Our Admiral Nurse was there when nobody else was – Shara’s story

My Mum, Anna, was the strongest person I’ve ever known. She raised three daughters on her own, juggling multiple jobs, often across day and night shifts. Although this meant she couldn’t spend as much time with us as she would have liked through my teen years, she taught us how to be strong, independent and hard-working women. Mum was at her happiest when she was cooking and feeding people. She adored having friends and family over and seeing them enjoy her food. She really was the most incredible cook. But, when she entered her mid 70s, I started to notice changes in Mum’s behaviour. Documents and paperwork were stacking up, with bills left unpaid. She had become forgetful, often leaving her food burning on the hob. And she began to withdraw socially, not wanting visitors to come around. This was completely out of character for her.