Carol on our Award-Winning Home Help Services Byw Adref

Interview with Carol Williams: Byw Adref Team Leader, Age Cymru Dyfed

Byw Adref is Age Cymru Dyfed’s award-winning home support service based in Ceredigion, covering Ceredigion, North Pembrokeshire and North Carmarthenshire. Carol, project leader, explains the services we provide and how they help people live independently for longer in their homes, filling the gap for carers with conflicting demands and flexible to the needs of the client.

So tell us about the Byw Adref service and how it came about…

The service is mostly Ceredigion but also towns over the border in North Carmarthenshire and the North of Pembrokeshire. We won an award around 8 years ago for our service at a Wales level.  At present we’ve 177 active clients on the books.

The service is a chargeable service as we employ home support workers to carry out the vital service.  We have 29 home support workers working for us currently. They choose what days and times they would like to work each week. The service is 2 hours minimum per client a week or 1.5 hours for a small home.

I visit each client before the work begins and do an assessment of work needed, and carry out a risk assessment in the home. We offer tailored services to suit each individual which could be a combination of cleaning, bed changing, laundry cleaning, light shopping from a local shop, cleaning ovens and windows, sitting with the client, whatever they need really.

How do people find out about the service usually?

People find out about us mainly through referrals, from our Information and Advice services and following benefit checks for pension credit. Other referrals are family members, doctors, occupational therapists and housing support workers such as Barcud in Ceredigion. Sometimes word of mouth or via our website.

Some of the clients might be hoarders or have mental health problems and need help decluttering their homes. Sometimes it’s family members needing additional help with caring roles to ease the pressures, often with busy lives juggling family commitments and jobs. Sometimes it is a self-referral. We get at least one referral a week. 

How did the service come about?

We support the gap for carers often family members. The service came about when social services stopped including home help within their care package. Within our service we have created lots of efficiencies with digital rotas which saves money on admin time.

We are always looking to recruit home support workers in our team here at Byw Adref. Our Cardigan office is closing on the 31^st July, and the Byw Adref team is moving to the Aberystwyth office. Telephone numbers will stay the same - 01239 615556 but the postal address will change to our 27 Pier Street, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 2LN.

How can people get in touch to work for Byw Adref or find out more?

People can get in touch with me if they are interested in learning more about working with our Byw Adref team. You can email me on: carol.williams@agecymrudyfed.org.uk.