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Why Bentleys Home Care for me ?
I have experienced continual struggles with both Care at Home Companies and self employed carers. These experiences have caused tears, sleepless nights, stress and anxiety.
So during yet another heart to heart with my friend Mairi Claire, the idea formed to start a care company that would provide complete care. This is basically everything I would have wanted and needed.
My name is Valerie Duguid (BSc Hons) I am one of the owners here at Bentleys Home Care.
Work Experience
For twenty plus years I have provided specialist exercise and rehabilitation to people living with cancer and heart disease etc. so as a result of treatment, drugs, chemotherapy, I also provided personal care.
Personal Experience
I have been a carer for my mum since her dementia diagnosis in 2017. This has been a journey from her taking money out of her bank account up to six times a day, forgetting to pay for an item in a shop and being brought home by police and to supporting her at her Dementia Choir and performing recently at the V&A and everything in between. (Happy to hear and share stories).
In 2022 life changed drastically for both mum and I. I brought my mum home from the hospital in a wheel chair, 6 weeks after a near fatal accident.
I gave up my business and moved in with her as the alternative was for me and not an option. I suppose it was lucky due to my expertise that I could rehabilitate my mum but nothing prepared me.
My commitment to you
Trust is massively important to me and it’s something I had to gain very quickly in my previous role. So trust us to remove the tears, sleepless nights, stress and anxiety for you and your family. This is my personal guarantee.
Why Bentleys Home Care for me ?
Both Valerie and I understand the daily struggles and sleepless nights, as we have been there. We too have experienced the difficulties that you are feeling and the hopelessness at times this engenders. Armed with this experience and knowledge, we are committed to making a difference driven by our own personal stories and wish to truly make a difference.
My name is Mairi Claire Handy (LLB Hons) and I am one of the owners here at Bentleys Home Care.
Work Experience
After working in the legal profession for many years, the births of my children dictated a change of career path, and so for the last decade, I have devoted myself to working for several cancer support charities, as well as setting up Bladder Cancer Scotland last year, after losing my father to the disease during Covid. I too have worked as a carer myself delivering personal care and companionship to many families in crisis throughout most of my adult working life, as I have thoroughly enjoyed the relationships you develop through this work and the long lasting friendships that this can create.
Personal Experience
Being of an age where I had both the responsibility of caring for both my own children and ever ageing parents, I too fully understand the difficulties that this can pose.
A rapid onset of a cancer diagnosis for my dad during Covid, thrust me and my family into the world of carers, care managers, home visits, paperwork, bureaucracy and more. Having to navigate this combined with the realisation that my Dad was terminally ill, was challenging, as was the poor quality of care and never ending stream of nameless faces of the carers sent to look after him.
The quality of care my father received was extremely poor, haphazard and piecemeal at best and made a traumatic time for my family even more painful.
A broken hip for my Mum last year, sadly once again exposed me to the realities of the “care” industry and so too my passion to change this.
My commitment to you
Good quality and focused care coupled with honest and genuine communication for your loved ones when you need it most.