‘Home together’ for longer independent living

“We pass two hours talking easily. I can tell my story to someone, and it’s so much better when you’re alone,” says 90-year-old Harry Verhees, who lives in Theresia’s senior home at the Residential Care Center (wzc). explains what Together’ means. “My only daughter has been on holiday to New Zealand for six weeks. She lives in Vught and comes to see me often. Now I can’t, I have no one to fall back on. That’s why I’ve hired a half-hour from Samen Tuis for two hours three times a week. “I’m very happy. We have a team app, Carola, my daughter and I,” she says.

By Ada Imming

Samen Thuis van Vughterstede can be used by all elderly people living in Vught, Cromvoirt and Helvoirt who need additional support at home. Home Together is a solution for releasing family members or others involved. Samen Thuis also comes from outside the municipality of Wucht, such as Tilburg, Den Bosch, Boxtel and Oosterwijk.
Since 2017, Harry Verhees lives in his apartment with a beautiful view of the park. His wife received care at WZC Theresia and in this way he was close to her. “We were able to enjoy each other for two more years,” says Verhees. He likes to talk about his working life at his father’s company Clichéen Stempelfabriek Verhees in Den Bosch, which was in operation from 1881 to 1992. Harry Verhees has put together a good book on this, which he proudly displays, and asks what a cliché is. Cliché is a form of printing used to print illustrations on stamps, woodcuts, linocuts, etc.
Verhees likes to take advantage of activities such as musical afternoons and men-only ‘gentlemen’s drinks’ at Theresia. “We have to pay for the drinks ourselves, but the snacks are on the house,” laughs Verhees.

Pleasure
Carola Kuyspers says: “We see all kinds of things in people, everything they want. “Like Harry Verhees, we talk a lot, but also play games, go shopping, go for walks. If the children live far away, we do some light administrative work, we go to the doctor, the hospital, and help people with their personal care. People can specify their preferences themselves. I do this job three times a week, but fill in for others when needed. It is important that the same employee comes to one as often as possible, because there is a bond. You have to do this job with your heart in the right place,” says Kuijpers. She clearly enjoys her job.

Stay home longer
Elderly people should be encouraged to exercise and eat and drink more often, especially if they have early dementia. Employees often come at mealtimes because it has been proven that ‘food eats when you see it’.
“There are many providers in the region that offer such services. The difference between them and us is that they work mostly with freelancers and Wutterstead has eight permanent employees,” says co-ordinator Christel Abrahams.
If you live on your own and have less day-to-day stuff, you can opt for Saman Thuis. Whether you feel alone or want to take the burden off your loved ones. Services are designed to help you live longer at home. Practical matters in and around the home, transportation, personal attention and care. Abrahams: “Coordinator arranges personal introductory meeting. This includes looking at how the needs can be met. Staff are carefully screened, reliable, flexible and have the necessary experience and/or training. These are paid services that can be paid for privately but also from the PGB budget.