A retired midwife living in a Weymouth care home visited a hospital’s maternity unit as part of a special wish to honour her 40-year career.
Lin, who lives in Buxton House, on Radipole Lane, spoke to the care home team about her dedicated career in midwifery while living in Wolverhampton before moving to Dorset. Over the space of four decades, Lin worked her way up to become Head of Midwifery at the local hospital before retirement.
In response, the team at the care home, which is run by not-for-profit charity Care South, arranged for her to meet the team in Dorset County Hospital’s maternity unit. The visit was arranged to mark the International Day of Midwifery, which encourages others to consider a career in the profession.
While at the hospital, Lin enjoyed a tour of the facilities led by Jo Hartley, Director of Midwifery and Neonatal Services, and Lindsey Burningham, Deputy Director of Midwifery and Neonatal Services.
Speaking about her career in midwifery, Lin said: “I have good memories of being a midwife as I enjoyed the feeling of helping people. It felt different to anything I’d done before. The first baby I ever helped to deliver was a little boy born at home, and I remember standing in the garden to have a photo with his family. It was very nice to see the maternity unit at Dorset County Hospital. It was so clean and tidy, and the staff were so friendly and welcoming. They all do a fantastic, incredible, worthwhile job.”
Jo Hartley said: “It was an absolute pleasure to welcome Lin to our maternity unit, where she shared some of her memories from her incredible career. It was wonderful for our team to share the maternity unit with someone who has given so much to the profession. We are delighted we could help to create such a special experience for her.”
The special visit was arranged as part of Care South’s ‘Make a Wish’ initiative. It encourages residents to share hobbies and passions they once enjoyed but are now unable to pursue without the home’s support. The care home team then works to bring the special wish to life.
Lauren Taylor, Home Manager at Buxton House care home, said: “Hearing Lin speak so fondly about her time as a midwife inspired us to make this wish a reality, and we are so grateful to the Dorset County Hospital team for giving her such a warm welcome. At Care South, we are passionate about helping residents reconnect with the hobbies, interests and memories that mean the most to them. Seeing how much the visit meant to Lin was incredibly special for everyone involved.”
Buxton House provides residential, respite, and dementia care. It features a dedicated activities team that organises a daily programme of events to bring residents together to socialise and build friendships.
Care South is a leading provider of high-quality residential and care at home services across the south of England. The not-for-profit charity has care homes in Dorset, north Devon and Somerset, and care at offices covering Dorset and Somerset.
For more information about the care services available, go to care-south.co.uk or call Care South on 01202 712410.
