Getting Through Tough Times With Salvos Home Care

For Salvos Home Care Worker, Mel, she has always respected The Salvation Army and the work the organisation does. “I know with my experience, when I was a single mum, the Salvos helped me out with a Christmas hamper for my kids,” she explains. “I’ve always respected the Salvos; they’re supportive. I’ve got a lot of appreciation for them, that’s for sure,” Mel tells. In fact, her experience with The Salvation Army has come full circle, as she is now able to give back to others, in her role as a Salvos Home Care Worker.  

“The most rewarding thing is the feeling that you get inside from helping people,” she says. “I just think it’s a feeling like no other.” This has been the case with Cheryl, a client Mel has been supporting over the last seven years. In more recent times, Cheryl’s husband passed away and the bond between Mel and Cheryl has only strengthened. “We’re quite close, because she’s lost her husband and we’ve been there to support her emotionally as well.”   

“Since my husband passed away nearly a year ago, I go out once a week with Mel and we go down to the beach and we get our lunch and we just sit there and have a coffee and our lunch, and we watch the water,” says Cheryl. When speaking of her Salvos Home Care Workers, Cheryl emphasises the significance they have in her life. “They have got me through some tough times,” she affirms. “Since my husband passed away, I’ve had struggles and I’ve had days where I’ve been very teary and upset and Mel’s been wonderful.”  

When reflecting on what she most appreciates about Mel, she says it is their ability to chat and connect with each other. “We seem to get on so well. We’re both completely different people, but we just click, and I can talk to her about anything. She’s very reassuring to me. She knows what I need. On my bad days, we go down to the beach and sit there for hours. It’s lovely.” 

For Mel, she notes that beyond helping Cheryl with her usual tasks such as shopping, cleaning and more recently, helping her move homes, a Salvos Home Care Worker can often provide emotional support. “Because she’d lost her husband, I just thought, it made me feel better when you go to the beach and she loves the ocean,” Mel tells. “The last couple of weeks we’ve seen the dolphins, so it’s nice, it’s relaxing; it’s just really good for your mental health,” Mel affirms.