We’re delighted to welcome Gillian Trott and the Good Life Sorted team to the My Future Care community.
Based in Sussex, Gillian works as a Community Ambassador and Helper, supporting people to live independently with practical, person-centred help at home.
We spoke to Gillian to find out more.
What kind of support do you provide, and who do you provide it to?
We provide a pre-care ‘home help’ service, usually for older people, but also for some younger people who are living with additional challenges. This can include people with visual impairments, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or ME, as well as those with mobility issues or other physical needs.
Our support is designed to be flexible and responsive, depending on what each person needs. That might include light cleaning, cooking, dog walking, running errands, accompanying people on trips out, helping with technology, or supporting with day-to-day admin.
At its heart, the service is about making everyday life that bit easier, while helping people maintain their independence and continue living in a way that feels comfortable and familiar to them.
What kind of challenges do the people you work with face when it comes to making plans for later life and beyond?
For many people, one of the biggest challenges is simply not having the time or space to think these things through. Family members may live far away or have busy lives of their own, making it harder to have open conversations about the future.
Some people also experience social isolation, which can mean they don’t have anyone to talk things through with on a regular basis. This can make planning feel more daunting or something to put off.
In this context, having someone who can act as a sounding board, someone who will listen with empathy and without judgment, can make a real difference. Even informal conversations can help people begin to reflect on what matters to them and what they might want for the future.
How do you hope the My Future Care Handbooks and support will help you meet people’s needs better?
My experience of using the Handbook has been mainly positive. It’s a helpful resource, and I can see how it supports people to think through important aspects of later life planning in a structured and accessible way.
Most customers like to go through the Handbook in their own time, at their own pace. That independence is important, and it reflects how personal these decisions are.
The Handbook gives people a clear starting point and helps them organise their thoughts, which can then open up conversations when they feel ready. It also means that, when support is needed, those conversations can be more focused and meaningful.
Thank you to Gillian for sharing how you’re using the Handbook to support person-centred, proactive planning.
Feeling motivated by Gillian’s insights? Could you incorporate future care planning support into your group or service?
Take advantage of our free training and ongoing support programme. Our online training will equip your team to help the people you work with make an action plan and see it through, using the My Future Care Handbook as a source of information and structure for the conversation. Handbooks are available free in certain areas (thanks to area-specific funding), otherwise bulk prices are available.
