"Always looking to reassure us and make things easier"

We would like to share our experience of our Dad receiving support from Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership as well as from the Greater Glasgow and Clyde District Nurse Service.

Sadly, we lost our dad in early March, following a year long battle with a cancerous brain tumour. The surgery our Dad had back in April last year left him unable to talk, and with significant weakness on his right hand side. This meant when he finally returned home, he required significant care and support both from his family and from social care services.

The care and support he received from Euan and Robert (his two main carers), and from Kim and Nicola his physio and Occupational Therapist, and Nicola his speech therapist was outstanding. They all quickly got to know who our Dad was, and treated him with such professionalism, empathy and kindness. They all worked together to make sure our Dad had everything he needed – from equipment to help him move about his house and enable him to communicate, and nearer the end to make his final weeks more comfortable at home. While our Dad could not communicate verbally they all spent time speaking to him and ensuring that he was aware of what was going on, able to give his opinion (often a thumbs up or a roll of the eyes!) and took action based on what he was trying to tell him.

The difference this made, not only to my Dad, but to the rest of our family really is difficult to put into words. We all felt surrounded by support from people who genuinely cared about our Dad, and us - it really did make the biggest difference and we would like to put on record our appreciation.

In our Dad’s final weeks and days, the support and genuine care he was given by Hazel, Linda and Andrea and the rest of the community nursing team (from Greater Glasgow and Clyde District Nurse Service) allowed him to pass peacefully at home with his closest friends and family. The community nursing team were always at the end of the phone to provide advice and guidance, and on more than one occasion to come to the house very quickly to deal with different situations to make our Dad comfortable. They reassured us that we could call them anytime – day or night. Being given that reassurance meant we didn’t feel alone or isolated. Again, the approach they all took – to my Dad and to us – was one of such professionalism, care and compassion. They were always looking to reassure us and make things easier for our Dad and us – and they certainly did that.

We really cannot express enough our deep gratitude to everyone from all of the services above. We honestly cannot begin to think of how my Dad, or us, would have coped without them.

They all saw our Dad as a person and took a very holistic approach to meeting his needs – everyone worked so well together to make sure he was fully aware and involved where possible.  Thank you to them all.