The moment Tina Lindberg spotted her 90-year-old mum sitting outdoors in a sun hat, enjoying an ice lolly, chatting and smiling with new friends she realised Longlands Care Home had been the right choice.
“It has been a real struggle and a real dilemma but finally it feels like we had turned a corner,” said Tina.
Her parents, Phil and Georgina Ryan, had met as teenagers growing up in Middlesbrough, they married and raised five children. Phil worked at British Steel and Georgina was a lollipop lady and they both shared a love of travel and dancing.
“Bulgaria was probably their favourite country, they visited ten years in a row and before many people knew it as a holiday destination,” said Tina.
The couple spent 68 years of happy marriage together before Phil’s death shortly before the first lockdown.
“Family were classed as carers so could visit mum everyday in her flat,” said Tina. “It was only after lockdown earlier this year that I think we realised the deep impact of dad’s death on mum. The combination of loneliness and grief and how much her confidence had been dented.”
Georgina began ringing her children at all hours day and night, she stopped cooking and grew frail, leaving the family deeply worried. She agreed to spend two weeks at Longlands to provide some respite and within days of returning to her flat it was clear she could no longer cope on her own.
“We got back in touch with the manager at Longlands who was marvellous and said mum’s room was there waiting for her,” said Tina. “After another six weeks we said to mum she had to make a decision and she told us she wanted to stay at Longlands.”
Georgina still enjoys lots of time with the five generations of her family and meets up regularly with long time friends at Beechwood Club to reminisce and listen to the music of Glenn Miller and other dance bands. Now she’s also able to chat with staff and new friends she has made at Longlands.
“It’s so wonderful to see how she has thrived at Longlands, to have her back to her old self,” said Tina. “We know she’s taken part in the bingo and gardening and other activities, she’s made some friends and put on a bit of weight – she must like the food because last time we took her out for the day she asked if she’d be back for teatime.”
When the weather is nice residents are encouraged to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air of the garden at Longlands and it was there that Tina saw her mum enjoying the ice lolly – a fun way for residents to keep hydrated
“I think the big difference has been the fact mum has people to chat to during the day so isn’t lonely and she knows there is always someone on hand at night if she needs help,” said Tina. “
“She’s no longer filled with anxiety which is a great weight off her shoulders and off ours.
“Longlands was definitely the right choice.”
