J is a ninety-two-year-old woman living in her own home with Parkinson’s disease. She is widowed and, although she has four children, none live locally. As a result, J relies heavily on her care team to support her to live safely and independently at home. She is determined to remain there for as long as possible.
J’s Parkinson’s disease affects her mobility and increases her risk of falls. She takes medication four times a day to manage her symptoms and also lives with several complex health considerations, including a pacemaker, anticoagulant medication and severe allergies. While J has mental capacity, she found managing her medication overwhelming due to the volume and timing required and she welcomed support from carers to ensure this was done safely and correctly.
Care was introduced in September 2023 following a fall that resulted in a hip fracture. Since then, J’s needs have gradually increased as her condition progressed. She now receives multiple daily visits to support her with personal care, dressing, mobility, medication administration, nutrition and hydration, domestic tasks and companionship. Once a week, extended visits are planned to support her to access the community when her mobility allows.
One of J’s most important wishes was deeply personal. Her bathroom is upstairs, while she lives downstairs due to mobility limitations. For a long time, she spoke about how much she missed being able to have a bath or shower. Despite repeated occupational therapy assessments, it was not possible to safely support bathing at home. Equipment trials were unsuccessful and while a downstairs wet room was offered, J and her family decided this would be too disruptive and stressful.
Rather than accepting this as an unmet need, the care team continued to listen and explore alternatives. During discussions with J’s family, the idea of showering outside the home was raised. The care manager researched local facilities and discovered nearby leisure centres designated as community warm hubs. These offered safe, accessible shower facilities at no cost.
The care manager personally assessed local centres during J’s extended visits. After trial visits, a suitable leisure centre with an accessible shower was identified. A full risk assessment was completed and clear step-by-step guidance was added to J’s care plan to support this new routine safely.
In January 2026, J had her first shower since 2023. The experience was transformative. J described feeling cleaner than she had in years. She spoke about her hair feeling better and said she felt refreshed and positive. The opportunity also allowed carers to fully assess her skin, leading to early identification of soreness, prompt GP intervention, and improved skin health.
The impact went beyond physical hygiene. J’s mood lifted noticeably. She appeared brighter, more confident, and proud of achieving something that had mattered to her for a long time. The outing itself also provided valued social interaction and a sense of normality.
Feedback from J and her family has been extremely positive. Her daughter described the care as kind, respectful and deeply reassuring, and expressed confidence that her mother is being well looked after. J continues to feel supported, listened to and empowered to make choices about her care.
This case demonstrates Outstanding practice through persistence, creativity and unwavering focus on what matters to the individual. By thinking beyond conventional solutions and working in partnership with J and her family, the care team enabled dignity, well-being and improved quality of life despite complex and progressive needs.
CQC KLOEs demonstrated:
- Caring
- Responsive
- Safe
- Well-led
