseworker at Age Cymru Powys to do a benefits check and attendance allowance claim.

A client’s old and broken window.

12pm

My next visit is to do an inspection of some work that the internal Minor Adaptations team have completed. The client is in her seventies and has had a recent fall in which she broke her leg. She has spent three weeks in hospital and is keen to be as independent as possible. A number of rails have been provided internally and externally. I checked all these to ensure they were fitted correctly. The client advised that she is extremely pleased with the finished work and stated that the rails have increased her confidence and independence.

12.30 pm

My next client is on an isolated farm two miles away from the nearest village. The client has been in hospital for the last six months following a stroke. Since the stroke, the client is using a quick move walker to get around the house. I carry out a Healthy Homes Check and identify the need for ramps to be able to get the walker over the door lips safely. OTs are also involved and have already identified the need for the path outside to be improved and an external galvanised rail to be fitted.

Lesley and Amy – Mamwlad Caseworkers

2pm

My afternoon visit is from a referral that has come across from the Mamwlad Officer at Age Cymru Powys. It is for a couple in their eighties who live in an old farmhouse. The Mamwlad Officer has already completed a benefits check and applied for attendance allowance on their behalf and felt that a visit from me would be useful. I carried out a Healthy Homes Check and identified a number of rails that were needed to prevent falls and also fitted a smoke alarm.

3pm

Time for the Powys Agricultural Well-being meeting set up by PAVO. The group discusses what is on offer to those in the agricultural sector in the area and we have the opportunity to promote the Mamwlad project. Partners on the group include RABI, DPJ, and Ponthafren – all of which we can refer into for support. Discussions take place around setting up a wellbeing hub at the local livestock market.

4pm

I get back to the office, check my emails and start to type up referrals that I need to make from today’s visits.

Lesley Price, Mamwlad Caseworker
lesley.price@crpowys.co.uk

Find out more about Mamwlad Project on the Care & Repair in Powys website.