You Care, I Care
Thought provoking discussions around the care sector including insights and challenges of those involved be it families, carers or care providers
You Care, I Care
Caring with a Difference: Introducing Stella!
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My guest today is Stella, of Keko Personnel Limited, who has had a huge amount of experience in the care sector in many different ways.
Stella talks about how, while living in Korea and working in an office, she was introduced to the care industry by one of her friends. She started working part time in a care job and full time in the office. Stella had always had au pairs looking after her children, but she started having problems with them. In 2000 she decided to leave her office job and focus on care. Her reason being that the care work gave her time to look after her own children.
Initially Stella worked with adults with learning difficulties, but when her dad had vascular dementia, and then passed away, she decided she wanted to gain qualifications in care and went on leadership and management in health and social care courses. Then she set up her own care business – particularly working to help people with dementia, having seen the struggles her mum and family had gone through.
Stella shares the difficulties she had with officialdom when setting up her business, and how hard it is to find clients.
One of the types of care we talk about is sitting care, something that Stella’s company offers.
Sitting care is a very undervalued and unknown service. People need companionship so when a family carer wants to go out and have time to themselves, a sitting carer can come in and keep the family member company. There are so many opportunities where this type of care can be used – which Stella explains.
Her company logo is ‘caring with a difference’. She wants people to receive the same care they would if you were looking after family members. Also, it’s all about dignity, and encouraging people to make their own decisions rather than telling them what to do.
To contact Stella:
Email: Stella@Keko-Personnel-ltd.co.uk
Phone: 01784698300
Hello, my name is Janet Shreve, and I am the director of Shreve Care Services, and this is my podcast, You Care, I Care, talking to different people who have different views and experiences of the care sector. And today I'm delighted to be talking to Stella of Kiko Personnel who has had significant experience of the care sector in all sorts of different ways. Is that correct, Stella? Yes, yes, yes, yes. Brilliant. How did you start working in care? What started?
SPEAKER_01I used to work as say I was in Korea and I had au pairs coming from all around Europe, taking care of my children. And then suddenly one of my friends actually introduced me to care in 1998. And so I was doing part-time in the care and full-time in the office. And then the opairs that I was getting were really proving to be problems for me instead of caring for my children. So I decided, okay, that's it. So in 2000, I decided to leave my office job to focus on care because care allowed me time to take care of my children, take them to school, and go out to work. And then along the line, anyhow, I started working there and then went into also working with adults with learning disabilities. And then, of course, my dad also had uh vascular dementia and he passed on from uh that in 9 in 2016. Right. And then thereafter I decided, okay, I'm going to do something. So this was probably what I'm going to do now. Obviously, by this time, my children are all grown up. So I went to do some uh the course, the leadership and management in health and social care. I already have a business, uh my first degree was in business management. And then so I did this, and of course, registered with CQC, decided to start my own care business. Also to help people who have dementia, because I saw what my mom went through during the time, during the period my father had this. And for us as well, as family, but because I was in care, I was able to manage this. My family couldn't. So I was like the doctor in the house. They were struggling, but because of my experience, I was able to tell them this is what to do, this is how we need to do it. And indeed, my my experience as a carer, previous carer, before running my own business helped me to support my family in doing this. And since then, I since I registered in 2023, I was registered by CQC to run now my own business. And what we do is domiciliary care, and we provide dementia care, personal care, companionship, sitting job, even supported living. Uh, we can do anything you want us to do that relates to care. We do that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. And have you found many challenges along the way since you set up your own business?
SPEAKER_01Oh my goodness, yes. It's quite difficult. And one of the things that in the beginning, I thought maybe going through the local authority was the easy way out. But I found out that the local authority would not, they said, well, in my area, that they would only uh, you know, accept those who have been uh sort of CQC rated, and of course, uh I'm still going through that process, and to get carers as well, and to get clients is very, very difficult. I have done so spent so much on advertising and flyers, and it it's quite it's quite difficult to actually get these clients to come around to it it is very difficult because people have got to trust you.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I've always felt that the problem with care is in in a way we're quite an old-fashioned business, aren't we?
SPEAKER_01Yes, yes, we are.
SPEAKER_00And however much we know about direct marketing, you know, social media, all of that sort of thing, it's quite hard to get people to notice you, if that makes sense. Yes, it does. And also, we're not a nation that likes to talk about care. And having just experienced that myself a little bit over the last couple of days, having done um a show, it's quite hard. People are almost slightly embarrassed when they come to you. Yeah. And have you found that when you're talking to clients?
SPEAKER_01Yes, I have in my area as well. I've actually gone around to speak to uh a few people, and some people actually come uh and said to me, No, we're okay, we don't need care. And you could see I I have a neighbor. My neighbor has uh she lost her daughter to cancer very recently, and I could see that she's struggling. So I would go every time I would go in to check on her. But somebody like that will need what you call this companion, yeah. Somebody who will sit there and talk to her. Her grass is in the front, is overgrown. I went in there, say, can I help? But you can see that maybe she she's struggling, but she doesn't want anyone to come in and do for her. She probably thinks I can manage, but sometimes we cannot manage. You need someone to come in just by sitting there talking to them, before you know it, you're coming back to your to yourself. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00It is really difficult because people are very proud. Yeah, they don't want to actually admit that they might need help or support in whatever way it might be. Yes. And therefore, it becomes doubly difficult to convince them. And and I was talking to somebody this weekend whose husband has had five different strokes. But when we were talking about his care, he just felt that he didn't deserve it, which is crazy because he absolutely does deserve it.
SPEAKER_01Of course, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So it's really getting that information out there to people, isn't it, about what you do.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and for me, uh recently and having met you, I think one of the best things that happened to me is meeting you on that day. That's very kind. Yes, it's one of the best things because I didn't know then that I needed to be on uh LinkedIn. I remember you telling me you must be on LinkedIn, and I quickly, you know, did that. So social media was one of the things that I didn't think that that was another angle that I could uh you know advertise the business. I did it, yes, I give paid people money to do this, and of course, to go out and do myself by using the flyers and talking to people around, but social media media does, I think it's another angle that helps in this. Yes.
SPEAKER_00And I think it's always easy for somebody else to talk about what you do than sometimes it is for yourself to talk about it. But I know when we were talking about where we want to go, because obviously I'm hoping that we can do two or three different podcasts over the course of the next few months. But above all, at the moment, we're we're really looking at sitting services, aren't we? Yes, we're looking at sitting services. Because it's often an undervalued, underused, and very sort of unknown, I guess, part of what we do.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's true. We're looking at even you know, as we're talking, this is one of the services that I offer. But I didn't think it was something that we needed to put out there because people, everyone, not everyone, some people need this companionship sitting service. Sometimes you want to go out, but you can't go out because your family member is in a certain way, and you feel that, oh no, I have to care. But no, you need that break for your own mental health. So you go out, you the sitting job is there to help such people who need to go somewhere, go to a party, even go to, you know, go out for a drink with a friend. You take a break from that care because care is tedious. Care is very, very tedious, it's not an easy job to do. No, it isn't.
SPEAKER_00And and I think one of the things that when we were talking the other week about it, is that, for example, you could provide a sitting service where someone might not even have a particularly high need of care. However, they may need care that will allow maybe a son or a daughter to go out to work. Yeah, it could be on a full-time, could be on a part-time basis. So you could you might find yourself, oh, if I could only have a sitting service so that mum or dad or whoever it is would be okay for sort of maybe five hours when I go and do some work.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Or whatever it might be. We don't think about that service, do we?
SPEAKER_01No, we didn't. Uh, obviously, uh having uh spoken to you, and then I began to think, I realized even going to the shop to do shopping, yeah, if you wanted to do a day out with your friends, you don't want that family member who is going through one thing or another to stop you from living your life, like I said, to do with mental health. But but when I'm now realizing actually that this is another area that we need to really look at because we might be going for shopping, we might be going having a night out, we might even go for a day. So a spa day, you want to go for a spa day, you need we are there. The sitting job, the the companionship is where the carers come in. Yes, you know, if you have us three hours, four hours, not necessarily if you don't if you don't want to do the whole day, but take a break from that. And that's that's that's the importance, that's the good thing about the sitting job. It gives you a break.
SPEAKER_00It does, and it's good for your mental health as well.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's good for a mental health.
SPEAKER_00But I think also the other area that we were looking at, and you know, it's like for example, if people uh need to take a an elderly relative to a wedding or a family event of something sometimes. I mean, we've had this before in the past where you just want somebody who can go as a companion to make sure that they're able to attend the event, which is often very important, but ultimately it's someone there to support them.
SPEAKER_01Yes, even with other if even if they decide to go with your family member, you that family member will not be worried because the carer is there taking care of this person, so you can go to this wedding, this party, and have fun with your family member who you don't want to miss out. So everyone is enjoying themselves because the carer is there to do their job, to look after this person for you, or to care for this person for you while you're there, having your fun as if as if everything was okay. It's inclusive, it's not a good idea. It's inclusive, yes, it is very inclusive. What I think is so good.
SPEAKER_00But for me, it's all about looking at the many different ways that you can provide the service that you do. Yeah. And I mean, going back to what we started to say about obviously we've talked a little bit about the sitting service. Have you found it hard getting carers that will put will do that service for argument's sake? Have you found it difficult to recruit or um well, a bit.
SPEAKER_01It's it's been difficult to recruit because uh, you know, we have people on sponsors uh ship licensed, and some of these people have come in with different motives, I would say. You know, so they've come in, they're expecting something else. And the law in the land has made it easier for them, or they're thinking they've come in to work, but there are so many other opportunities, and some of them they've come in instead of them, they want to go somewhere else, and it makes it very difficult for you that has brought them in to give them work to do because they've now decided and you're left stranded, and then we have to now go out, go back to start recruiting people, and it's also a bit difficult because these days most people don't drive, and in order to do our jobs properly, for example, taking our client to do shopping, we need someone who can drive, unless the client is willing to pay for the Uber after shopping to bring them down. We know also sometimes that there are some of our clients, like the young clients, who would we encourage to go on the bus to get used to using the bus, then that's okay. But there are the elderlies who need the Uber after doing because they want to be, as you said, inclusive. They want to go out and do the shopping themselves. They want to go into the shop and point to what they want to buy themselves, not just you running to the shop and getting the shopping for them. They want to be a part of it.
SPEAKER_00And they might want to go and have a coffee afterwards, yeah, afterwards. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01So it's been it's a little difficult, but I I can say we're okay.
SPEAKER_00I think we'll get there. And and it's, I mean, with with recruitment with care, it's always and always has been, and I don't suspect that will ever change. It's always an ongoing process, isn't it? Yes, it really is.
SPEAKER_01When we say on the uh on the company logo, under it, it says caring with a difference. It's that caring with a difference, doesn't it's not just a saying for us, it means the care you give. It's like you're providing care for your own family, your mom, your dad, your auntie, your uncle, your brother, your sister. Yeah, and when you think of family, you want to do the best for family. So um, these people have now become a Keko Personnel family member. They are because they are with us, just like you, the staff, are a family of Keko, they have become family. So we provide the care as if we're doing this for ourselves. Meaning when you are providing care, whatever they didn't you have to make sure the dignity is promoted, you ask them things and encourage them to make their own decision. Don't just go and you know, you wouldn't force your own auntie to do stuff. You you let your auntie tell you what they want to do. So you must bear that in mind that when you meet this person, they have the right to do and say whatever they want. This is where person centered come in. It's all about them, it's not about you just going, okay, let's wash your auntie, let's wash your uncle. No, no, you're come now. You need to ask them what do you want me to do for you? What do what are we doing? Yeah, so don't impose, rather, let them say what they want you to do for them. I completely agree.
SPEAKER_00So that's very important. If people want to get hold of you, how can they get hold of you, Stella? What do we need to do? Um you have your email.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, my email is Stella at it's a very long one. Stella at K Cohen Personnel. And K is K-E-K-O. K-E-K-O, so it's K-E-K-O-H-Personnel hyphen lt.co.uk. Gosh, that's long, isn't it? That's very long.
SPEAKER_00But it will be on the it will be on the podcast anyway. Yes, yes, and your telephone number?
SPEAKER_01I like to use the LAN Len, which is 01784-698300.
SPEAKER_00Brilliant.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Well, Stella, thank you so much for coming on the first of what will be several podcasts because we're going to go through different aspects of what you do, but we wanted to start with a sitting service. So if anybody would like to get hold of me to discuss um anything further, my name is Janet Shreve, my company is ShreveCare Services.co.uk, and my podcast is you care I care. And thank you, Stella, for your time.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_00Thank you.