An independent spirit who celebrated her 89th birthday with a motorbike ride is getting back into the fast lane thanks to local support.
Moira Gardner from Bothwell marked her milestone birthday by taking her very first ride on a motorbike while visiting family in Australia, describing the experience as “absolutely brilliant”.
Now approaching 91, Moira remains determined to make the most of every day.
That zest for life is helping her recover at home in Bothwell with support from the Hamilton and Clydesdale Home Assessment Team (HAT).
Moira began receiving support after a serious fall last August, followed by another in December that complicated her recovery.
As a proudly independent woman, Moira has admitted that accepting support required some adjustment.
Moira said: “It’s been frustrating because I’m not used to relying on other people.
“But the team encourage me to do what I can without pushing me too much.
“I’m slowly regaining my confidence and getting out and about again.
“The team looking after me has been great, and I’ve told them that many times.”
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The HAT enables timely hospital discharge and supports individuals to regain independence at home, reducing delayed discharges and easing pressure on unscheduled care services.
A recently published Audit Scotland report on delayed discharges has emphasises how important it is to shift the balance of care towards support at home and in local communities.
Councillor Margaret Walker, chair of the South Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board, said: “Across South Lanarkshire, thousands of people rely on social care every day.
“As an Integration Joint Board, we are both acutely aware of the pressures facing health and social care services and see the extraordinary commitment of our staff and partners in supporting people at key moments in their lives.
“Stories like Moira’s show the very human impact of timely, well-planned and compassionate support.”
Professor Soumen Sengupta, chief officer for health and social care in South Lanarkshire, recently met Moira to hear her story.
He said: “It was a privilege to meet Moira and hear about her resilience and determination to remain independent.
“Her experience clearly demonstrates the vital role our home assessment teams play in supporting people to recover, regain confidence and continue living at home.
“In South Lanarkshire, we have continued to deliver sustained progress in reducing delays and indeed started the year with our delayed discharge rate at almost 30% below the national target. But behind those statistics are real people, and we recognise that every delay is significant for the individuals concerned.
“My thanks to Moira for sharing her experiences, our staff for their unwavering dedication and our wider community for their ongoing support, particularly during what has been a very busy winter period.”
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The Care Inspectorate recently graded the Hamilton and Clydesdale Home Assessment Team as ‘very good’ in all inspected areas, praising its person-centred approach, partnership working and staff compassion.
Scott McNeill, service manager for the HSCP’s Care at Home Services, said: “We are delighted with the inspection results.
“The report recognises the dedication and professionalism of our staff and the positive difference they make at a crucial point in people’s recovery.”
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