Resident Referral Form
Please fill in the form with as much detail as possible and email it to: happyathome@voluntaryimpact.org.uk
The story of Brad and Happy @ Home
Brad lives alone, he is 77 years old and has severe heart problems which affects all aspects of his life. His mobility is very poor, and he can only walk a few steps before he becomes breathless. As a younger person Brad worked locally in the boot and shoe Industry. He lost his dear wife some years ago and one of his children.
His mental health has been severely affected not only by his losses and his illness, but also by his living arrangements and this is the issue that he had desperately been asking for help with. Brad lived in the bottom half of a house owned by the council. The top half of the house had been sold by the council to younger people. He experienced difficulty getting in and out of his home due to rubbish being stored along the side of the property where he kept his scooter. He was also disturbed (day and night) on a regular basis by loud music. Brad’s home was no longer his safe place!
Brad’s flat had many problems. Mold and damp were all over his bedroom walls, and stains appeared on his kitchen ceiling due to leaks from properties above. His internal doors wouldn’t close which made it difficult to contain the heat in the drafty rooms. His bathroom was not fit for purpose as he had difficulty getting in and out of the bath due to his mobility issues. His mobility scooter which couldn’t be kept inside the property as it was deemed a fire hazard was stolen from outside his home.
He desperately wanted to move into a bungalow that would be more suitable for someone with his mobility challenges.
Brad was referred to Happy@Home Northampton by Social Services who believed that having a volunteer befriender to talk to might help Brad cope with his circumstances!
Happy at Home | Voluntary Impact Northampton
One of our Happy@Home Coordinators Roz contacted Brad to discuss our befriending service and to arrange a home visit. Roz was disturbed to see the hostile environment in which Brad was living, and to learn that nothing appeared to be happening to rectify his situation.
Roz notes that during her two visits with Brad he was upset and in tears.
With Brad’s consent Roz put pen to paper and contacted his local MP and social worker.
And now, after some time Brad is in his new home, a home where the doors all close, a home with a bathroom he can actually use and a home where he can relax and talk to his neighbours. He doesn’t need a befriender as he can get out and about on his replacement scooter and he uses the buses on a regular basis.
Brad states:
This has changed my life: I feel free of all the problems I had with the old house. I have no roads to cross as the bus stop is right outside my door: I am sleeping better as well – I am grateful to Roz as she really got things moving for me.
Brads story is also the story of our Happy @ Home Befriending service. Sometimes people just need a little extra help and support, and our team is there to provide that.
