ECL Day Centre provides respite for a 28-year-old caring for her Nan
“I’ve somewhat got my life back. I don’t have to be a carer all the time. I’ve got just a few hours where I can be myself again.”
Dana Litchfield’s life is quite different to your average twenty-something. In 2023 Dana, 28, was living in Loughton with her mum, Caroline, and her nan Joan, when one evening Joan suffered from a stroke.
Sadly, the stroke had lasting implications on Joan and caused the onset of Dementia, which meant Joan needed round the clock care. Dana was suddenly plunged into becoming a full-time carer, whilst trying to manage her career, her social life and her recent diagnosis of arthritis.
At the time, Dana was working in retail and volunteered to reduce her hours so she could be a carer for her nan. She said: “I had to speak to my boss and lower my contract, so I do two days a week in the evenings. On the days I am working, my mum makes sure she’s home from work to take over.
“I get up in the morning and give Nan her tablets, then I’ll do breakfast, lunch and dinner, make her bed, do her washing. If she needs the toilet I’ll get the commode out, I pretty much do everything for her. All her needs come before mine, all her washing is done before I can do mine, I’ve got to make sure she’s eaten before I can eat.”
Dana said: “No one tells you how isolating it is and how lonely you feel. I couldn’t go and see my friends; I was only managing to see them once a month because I couldn’t leave Nan on her own. I was thrown right in at the deep end, and I’ve just had to try and navigate it.
“I struggle with my mental health and if I’m having a really bad day, I don’t have anyone who I can ask ‘can you support her for a couple of hours so I can go for a walk, or so I can have a nap’. If I want to have a shower, or have any downtime, I have to wait until she’s in bed and it can get quite tough.”
Joan was also finding it hard to adapt to her new way of life, having been a social person before her stroke. Dana said: “She went from being able to go out, speaking to everyone and anyone, to being in the same four walls with no one else to talk to other than me and Mum. I think she was missing social interaction”.
With both Joan and Dana in need of some support, Joan’s social worker suggested ECL Loughton Older People Day Centre. After a successful initial visit, Joan began attending once a week.
Dana said: “She absolutely loves it. They know her and what she likes, so the second she arrives she’s got a hot chocolate in her hands, she’ll have a crumpet, and they play all kinds of games. They’ll do some physio with her to get her to walk and she’s got all her friends that she likes to speak to.
“All the staff members are wonderful. If you have any concerns they’re there, listening to you and they’ll try and help you figure out the best ways around things."
Joan now attends ECL Loughton Older People Day Centre three times a week and recently ECL have been able to arrange transport for her. Dana now has three days a week to spend how she likes.
It’s absolutely amazing having this bit of time back for myself. I can go out and see my friends, go shopping and do stuff I need to do, I can go to doctor’s appointments.
I’ve somewhat got my life back. I don’t have to be a carer all the time. I’ve got just a few hours where I can be myself again. And if I want to go out somewhere with my partner, I’ve got those few hours a week that I can do that. For example, we managed to view our wedding venue while Nan was at ECL.
It’s just a lot easier because I can have a break and regain some clarity and calmness before she comes home.
ECL’s Older People Day Centres can provide essential respite for carers. A flexible programme of activities means your loved one can enjoy a schedule tailored to their needs. The expert team can support individuals with a range of additional needs, decreased mobility and/or those who are living with conditions such as dementia including Vascular, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal and mixed dementia, as well as those who require personal care and enteral feeding.
