Jean’s Story
Since 1982, we’ve been welcoming residents into our family-run residential care in Chadwell Heath, Romford. As a multi-award winning home with all the cosy touches you’d expect, we welcome residents for both temporary and long-term stays. Over the years, we have known so many wonderful people. But right now, we want to focus on a very special woman named Jean.
Jean was a very fit and active woman, swimming over 20 lengths per day at her local leisure centre. But, as we know, life doesn’t always go according to plan and accidents still happen and unfortunately, at the age of 72, Jean suffered an unexpected fall that changed her life.
Although she was rushed to the hospital to receive care, her condition began to deteriorate quickly. Doctors could not explain why she was not responding to treatment and she was quickly put on a life-support machine.
As you can imagine, it was a difficult time for both Jean and her family. There was so much uncertainty and fear. She remained on life-support for three weeks, and was eventually given the last rites. This led to further distress and sadness for all concerned.
Despite this dire situation, after three more weeks, Jean eventually began to come around but she was still extremely weak, so much so that her ability to take care of herself was greatly reduced. She could no longer walk or feed herself and could barely speak.
It was a very upsetting and overwhelming time. Both Jean and her family were unsure of what the future held for her. But one thing was certain – her life had changed. She was no longer able to continue living safely at home.
That’s when Jean decided to move to Rowallan House. In her new home away from home, things began to turn around. Her confidence in her speech gradually returned and soon she began communicating with other residents. With support and assistance from our dedicated care team, her health and mobility began to improve too. Over the course of two months, empathetic carers worked diligently with Jean to help her walk, feed herself and eventually regain her independence.
Jean’s family visited her regularly and it was a great comfort to them to see her become more confident with each passing day. In just two short months, she was healthy enough to say goodbye to Rowallan House and move back to her self-contained flat. She enjoyed her time there until she moved to the seaside at the age of 85.
To this day, Jean is still an extremely active person. You can often find her at the pubs on Saturday evenings where she is usually the last person standing on the dance floor!
Through focussed rehabilitation and a dedicated care team, it’s possible for people to recover and go on to live full, active and happy lives. We are so grateful to have been a part of Jean’s healing journey and to have provided her family with peace of mind during this challenging time.
Get in touch
If you or a loved one would like to join us at your home away from home here at Rowallan House, we invite you to contact us or call us on 0800 999 8499. We would be happy to provide more information or answer any of your questions or concerns.