Lesley, 84, has spent much of her life caring for others.
Born in a small village in Lincolnshire, Lesley started working at 14, when she got her first job as a cleaner. Her working life came to an end in her late 50s, however, in order to care for her husband, following his diagnoses of dementia and cancer. Caring wasn’t new to Lesley, having previously looked after her mother-in-law, too.
Lesley still misses her husband very much, who she cared for for 11 years before he died. She feels like he is around her every day: “I talk to him, and I feel like he’s here. And I know he’d be happy because I’ve got friends. I pray for him every night and ask God to look after him.”
Nowadays, Lesley is making sure that she looks after herself too. She enjoys a busy social life, regularly going out with friends in her local area.
“Me and my friend go to a pub, where they do entertainment and have free games of bingo. At the moment, I'm out nearly every day somewhere.”
But her life hasn’t always been like this – and it took a call with Age UK to turn things around.
Keeping mobile
A natural extrovert, Lesley enjoys being social – but she lives with mobility problems that mean she requires two sticks to walk. About three years ago, she woke up and found she was unable to move. She was assessed by medics and told she has osteoarthritis in her hip and spondylosis (a degenerative condition of the spine).
Lesley faced another challenge last year, when she suffered a fall at home. She moved into sheltered accommodation but, with just her pension to live on, she couldn’t afford to get out and about.
Lesley rang the Age UK Advice Line after a neighbour suggested that she might be eligible for benefits, with the adviser she spoke to helping her to apply for Attendance Allowance. When Age UK called her back to check she had received the money she was entitled to, Lesley told them that she had, and she was advised and supported to apply for Pension Credit too.
The extra money has made a big difference to Lesley’s life. It means that she can now afford to get taxis to see her friends at the local community centre whenever she likes, without having to rely on public transport timetables. She can also afford to visit her friends and family or pay her son some petrol money when he takes her out.
Lesley explains: “If I weren’t able to afford taxis, I would have lost my independence as I can’t walk far. They say I’m too independent, but I don’t like to think I’m a burden.”
Home comforts
Lesley’s Attendance Allowance and Pension Credit have also helped her to enjoy being at home more.
“Last year I'd only just moved, so it was my first winter here, and I didn't know how much electricity it would be, because we're all electric,” says Lesley. “I was frightened to put my heating on because you've got to have the heaters on high, 28-29 °C, before they get hot. So, I was wearing a thick cardigan and wrapping a blanket around myself. But now I know that that £300 will be in the bank and I know that my bill will be paid.”
Now, Lesley doesn’t have to worry about putting the heating on this winter. This is very important for her physical health, as she can get stiff if she does not stay warm enough. Plus, thanks to the community at the sheltered accommodation where she lives now and the support she’s received, Lesley can carry on living independently: “We haven't got a warden – it's not assisted,” she explains. “We look after ourselves; it's just sheltered, so we've got a communal sitting room where we can all get together. We meet up every afternoon and have a cup of tea and a piece of cake.”
“My kids say I’ve changed in myself, I’m so happy,” she continues. “I can’t imagine what life would have been like. It’s changed so much. It’s Age UK that really altered my life – I’ve no worries now.”
