Personal experience of the challenges families face when arranging care for loved ones has prompted a Staffordshire woman and her husband to launch a new home care service.
Hemani Gill has drawn on more than a decade of experience of her father relying on care and support at home to launch Visiting Angels alongside her husband Harj.
Both bring more than a decade of experience from the Witness Service, where they supported victims and witnesses navigating the court system.
Hermani said: “Without carers, day-to-day life for my parents simply wouldn’t have worked.
“We had some wonderful carers who became like part of our family, and I’ll always be incredibly grateful for the dignity, kindness and compassion they gave my dad.
“But there were also frustrations. Carers would change, sometimes people didn’t know his routine or what mattered to him, and on occasions visits felt rushed. It made me realise just how important continuity, reliability and having enough time really are when you’re caring for someone.
“That experience stayed with me, and when the opportunity came to do something about it, I knew I wanted to.”
Visiting Angels operates across Cannock, Lichfield and Tamworth and boasts a ‘carer-centric’ approach.
By offering financial rewards, ongoing training and opportunities for career development, Harj and Hemani are committed to addressing industry challenges that frequently leave caregivers feeling undervalued and underappreciated.
Harj said: “Throughout our careers, we’ve always focused on people who are vulnerable and in need of reassurance and support.
“When we decided to launch Visiting Angels, it was really important to us that care workers were at the heart of the business.
“We wanted to create an environment where carers feel valued, respected and properly supported, because we believe that has a direct impact on the quality of care families receive.”
Registered manager Tiegan Norris will oversee the day-to-day delivery of care and support the team in maintaining standards.
She added: “We want every person we support to feel that they are genuinely known and listened to.
“Care should never feel like a series of tasks. It’s about building relationships, understanding what matters to someone and supporting them to live the life they want to live
The business has also begun developing links with local organisations supporting older people, those living with dementia and their families.
