Being part of Mountbatten’s care-at-home team is a privilege for Deputy Care at Home Team Leader, Laura Farr. 

Mountbatten’s care-at-home team provides personal care to patients in their own homes, working under the guidance of our specialised nurses and healthcare professionals (the community team). The heart of the team’s work lies in the connections they build with patients and their families.

“Our job is so much more than the physical care,” Laura explains. “It’s about making people feel like themselves again, even if just for a moment. We’re not just carers; we become part of their extended family.” She adds, “I feel proud every time I put on the uniform. I’m proud to tell people where I work.”

---

This ethos is at the core of everything Laura and the team do, from providing compassionate end-of-life care to going above and beyond to fulfil patients’ last wishes. One story that stands out for Laura is that of Theresa, a straight-talking, vibrant lady who had a bucket list she was determined to complete.

On Theresa’s list was having a cream tea with a dear friend, Marissa, who lived on the other side of the Island and didn’t drive. Laura took it upon herself to make it happen. She reached out to a local bakery, Richmonds, which generously provided the tea free of charge and delivered it to Theresa’s home. Laura personally collected Theresa’s friend, ensuring the two could spend a joyful afternoon together. “When I told Theresa, she cried,” Laura recalls. “She said it made her feel normal, like she wasn’t dying.”

---

On another occasion, when Theresa was feeling particularly low, Laura and the team decided to lift her spirits. “We put on Robbie Williams’ “Rock DJ” at full blast, and soon Theresa was singing along, using a hairbrush as a microphone,” Laura says. “She went from crying to laughing and smiling in minutes.”

When Theresa was moved to the inpatient unit, Laura continued to show her care, visiting her regularly and bringing her sausage rolls from her favourite bakery. On one visit, shortly before she died, Theresa touched Laura’s face and said, “Thank you so much for what you did. I wish we’d met under different circumstances.”

---

Theresa’s death hit Laura hard, but she found comfort in knowing she had made a difference. “I don’t think you can do this job without getting emotional,” she says. “But you turn that sadness into a positive. Theresa wasn’t in pain, she was surrounded by family, and she had those special moments.”

Moments like these are what make Laura’s work so meaningful. “It’s not in the job description,” she says, “but it’s what we do. We treat people how we’d want our own family to be treated.”

Whether it’s organising cream tea in a patient’s home, turning their bad day around with a favourite song, or simply being there in someone’s final moments, each member of Mountbatten’s teams is committed to making every moment count. “I feel lucky to do what I do,” Laura says. And it’s clear the patients and families she supports feel lucky to have her, too.

Your generosity enables our teams to create special moments like these. Thank you. 

Click here to donate and support Laura and Mountbatten Isle of Wight’s dedicated teams caring for people across the Island.