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Date : December 13, 2024

Caring Christmas Gifts: How Our Team Goes the Extra Mile

The holiday season is a time for giving, and at The Great Care Company, our care team takes pride in spreading joy through thoughtful and caring Christmas gifts. From hand-crafted hampers to personalised acts of kindness, our team’s efforts truly embody the spirit of Christmas. Here, we celebrate some wonderful ways our team has gone above and beyond to make the season special for our clients.

Hand-Crafted caring Christmas gift Hampers

This year, our Registered Manager, Anne, teamed up with Home Care Assistants Kerry, Fiona, and Michaela to create beautiful hand-crafted Christmas hampers. These hampers were filled with festive treats such as chocolates, Christmas puddings, and other seasonal delights.

Client exceptionally happy with her caring Christmas gifts hamper

“Giving a hamper to our clients shows thoughtfulness and effort. I really enjoyed working with my work colleagues putting the hampers together,” said Fiona. “The deliveries I have made with the hampers have been received with big smiles, big thanks and appreciation.”

The team gathered at Anne’s home and spent over two days assembling the hampers. They carefully selected and arranged the treats, ensuring every detail was perfect. The process required hours of collaboration, creativity, and dedication to make each hamper a meaningful gift. Their hard work not only brought smiles to their clients but also highlighted the strong sense of teamwork and community within our care family.

caring Christmas gifts Scarfs

Hand-made Christmas Scarves and Handwarmers

Home Care Assistant Jane showcased her creative talents by hand-making over 10 Christmas scarves and hand warmers for her clients as part of our Extra Mile Scheme. Each piece was designed with care, reflecting her commitment to providing personalised and thoughtful gifts.

“My reason for doing the knitting was because I thought it would give the clients something personal from the company,  as well as being practical to help keep warm this winter,” Jane shared.

Creating these scarves and hand warmers was no small task. Jane spent over 10 hours knitting and crafting each item, ensuring they were made to the highest quality. Her dedication is a testament to her passion for making her clients feel valued and loved, especially during the festive season.

Our Extra Mile Scheme:
Acts of Kindness That
Make a Difference

The Great Care Company’s Extra Mile Scheme is at the heart of everything we do. Through this initiative, our team goes beyond standard care, offering acts of kindness that brighten our clients’ lives. Over the previous years, we have:

Provided over
1200
hours of free care to clients
Delivered over
1150
of free social visits
Donated over
94
hours of free support to charities
These statistics are a testament to the dedication and compassion of our care team. Here are just a few examples of how they’ve gone the extra mile:
  • Hand-Drawn Portraits: A team member created a beautiful hand-drawn portrait as a gift for a client, capturing a treasured memory.
  • Shaping a Bonsai Tree: One carer used their unique skills to hand-shape a Bonsai tree for a client who loves gardening.
  • Special Outings: From surprise ice cream trips to lunches and teas, our team ensures clients feel included and cherished.
  • Baking Treats: Homemade mince pies and other goodies have been lovingly baked and shared with clients to add festive cheer.
  • Celebrating Milestones: We celebrate our clients’ special milestones by surprising them with flowers and personalised gifts, making their day unforgettable.
  • Surprise Welcome-Back Meals: After a client returned home from a two-week hospital stay, our team prepared a warm welcome-back meal, showing how much they were missed.
  • Taking Part in Charity Events: Our team participated in memory walks and other fundraising events for organisations such as the Alzheimer’s Society and Macmillan Cancer Support’s bake-offs, demonstrating our commitment to making a broader impact.

The Origins of Our Extra Mile Scheme

The Great Care Company has always been about more than just providing care—it’s about creating meaningful connections and bringing joy to our clients. From the very beginning, our team naturally embraced acts of kindness, finding joy in making personal and thoughtful gestures that brightened the lives of those we care for.

Whether it was a team member baking a client’s favourite treats, handcrafting personalised gifts, or going out of their way to celebrate special milestones, these extraordinary efforts reflected the passion and creativity of our carers. Such moments not only brought smiles to our clients but also reinforced the deep bonds we strive to build with each individual.

As these acts of kindness became increasingly common, we realised that they were more than just spontaneous gestures—they represented a core aspect of who we are as a care provider. This insight led to the creation of the Extra Mile Scheme, a structured way to celebrate, reward, and encourage our team’s exceptional efforts. The scheme was designed to ensure that these thoughtful actions, such as crafting caring Christmas gifts or going out of their way to make a client’s day, became an integral part of our service philosophy.

The Reality for Older Adults During Christmas

Christmas is a time for celebration, but for many elderly individuals, particularly in rural areas like Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, it can also be a time of loneliness and isolation. Recent reports highlight the growing challenges faced by this demographic:

Loneliness and Social Isolation: A significant portion of elderly individuals in Lincolnshire live alone, particularly in rural and coastal areas, where access to community support and transport can be limited. According to the Public Health Report for Lincolnshire (2023), social contact is a critical issue influencing the well-being of older adults.

Ageing Population Growth: Both Lincolnshire and Yorkshire have seen an increase in their ageing populations, with over 20% of the population in these regions being aged 65 or older. This demographic is the primary user of healthcare services, highlighting the need for increased social support and interventions, especially during the holidays.

Charitable Support and Community Initiatives: Despite these challenges, initiatives such as community memory walks and fundraising events are crucial. These efforts provide not only financial assistance to related charities but also foster social interaction for older individuals during a time when it is most needed.

Why Christmas is Special to Us

Christmas is more than just a festive season; it’s an opportunity to connect, share joy, and create lasting memories. At The Great Care Company, we understand the importance of making this time of year extra special for our clients. Whether it’s through caring Christmas gifts or simple acts of kindness, our team’s dedication shines through.

“Our goal is to bring joy and warmth to our clients,” said Anne. “The holiday season can be a difficult time for many, and we aim to make sure our clients feel cherished and appreciated.”

As we reflect on the past year, we’re incredibly proud of our team’s efforts and the difference they’ve made. From hand-crafted gifts to heartfelt gestures, their creativity and compassion embody the true spirit of Christmas.

Join Us in Spreading Joy

If you want to learn more about our services or the amazing work our teams do through the Extra Mile Scheme, please feel free to contact us.

Together, we can continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those we care for.

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