A WREXHAM woman has heaped praise on the care home staff helping take care of her dad – and many others – during unprecedented times.

Clare Hughes approached the Leader to sing praises for the staff working at the Pen-Y-Bryn Unit of Pendine Care Home.

Clare's father Tecwyn Hughes – of Caia Park – was involved in cycling accident several years ago and been cared for at the home in Summerhill since then.

She said: “I wanted to give a big thank you to care home staff as I don’t think they get anywhere near enough credit at the moment for what they do. With everything that is going on at the minute and the jobs they have to do I don’t think they get enough recognition.

“I want to give a massive thanks to everyone who is taking care of dad and being there for him when we cannot visit – obviously for everyone’s safety. We haven’t been able to come and see him physically for nearly nine weeks now and the home have done so much to make the best of this situation so both residents and their family members can cope through the lockdown.”

Clare says that she would usually see her dad as often as possible and that the lockdown restrictions have been hard for everyone as “family means everything” to Tecwyn – who has a loving wife Linda, three children and four grandchildren.

Clare is self isolating due to her cystic fibrosis and says she relies on these updates to provide a little bit of normality in these unprecedented times we are living through and that they help in brightening her day.

She told the Leader how the home has set up Skype systems for family to communicate with those living in the home and keep family updated throughout the day.

She said: “I just want them all to know how thankful we are for them. Tracey Cuthill is the registered homes manager of the unit and she has been excellent at keeping in touch with updates on how dad has been doing and it has been unbelievable to see how she goes above and beyond for us – as well as being responsible for looking after everyone else that stays at the home.

“Over the last three years of dad living there she, and the staff that help him daily, have become like an extended family to us all. They don’t just see these people as residents, they see them as family and that is really clear to see in how well they care for people there.

"We've done our best to show our appreciation in any way we can. We sent them crates of pop, bags of sweets and some face masks that we were able to get as well as cleaning products. It never feels like enough in return for what they do but I'm happy even it gives them even just a little morale boost that day and keep their spirits going.”

Clare says she and her family can go home not having to worry about dad as she knows the staff take care of him “like one of their own”.