Case Study:
Pat
Introduction to Pat
In the middle of a fundraising event we received a call from one of the soup kitchens asking for advice as they had a homeless elderly lady that had nowhere to go and only the clothes she was in.
Like any call we receive, we do ask for some vital information and so, it was during this time that we found out the homeless lady whose name was Pat and was 69 years old, and I remember the first thought that went through my head: it wasn’t a case of how are we going to help this lady, it was more a case of “ok lets get her to the shelter!”.
I prepared the shift manager at the shelter, and the team were ready to greet her.
Into the Shelter
We went to the shelter after the fundraising event and the volunteers had settled Pat in and she was enjoying a warm drink! Little did we know, at this point, that Pat would become one of our longest shelter guests and although 69 she was one of the funniest characters, the other guests used to call her the Nan of the house! She kept everyone in their place and there was never a dull moment!
As Pats story unfolded we found out that she had been in a tent for a long while! We found out about her life and her family. Pat was with us at the shelter over Christmas, and it was during this time we found out that she liked a dance – the twist being one of her mastered moves! It really was a rewarding moment to see her relax, the sound of laughter lasted all night. Everyone that met Pat would definitely never forget her.
Success
We worked hard with Pat to find out where she wanted to get to and worked with other local agencies to make this happen. We went with Pat to when she signed the paperwork for her own flat and the day she picked up the keys!
To see her now in her own place, a place that she could call home, was very rewarding.
Another special moment was when we took Pat shopping and kitted out
the flat: it was lovely to see Pat choose her colour scheme and items she needed.
Normally at the shelter we would make the guests tea and coffee but this time we were the guests in Pats home. It’s a very proud moment when they invite you round for a cuppa!
