How two of our carers used their compassion, drive and commitment to dramatically change outcomes.

At Blue Angel Care, we pride ourselves on a willingness to go beyond the expected for our clients. But this core value is only made possibly by the tireless work of our carers and their relationships with the people we serve.

When one client, 81 year old Edith, was given a bleak outlook and transitioned to end of life care, Gabi Szabo and Gabriela Serban refused to give up. And the impact was transformative.

Edith’s poor health severely impacted her spirits. Crippled by her pain and dismay, she could not find the strength to continue.

Doctors examined her health and, while we were all waiting for reassuring news, the outlook was grim.

After examination, the doctors concluded that Edith only had a few weeks left to live. This would mean her care package would move to End-of-Life – a course of pain relief and little else.

But having built a strong relationship with Edith, our carers had seen something different. And they had no intention of giving up.

Despite the conclusion from the doctors, Gabi and Gabriella decided to fight on and continued to give Edith the care she needed.

The struggles were significant. In particular, nutrition presented a serious challenge. Edith found it difficult to ingest more than water, while pain and depression affected her appetite. Ultimately, Edith refused to eat.

And still, our carers refused to give up.

In a battle against the odds, they collaborated with palliative care nurses, nutritionists, doctors and social workers to rebuild Edith’s strength. At times, this collaboration turned to conflict.

In one instance, plans were made to transfer Edith to a more affordable provider for end-of-life care. Working closely with one of Edith’s neighbours, Carol, we convinced the local authority that Edith could still benefit from our unparalleled level of quality, commitment and care.

One day at a time, Gabi and Gabriella gave Edith the emotional and physical care she needed. And, moment by moment, they transformed Edith’s story.

Gabi and Gabriella continued to support Edith, washing her body and encouraging her to be more active. They provided food that Edith could ingest, often mashing fruits into a paste. Perhaps more importantly, they continued to strengthen their connection with Edith with every passing day.

Even in her poor health, Edith recognised their contribution. They became more than carers. She often referred to Gabi and Gabriella as ‘mum and dad’ – and when encouraged to eat ‘for mum and dad’, she would respond.

There was no surprising breakthrough or sudden reversal. No moment of celebration. But, step-by-step, Gabi and Gabriella were making a difference.

They were giving Edith a fighting change where nobody else would.

With hard work and dedication, progress finally became visible. Edith’s strength increased. But, more importantly, she felt livelier, happier and more able to go on.

Today, Edith still enjoys the company of Gabi and Gabriela. She was even able to come along to one of our client’s forums, meeting other people and enjoying a cup of tea and cake!

The end-of-life prognosis has been reversed. We continue to support Edith with domiciliary care – and hope to do so far into the future.

All thanks to the commitment and care of Gabi, Gabriela, and the neighbour Carol: three people who refused to give up, went beyond the expected, and rewrote the ending of Edith’s story.