“I look forward to Wednesdays,” says Mercy Health home care client Ruth Johnson from her unit in Young, New South Wales, where one of her three rescue dogs is curled up in her lap. The youngest, Alfie, barks excitedly in the background.
Wednesdays are when Ruth’s home care workers come and help her around the house with the things that she can no longer do herself, such as hanging up bed sheets, vacuuming the floors or cleaning out the fridge. Every other week they take her grocery shopping — an everyday task that had become impossible because of severe carpal tunnel syndrome in her hands.
At 68 (“but still 21 in my mind”), Ruth is one of Mercy Health’s younger home care clients. She first arranged to have home care services through another provider five years ago after hip replacement surgery that went terribly wrong.
Ruth is no stranger to surgery — she had her first hip replacement in her early 30s and since then has had both hips replaced several times — but the 2017 trip to hospital left her with lasting problems. What was supposed to be a routine, five-day procedure turned into 20 weeks in hospital and Ruth returned home with a walking stick that she still uses to this day. Add to that more than two dozen other surgeries over the years, plus the carpal tunnel, arthritis, an imminent knee replacement and anxiety, and Ruth found herself needing help around the home to stay independent.
“I get very frustrated with myself because I can’t do what I used to do, but I don’t walk around feeling sorry for myself,” Ruth says.
“Since changing to Mercy Health, I’ve never looked back. When I first walked into their office here in Young it was professional and welcoming. And the people who help me are brilliant.”
Ruth Johnson with two of her three rescue dogs, Pixie and Alfie.
Ruth worked as an enrolled nurse in an aged care home for seven years and recognises the same characteristics in her Mercy Health home care workers that she herself brought to the job.
“I loved working in aged care, it was like looking after your own mum and dad,” she says. “There were a lot of ‘orphans’ in aged care and I enjoyed putting a smile on their face.”
With family either far away or busy with their own work and lives, Ruth is always pleased when Wednesdays roll around.
“Most of the time, it is the same Mercy Health people who come each week. They know where everything is, they know me — it’s comfortable. You could almost call it ‘rent-a-friend’,” she says, with a laugh.
Mercy Health Home Care Services Young Regional Manager Annette Berridge says Ruth is very involved in directing her care plan so she can make the most of her home care package. She also provides constructive feedback to the team.
“The past couple of years have been hard for people working in home care and aged care in general,” Annette says. “People are quick to criticise. Ruth has a great sense of humour and takes the time to provide important feedback that helps us continue to improve our services. She is delightful to work with.”
Last reviewed April 22, 2022.