Our charity was delighted to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contribution of Christine Frith and Lisa Downes, who have made a remarkable difference to the lives of families caring for loved ones living with dementia.
At a special presentation, our patron, Eric, joined us to present Christine and Lisa with Certificates of Appreciation in recognition of their dedication, compassion and invaluable support in helping families access much-needed respite care.
Christine first contacted our charity around two and a half years ago, expressing her support for our cause and recognising the importance of respite care for families caring for loved ones with dementia. Lisa subsequently joined the mission, and together, working closely with Helen, they have helped connect families with the support they urgently need.
The impact of their work has been truly exceptional.
To date, our charity has supported 32 families so far, with Christine and Lisa being the main contributors.
Their achievement demonstrates the enormous difference that proactive partnership working and a genuine commitment to supporting carers can make. Their commitment has also helped us reach families in an area from which we had never previously received referrals. We later discovered that Christine and Lisa had extended their work to cover this new area, opening up further opportunities for families to access support.
Coincidentally, on the same day in the morning, a meeting was between Emma Lancaster, Social Prescribers Team Leader and Walid Marzouk and Helen Green from Dementia Carers Respite. They discussed strengthening their relationship to maximise referrals in line with both parties’ wishes. Their plan carries encouragement from Sam Burrows ICB’s Chief System Development and Engagement Officer, as well as Greg Smith MP who is the last few month has become a big supporter of the charity.
Making a Difference to Families and the NHS
Respite care provides more than a much-needed break for family carers. It gives them time to rest, recharge and look after their own wellbeing while knowing their loved ones are being supported.
Access to timely respite care can also help reduce the risk of carers reaching crisis point, potentially preventing avoidable GP appointments, mental health support needs, A&E attendances and costly hospital admissions. By helping families receive the right support at the right time, respite care can benefit carers, the people they care for and the wider NHS.
The positive feedback we have received from the families we support is encouraging, with an 86% satisfaction rating reflecting the value of the service we provide.
A Heartfelt Thank You
Speaking at the presentation, a charity representative said:
“On behalf of our charity and all the families you have helped, I want to thank Christine and Lisa from the bottom of my heart.
“Your dedication, compassion and belief in our mission have made a real and measurable difference. Your referrals have helped us reach families who may otherwise have missed out on vital respite support.
“We hope your example will inspire other colleagues to follow your lead. By working together, we can reach more families, support more carers and help prevent families from reaching crisis point.”
We are immensely grateful to Christine Frith and Lisa Downs for their continued commitment and for demonstrating the power of effective partnership working between social prescribers and local charities.
Their contribution is a wonderful example of how a relatively small action, such as making a referral, can have a life-changing impact on families who need support.
Thank you, Christine and Lisa, for helping us make a difference. We look forward to building on this partnership and working together Emma Lancaster , her team , Sam Burrows and Greg Smith to ensure that more families caring for loved ones with dementia can access the respite and support they deserve.
