Thank you Norman

Norman Kaier and his team at Age Concern South Tyneside have been working round the clock to deliver the Handy Person service to elderly and vulnerable people

Armed forces veteran Norman Kaier plays a vital role at Age Concern South Tyneside, supervising a team of five staff while delivering the Handy Person service. Working alongside local GPs, nurses and occupational therapists, Norman and his Handy Person team ensure that elderly and vulnerable people get the adaptations they need at home.

“Since the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve been working with healthcare organisations more closely than ever,” says Norman. “Our focus is on supporting patients about to be discharged from hospital who may need mobility help at home. At the same time, we’ve overseen stringent safety measures, making sure that everyone involved in client visits is clear on how to keep themselves and their clients safe.”

From fitting banisters and grab rails to undertaking gardening work, there’s nothing Norman won’t do to help his clients at home, even during times of national emergency. During the pandemic, he has been working twelve-hour shifts, plus weekends, making sure that people can return home from a hospital stint as safely as possible.

Colleagues talk about what a pleasure Norman is to work with, and how missed he’ll be when he retires later this year. As for Norman himself, he sees it all in a day’s work, and is proud to be doing his bit to keep South Tyneside’s older residents safe, happy and well.

The Mayor of South Tyneside Councillor Norman Dick, said: “On behalf of the people of South Tyneside, The Mayoress and I would like to convey our gratitude to you for your hard work in supporting elderly and vulnerable people at home.

“I feel that South Tyneside has joined together, more than ever, as a community and as the Borough’s First Citizen, I would like to say a huge personal thank you for being part of our community and for helping us address this challenge in an extremely positive way. We are extremely #proud.”