You Care, I Care

My guest today is Joey Williams-Pears who first joined me on my podcast about a year ago, and it’s great to have her back.

Her business Outstanding Compliance is basically to help people with anything to do with Care, Quality Commission - CQC registration. As well as helping companies with their registration they also help with ongoing compliance; reviews, ensuring that everything is in place in terms of paperwork etc.

Recently they have had a number of aesthetics clinics contact them, because believe it or not, it is largely an unregulated sector. There is a great deal of confusion around whether they should be CQC registered or not, and when it boils down to it, some need to be and others don’t need to be registered. 

Joey talks about how woolly the CQC guidelines are for aesthetics their information says that anything not solely cosmetic needs a registration. But they don’t give a definition of what cosmetic surgery is! However, hearing Joey talk about dangerous this makes things for consumers when looking to have certain aesthetic work done.  Many people offer Botox and other procedures without any knowledge or understanding of the impact on facial structure. She is doing a lot of research into this, as there are talks to get regulation for these procedures, but it’s a long way ahead.

For Outstanding Compliance, it’s all about ensuring that companies are safe and able to prove that they are working in a safe environment.

Joey and I share a spoiler about a new project we are both working on… 

To contact Joey:
Website: https://www.outstandingcompliance.co.uk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/outstanding_compliance/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jolene-williams-pears-ba555744/
Email: [email protected]

I’m very happy to introduce today’s guest, Jeff Tucker, co-founder of Best Mates.

Best Mates achieved charity status in November 2023 and has now been going for two years. They help people who are having a tough time in their lives and match them up with the best people to talk to, to get their lives back on track.

Jeff explains how a terrible personal time in 2020 actually led him and his co-founder, Carl to set up the charity. Jeff’s son was attacked, and although surviving physically, the aftermath of the attack led him to suffering from PTSD and depression. He and his wife wanted to support their son, but didn’t know how to and it was an incredibly tough time for them to navigate.

After reaching out to the GP and the NHS and getting very little help, (then even when he did, it wasn’t enough or appropriate) they recognised that when people need help, they need it from the right person for them. This is where the Best Mates concept comes in. 

Often people have problems but don’t know where to go to get support. Over time, the charity has found a range of people who can support others when needed.  Somebody who understands, has been through problems themselves and most importantly, can have real conversations with them. Best Mates has a range of service providers; some counsellors and others who offer different services, but people that they trust.

Best Mates has also set up Walk and Talk sessions for everybody, but mostly men which takes place each week in Swindon. They also have sessions in Folkestone and Chelmsford, Essex. They also have plans to expand into other areas too.

To contact Jeff:
Website: www.bestmates.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BestMatesCharity
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-mates-wegotya/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestmates_wegotya/

On today's episode of You Care, I care I'm joined by Mary Merheim of Grandbar Snacks. Mary has been on my list of podcast guests to record with for quite some time now so I'm very excited to release this episode!

Mary started Grandbar Snacks accidentally and as she explains she now has a nutritional cake bar for the elderly business despite not having any previous food industry expertise or business knowledge! She was a teacher previously but her mission was personal. In his late eighties, her father lost his appetite even though he was a man who was passionate about food to the point that he'd even make his own pate! It was heartbreaking for Mary to see her father fading away in front of her so instead of just sitting back and letting it happen, she headed for the kitchen!

After a search online about nutritional food elderly people enjoy eating, Mary soon realised that there was nothing out there. Plenty of information popped up for pregnant women, menopausal women or anyone who wanted to lose weight but for those over sixty five, it felt like they weren't a priority for society anymore. 

Research has shown that as you get older your savoury taste buds start to fade but the sweet taste buds last! It's now been five years and Mary has a fully fledged business selling cakes full of all the nutritional things people need and designed specifically for the elderly who are struggling with their appetite.

Mary was only going to be making these treats for her father but when he passed away suddenly at ninety years old, she knew she had to carry on and ensure that they reached more elderly people across the country who are needing nutritional foods that satisfy their sweet tooth - after all, you can't make someone eat something if it doesn't look good first as well as tasting great!


If you'd like to learn more about Mary and these tasty treats head to https://grandbarsnacks.com/

My guest today is someone who I’ve only recently met, Heather Angell from Heather Angell Coaching.

Heather talks about her background and how she got into coaching via her wedding planning business.  Even before COVID her entire business was online, so during that time she was able to continue her work with no problem.

Through her coaching business she helps people using different therapy modalities, including CBT talk therapy and many other energy therapies. And during and following lockdown, there were many people who needed help after experiencing trauma during that time.

She shares how important it is to not get locked into going for coaching and therapy for ever but making sure that you take time out to integrate changes into your life. People work with Heather for different time frames – for whatever works best for them – it’s always about the individual.

Heather also works with businesspeople, as a High Performance Coach, often enabling people to get out of their own way!  There was a time when people would tell others’ how easy it is to set up a business – but if you don’t take action and have tenacity, commitment it’s hard. Just having a passion for whatever you do won’t help you make money.  

Basically, Heather’s business is all about helping people to care about themselves and that includes herself.

If you’d like to contact Heather:

Website:  https://www.swindontherapy.co.uk/
https://www.heatherangell.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeatherAngellCoach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherangellcoaching/

Today’s guest is a long standing friend and past colleague, Claire Westlake from Your Care, which she runs along with her mum, Tina. This year they celebrate 11 years in business.

Neither of them started out in care; Tina worked in the beauty industry and Claire was an accountant – both very different professions to Care. Claire explains how they ended up working in care and starting their own business, after being shocked by the uncaring manner people were being treated in by the agency she was working for.

Your Care’s way of working is different to many others – they’re not a typical care agency. Your Care has a register of self-employed carers and they match those carers to their clients; mostly clients with dementia and elderly clients. They consult over the phone with families so that they completely understand the clients needs; and not just medical, but also things about them personally – what they like and dislike so that they can make a perfect match with the carer.

Tina and Claire are also very choosy about the carers who they employ – their ethos being: would they leave one of their own family members with that person?

Over the last couple of months Your Care have had problems with South Glos Council, with whom they’ve been working for almost 11 years. They love the service that Your Care delivers, loving what they do and how they do it, but they don’t love the price.  Like every other business, Your Care have had to increase the budget to be able to cover wages etc, and that would have meant only an increase of £1.50. But the Council thinks that’s too much!

We discuss what this means and how this impacts on clients; how upsetting it is for them and their families and how we are hoping to change this.

Tina and Claire have published a book ‘After the Diagnosis, your Guide to Living with Dementia’, an eBook, which is available on their website and on Amazon.

To contact Claire:
Website: www.your-careuk.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01179 477422

I’ve known today’s guest, Tara Gunn, for many years and in the past we’ve worked together.

Tara went into the care profession after being made redundant from a job in IT recruitment. It was only supposed to be a short term position however she has been there ever since, which is around 18 years.

She works in live-in care which is something that most people still don’t fully understand what it is. The majority of people think that when they are older, or their parents or grandparents start getting to the point where they need help, they’re ready for a care home. Tara explains why live-in care is such a great alternative – getting support in their home means their lives don’t have to change dramatically.

The main difference between care homes and live-in care is that people have choices about everything. Tara explains why there needs to be structure in care homes compared to the freedom people have within their own homes.

Recently Tara has had the opportunity to work with an established healthcare provider called Eleanor Healthcare. They do everything care related. However, until now they haven’t specialised in live-in care, which is where Tara and her expertise comes in.

She explains how they take on carers and how their way of recruiting is very different to many care providers.

Tara also explains the difference between a managed service and an introductory service. The basic difference being that with a managed service, the care company arranges everything, down to what the carer does and checks are kept that everything is working well. This works well when family members of the client don’t want to be or can’t be heavily involved in the care.

Introductory care is when the care company helps out with the matching process to introduce the carer to the client, but then the client and or their family members work with the carer to decide how the care is going to work.

In both scenarios, the carers are all trained in the same way.

Eleanor Healthcare are based in Kent but are focusing on the southeast and southwest at the moment. However, with the introduced model, they can work nationally.

To contact Eleanor Healthcare: 01732 441877 or email: [email protected]

Website:
https://www.eleanorhealthcaregroup.co.uk/live-in-care/live-well/

On this episode I’m joined by my friend and previous guest, Vanessa White, who is a breakup and divorce coach. 
The last time that Vanessa was here with me, we were talking all about her business and how she can help people in their relationships or before, during and after a breakup.

This episode will be slightly different as we’re excited to announce a collaboration that will take us and you to Italy!

Enlightening Escapes will be offering you some amazing retreats in Puglia, Italy and is our passion project born from a love of caring for people and wanting to see them recharge, grow and focus on their wellbeing which could be something that they don’t get to do often.

From my trips to Italy last year I soon realised that Puglia was the place to hold these events as the people, the venue and the location just fit the definition of enlightening and once you see the pictures on our almost ready website you’ll definitely want to escape there!

Our first retreat is being held on May 8th, 2025 and if you want to find out more you can email Vanessa on [email protected] or myself on [email protected] 

We’re committed to supporting those who need to relax and recharge whilst learning about self care and prioritising their wellbeing so if that sounds like you then these are the retreats you want to be on!

Listen on to find out why we chose the name Enlightening Escapes and further information on what will be happening at the retreats this year!

You can find out more about Vanessa and how she can support you in your relationship at www.vanessawhite.co.uk

In part three of this little series David Price aka Budge is back to talk to me more about the nightmare that he and his wife Gina have been going through.

If you haven't listened to parts 1 and 2 yet I highly recommend that you listen to them first so that you're fully up to date on the terrible situation that this wonderful couple have been dealing with.

Today Budge is sharing more about the OCE (listen to part to if you want to know more about the nightmare they experienced when there!) and what happened when Gina was moved to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. 

We talk about the plate that Gina had put in place and the eight hour operation that she went through. Budge shares the relief and surprise that he felt when he walked into the room following this long operation to find Gina sat there alert and able to have a conversation with him!

Even though they had a great experience that time, there were two previous occasions that always stand out to Budge. He recalls these two standout occasions that made him question the care that Gina was getting.

On one occasion, he went into Gina's room to find her in complete darkness - no blinds open or lights switch on! - and then he discovered a rod on the floor which he thought was for her chair. He went to see a nurse who had come on shift, worried that someone might help Gina into a chair that could break. As he found out the rod was a guide to put the nasal feeder in and as Gina had pulled the feeder out one night, it needed to be put in again. As you imagine Budge was very surprised that this had happened a few nights before because no one had put the mitten on that stopped Gina from being able to pull out any of her tubes or wires.

Listen on to find out what the second standout occasion was that made them question the level of care provided by the hospital and about the lack of support they've received since Gina was discharged!

Today’s guest is Vicki, a single mum of three children, who has been caring for them alone since they were all very young.  Her eldest child, Emily was born by emergency Caesarean and following that, was very poorly.

Vicki’s story is one of a mother who has spent her time caring for not only Emily, but also her siblings, and how as a family they have pulled together and supported each other.

Having been born with medical issues, Emily spent her childhood under the care of paediatricians and during that time she developed many different conditions.  It wasn’t until she was 14 that she was diagnosed with Turner syndrome, that Vicki explains is about a missing chromosome which in turn affects a whole range of things.

Vicki talks about the grief Emily suffered after finding out that because of her condition she would need to have her ovaries removed, which as a young growing woman is a tragic thing to be told.

Emily’s health problems continued to grow, and Vicki shares how she, Emily and her other children had to deal with them.  This all happened before we all had access to the internet, so finding information and being able to research things was far harder.  Life felt like a continual battle.

Another issue Vicki talks about is how, as a single mother she felt vulnerable about contacting social services for help, because at that time there was a lot of stigma and fear around involving them.

Now as an adult, Emily does have some support, which although it has taken a long time to find now means like everyone else she is able to live her life with purpose.

You can find out more about Vicki at https://www.vickihead.com/

I’m very pleased to welcome back David Price, aka Budge for a follow up on our previous podcast all about the journey he and his wife Gina have had over the last 18 months.

When we talked last time, Gina had been transferred to the OCE, Oxford for her rehabilitation; known to be one of the best places in the UK.

After initially being thrilled to get the place in the unit, and having met the staff, both Budge and Gina were comfortable about her potentially spending the next 6 months there.  Gina began to make very good progress, and quite quickly. She had a lot of different therapy, physio and speech sessions, all helping to get her to a better place.

Sadly, things started to go wrong very quickly. The main problem being that the nursing team didn’t seem to work with the rehab team. They were existing as two separate teams, whereas in fact, they should have been working as one to enable Gina’s rehab.

The rehab team were doing nothing wrong, but some of the nursing assistants were not doing their jobs to the best of their ability, which meant that on occasions, Gina wasn’t washed or dressed, so not ready on time for her rehab sessions. Then there were times her meals were late or even missed.

Worse still there were occasions when Budge found medication on the floor.  As you can imagine, he wasn’t happy and questioned the nurse.

As you’ll be shocked to hear, Budge had to spend a lot of his time fighting to make sure that Gina received the expected care yet often ended up doing it himself – something which should never happen!