Time to heal
Date of news/blog: 1st April 2026Jenn Jackson came to Brockington House for respite care at a point when she needed support, reassurance and time to heal.
Having lived an independent and active life, accepting help did not come lightly but for Jenn, respite care became an unexpectedly positive and empowering experience.
Jenn came to Brockington House following surgery on both knees. Living alone, with no close family nearby, she knew she needed proper support to recover safely.
“I hadn’t got anyone reliable, or I wanted to bother for two weeks with helping me,” she explains.
What was planned as a short stay gradually extended as she realised how demanding the recovery process really was.
Respite care gave Jenn something she couldn’t have achieved on her own, the time, space and encouragement to recover properly.
She speaks warmly about how staff supported her physically and emotionally, saying, “I’ve had such a wonderful, caring staff, whatever their role is here. It’s a wonderful safe place to be.”
For Jenn, one of the greatest benefits of respite care was the sense of dignity and respect. She noticed how everyone – residents and visitors alike – were treated with warmth.
A visiting friend remarked on the atmosphere, and Jenn recalls her saying: “I walked through those sliding doors, everyone looked at me in the eye, smiled at me and asked if I was okay. It’s like a hotel.”
Being at Brockington House also helped Jenn regain confidence in her recovery. With gentle encouragement, she was supported to keep moving, stay active and stick with her exercises.
She reflects that the recovery was “tougher than I thought” but having people around made all the difference.
“That really pushed me along,” she adds.
Social connection played an equally key role. Jenn took part in activities, enjoyed music sessions and spent time with other residents. She believes this is something respite care is often misunderstood for.
“A lot of people think you go into a care home and that’s it, but that is definitely not the case, certainly at Brockington House,” she says.
As her stay came to an end at Brockington, Jenn found herself unexpectedly emotional, saying: “I start getting upset, but it was a good kind of sadness.”