RBKares are a group of volunteers in the Royal Borough of Kingston who are on a mission to buy a gift for every care home resident in the borough without family. Care home staff, who are working so hard to keep our elderly, safe, are not forgotten this Christmas either.
We want to say thank you to the people who care for our elderly neighbours, let them know that their community has not forgotten them and bring light to those residents who are alone this festive period.
We are aiming to buy over 2000 presents for the staff alone. They have looked after our relatives over the last 8 months, while the pandemic tore families apart; they have entertained them, held their hands for us when we couldn’t and reassured them when they were anxious because their families couldn’t visit.
In addition, there are around 200 residents with no family or friends to send them a Christmas card or present; we will make sure, with your help, that they are not forgotten this Christmas.
It all started during the first lockdown
We are originally volunteers from the Sewing4Kingston project who made and delivered 45,000 items to key workers during the first wave of the pandemic, from face coverings to scrubs and laundry bags. During that time we got to know the local care homes and their incredible staff; we were so inspired by stories of their selfless, courageous work and saddened by the losses we heard about, that we felt we needed to say a big thank you.
RBKares need your help to raise funds to make this happen
If you want to show gratitude for the care of a loved one or want to give support to our local care home community, then please donate to https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/christmas-kindness-for-care-home-staff-residents or contact us on rbkaresaboutyou@gmail.com. We need people to help in a variety of ways!
We asked some of our volunteers to share their reasons for wanting to join the RBKares initiative. Here are their stories.
“My mum was in a Surbiton care home. When I visited, I never knew quite what to expect. She would always recognise me but very rarely as her daughter. Sometimes she would remember me as ‘her friend’ and would chatter on endlessly about us going dancing at the Palais in Hammersmith the previous weekend, other times I was one of her sisters back in Newcastle and she would ‘remind’ me of the time she would wash my hair and make soap horns on my head… How we laughed! But it was a very confused mind and tales that I knew nothing about. My mum had Alzheimers.
My mum was lucky. She went to Milverton Nursing Home. Visiting her became enjoyable. The staff were amazing keeping her clean, entertaining her and more over giving her ‘time’ and care. Joining in with her nonsensical tales, ‘Reminiscing’ and calming her when she was frightened.
My mum was also lucky in that she had myself, other family and friends who visited her.
Some care home residents have no visitors at all
The reality is that there are many residents in our care homes who never have visits. The staff fill that gap to a greater degree, but I want to ensure that every staff member and every resident in our care homes receive a gift this year from the Kingston community. I don’t want to sit back and think “that’s so sad” but do nothing about it, so I’m not. I’m making a difference… I hope you will too.” Sam
Top right: Sophie and Poppy outside a care home
Bottom: Sara from RBKares and care home staff
This is also very personal to some of the volunteers
“I have very personal reasons why I wanted to be part of this group and be able to say a massive thank you to all our Care Home staff.
My father moved into Arbrook House Care Home just before the first lockdown as things had got too much for him in his apartment. I was so lucky to get him settled in before I was unable to visit. The staff were so amazingly kind and loving to him. They looked after him, reassured him, comforted and entertained him when I could not. They set up FaceTime sessions so that I could stay in some sort of contact. They notified me whenever Dad was poorly or had a fall explaining to me how they were nursing him. I got to know some of the staff very well and cannot praise them enough or thank them enough for the love and care they showed my Dad.
The staff are like one big family to their residents. They always put their residents first, even moving into the care home to protect them. As things deteriorated with my father I was allowed to visit under a strict PPE/Covid regime. They were so caring and understanding and sympathetic in their ‘end of life’ care too. They phoned me to explain how things were and what to expect. On my final visit with my Dad, they were talking to him, holding his hand and reassuring him until I got to sit with him in his last few moments.
We must thank this selfless group of special people who everyday really do go above and beyond in their care for our loved ones.” Sara
“In April, as part of the then fledgling S4K group, we called care homes to offer our help. The emotions of that week shall stay with me always. The overwhelmed staff were so thankful that their community had not forgotten them. That same emotion resurfaced when we reached out to them, a few weeks ago. These people have selflessly cared for the most vulnerable members of our community, and continue to do so, their only thoughts being the safety of their residents. Time after time, I bear witness to families talking of their eternal debt of gratitude to these individuals, who have become family to residents in the worst of circumstances, and continued to smile, through the tears.
It is not just these real life superheroes, that we must remember this Christmas. There are many residents, who never receive a call, or a visitor and will have nothing this Christmas. I could not sit around my Christmas tree, opening gifts, knowing that I could have brought light into someone’s life. It is for these reasons that I implore everyone reading this message, to give the cost of a meal deal lunch, to this cause.” Amanda
For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/RBKares
And follow RBKares at
https://www.instagram.com/rbkares/
You may also like to read https://darlingmagazine.co.uk/diary-entries/constella-christmas-gala-for-carehomes/
