Bergljot Nornes: Outreach Worker

Bergljot joined in 2018, originally as an Outreach Worker covering the Vale of Whitehorse but now covers West Oxfordshire including Witney, Carterton, Burford and Chipping Norton. She does carer assessments and support calls, takes part in events and helps with our admin. She also ran carer groups in Abingdon and Witney in the past.

Originally from Norway, she moved to England in 2014 and that’s when her career in care began. She worked for a private care provider agency as a carer “During this job I met many unpaid carers, and it gave me a good understanding of what their lives are like”. She also gained a good understanding of care agencies “Time is a challenge. You often have a time limit of half an hour before you have the next visit. You never know what will happen during a home visit. There could be a medical emergency at one client’s house but the next client will still be relying on you to arrive on time for their medication and personal care needs”.

Bergljot took the job at Carers Oxfordshire “to find solutions that help carers live their best lives.” She says “I enjoy helping them find ways they can enjoy life a bit more. If I can give them information about services that they aren’t aware of then it can make a big difference to their situation and assist them with their caring role”.

Bergljot has experience of working with people with dementia. “We had a lot of people with dementia where I used to work. It gave me a huge insight into their needs and how the condition can progress over time.” She empathises with unpaid carers and understands “It can be sad and frustrating when the person they love and care for doesn’t recognise them any longer”. Where appropriate, she suggests that unpaid carers try to spend some time in a natural environment: “I like to spend time outside with nature. You don’t have to go far, just go for a walk in the woods or even in your garden, just to get some fresh air. Taking some time out in nature has been shown to be good for your mental health.”

She works Monday to Thursday 9 am to 4.30 pm.