Bonnybridge carer finalist in Amazing Employee award

Alex Bryson, 64, was a recent finalist in the Amazing Employee category in Mears Carers of the Year Awards.

A former financial services worker, he said: “I never expected to win any awards, but this job brings so much job satisfaction, I really enjoy it.”

The people Alex cares for in his job as a care worker, live independently in their own homes across Central Scotland.

He said: “One of the people I supported had a tough time dropping out of society and facing serious social challenges but he cites that his life has been turned around thanks to the support we in the team at Mears have given him to get back on his feet again and re establish himself as part of his community.”

Care is delivered as packages of support bringing confidence to those who have been through tough times or face serious health issues or mental health issues.

Alex added: “Something that may seem trivial to you and I may be a very big deal for someone who has less confidence due to health issues or having faced some serious life challenges.

“Our approach to care is treat these people as we would like to be treated ourselves…if we arrive and someone is upset, we will try to find out what’s been wrong and help them address and work through the issues with care and compassion. We provide companionship and social activities, working with these people to do what they want to do - planning a few days ahead so that we can have something to look forward to.”

He said it could be a trip to the shops, the pub, a restaurant or some social activities like visiting a football ground, or watching other sports.

“My job is to be the catalyst – we might go for a long walk or be there to help with household matters if someone doesn’t have the confidence to manage everything by themselves. We aim to bring these people back into the normal environment they might not have been in for a while for a variety of reasons,” he added.

“We establish or re-establish them back in their communities - giving them support and guidance. Recently I accompanied one gentleman on a climb up the Wallace Monument near Stirling -it was a challenging exercise for both of us! A lot of steps. But what brought me joy in the job was hearing him say at the end of that day, ‘that was fantastic’. It was something he may not have tackled on his own, but with the right support it was a great day out for both of us.”

Alex has worked with Mears Supported Living Scotland whose head office is in Alva, for the last three years. He previously worked in the financial services sector, but with the financial crash of 2009, left that career behind for something new. He never envisaged working in the care sector and says he ‘stumbled’ into it. “My step-daughter was working here and I had heard her talk about working in the care sector a lot and it did appeal to me.”