Supporting Jane: A daughter, mum and carer

Supporting Jane: A daughter, mum and carer

For Jane, aged 42, juggling life as a full-time working mum of two teenagers while caring for her 76-year-old father Gwyn hasn’t always been easy.

Gwyn lives alone just a few miles away, and after a fall in his kitchen last winter, Jane found herself constantly worrying about his safety.

“Even though Dad’s fiercely independent, that fall really shook both of us,” she said. “I was struggling to concentrate at work, always thinking, ‘What if something happens and I’m not there?’”

With no other family nearby, Jane was trying to be everything to everyone – taking her kids to school, working part-time in retail, and checking in on her dad multiple times a day.

“I felt torn all the time,” she said. “I wanted to be there for my children and my dad, but there are only so many hours in the day.”

It was during a chat with a friend that Jane first heard about our CONNECT service, with Technology Enabled Care (TEC) support and 24/7 response team. She got in touch and soon had a lifeline alarm installed in her dad’s home.

“It’s made all the difference,” Jane said. “Dad wears the pendant alarm around his neck and if he needs help, he just presses the button, and the Delta team are there straight away.”

The lifeline alarm gives Gwyn peace of mind too.

He said: “I don’t want Jane giving up her life for me. She’s got her own family, and thanks to this support, I can still live in my own home and feel safe.”

The 24/7 response service has eased the pressure on Jane enormously.

“Now, I can focus on my job and be there for my kids without feeling guilty. And I know that if Dad ever needs help, someone’s there to support him immediately.”

This Carers Week, with its theme of ‘Caring About Equality’, Jane’s story is a strong reminder of how unpaid carers often face unfair choices – between their own lives and the people they care about. Our Delta CONNECT service empowers carers like Jane to carry on working, be present for their children, and still provide loving care for a parent – without sacrificing their own health, income or wellbeing.

“Technology can’t take the love out of caring,” Jane said. “But it can take away a lot of the worry. And that’s made all the difference for us.”