“My mother-in-law Kamal is a wonderful person with a strong connection to her family in India,” says Sharon. “Over the course of her life she has accomplished many different things, including a position as senior biology teacher and head of her science department.”
Several years ago, after Kamal retired, she underwent knee replacement surgery. The operation was a success, but Kamal developed serious delirium post surgery, which didn’t resolve. Following a further two weeks in hospital, tests and scans confirmed Kamal had early onset dementia.
“After the lockdowns we saw a decline in both Kamal and Suresh’s health, so we started to explore alternative living options for them,” says Sharon. “While the expectation within our culture is for parents to live with their children – and this was something we fully explored – the difficulty for us was how to ensure Suresh and Kamal enjoyed their senior years while also receiving the care and support structures they needed.”
After visiting several options in the area, Sharon’s father-in-law Suresh was impressed by the quality of Bupa’s independent living apartments. With a care home offering dementia care and hospital care on site, Bupa was a natural choice. “The journey was new for us, which meant there were many things we needed to work through,” says Sharon. “Bupa really helped support us through that process.”
Suresh and Kamal lived in the apartment for twelve months, but as Kamal’s condition declined it became apparent to Sharon and her family that it was time to move her to the care home. “It was an easy transition because Kamal was already familiar with the caregivers, so it wasn’t a shock to her,” says Sharon. “There is an excellent partnership between our family and the Bupa team, which gives us the peace of mind that all of Kamal’s basic needs and requirements are being met.”
“Suresh is 80 years old and is very independent, capable and caring. He visits Kamal every day, and also enjoys his role as a relief teacher at a school he has taught at for many years. He can focus on his time with her, as well as embrace the flexibility to do other things he loves.”
“The people at Bupa are wonderful, they have been very welcoming right from the start. We are extremely grateful to the team at the care home – the level of care, patience and dedication is inspirational. We’ve no regrets and it’s the best place for both Kamal and Suresh.”
