Case Study: Rangeford Care

Jean and Geoff Oatley were enjoying retirement in a small Oxfordshire village close to their family when Geoff, a former chemical engineer, decided it was time to move to a new home.

“It was quite a quick decision, really”, explains Joe, their son. “My father saw his mobility decline after a number of back problems and he decided to find a better adapted home so they could be more comfortable in the future.”

The couple were set on a retirement property which would be better adapted to their needs and chose to buy a 2 bedroom ground floor flat in Wadswick Green, Wiltshire. “They particularly liked that the apartments at Wadswick Green were specifically designed for older people; all on one level, no stairs, that sort of thing. They also thought they might need more care at a later point, so the onsite care service offered by Rangeford Care was a selling point for them”, Joe says.

Another plus were the facilities available to residents which Jean, a former school teacher, thoroughly enjoyed upon moving in. “She started to go to the pool often and visited the gym everyday”, Joe adds. “They also use the concierge service and the chauffeur service when they have to go to appointments.”

More recently, Jean’s health has declined and she has started to require more help, making the onsite care invaluable. The couple now have a contract with Rangeford Care, which provides the care services at Wadswick Green. Initially they had an arrangement where a care assistant visited three times a day to help Jean with her daily tasks. “It helped my father as well – with preparing meals for example - so it took some of the pressure off him”, explains Joe, who lives two hours away and along with his brother and sister, try to visit as often as they can.

Jean has early stage dementia, which means she requires special arrangements from the team at Rangeford Care. Geoff and Joe have recently extended the care provided by Rangeford to be more full time “We now have a carer supporting my mum for eight hours a day, every day.” says Joe.  “This is not only fantastic for her as it means she is now able to take part in more activities in the surrounding area, but also a great comfort to all of her family as we know she is receiving the best care.  This is really important when all of her immediate family live quite a distance away.   It is also good that she has the same carers every week – the rota is shared between three care assistants – so that she has been able to build up a relationship and rapport with them.”

Today Jean and Geoff are making the most of their lives at Wadswick Green and enjoy spending time in the social area such as The Greenhouse restaurant and the bar.  Joe says: “There is a very good social community aspect at Wadswick Green. My parents have made many friends here and they are thoroughly enjoying it.”