Entrepreneur who lost both parents in first lockdown sets up new care company venture

Mr Waite, who had previously spent 30 years running estate agency businesses, decided to use his entrepreneurial skills to establish a business in the care sector.

A spokesman said: “Home Instead Bradford and West Leeds offers a variety of care options such as personal care, as well as companionship care.

"Care professionals and clients are matched according to similar interests, encouraging the two to develop a meaningful relationship and enjoy their time together.”

“Martin sadly lost both of his parents in the first COVID-19 lockdown. Due to lockdown restrictions, there was little he could do to help when his parents fell ill and both passed away very quickly.

"Martin feels that his parents would have benefitted hugely from care; it has made him passionate about offering families care if they’re facing the same challenges he encountered to help them live longer and healthier lives together.

Mr Waites said: “I know the feeling: your parents aren’t as fit and well as they used to be and you’re thinking about how you can help. We all live busy lives so there’s only so much that you can do, however much you love them. With home care, you can get a professional to keep them well and enjoy the pleasures that come from living in the home they love.”

He added: “I’ve already seen friendships blossom between care professionals and clients; it’s so heartwarming to see older people delighted to receive visits from people who genuinely care for them.”

Offering specialist dementia care, Home Instead Bradford and West Leeds is also involved with a weekly “Memory Café” for people living with dementia and their families.

The issue of care for the elderly has been in the spotlight recently as actress Vicky McClure urged the Government to do more for people with dementia, claiming research into “the UK’s biggest killer is currently being neglected”.

The Line Of Duty star delivered a letter to Downing Street on Thursday which urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak not to let dementia “slip down the political agenda”. The letter has been signed by 36,000 people and calls on the Government to deliver on Conservative Party commitments on dementia.

In response, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said “We invested £17m in tackling dementia waiting lists and increasing diagnosis rates last year and we have committed to double the funding for dementia research to £160m a year by 2024/25. We are making up to £7.5bn over the next two years available to support adult social care and discharge – the biggest funding increase in history – and are promoting careers in care through our annual domestic recruitment campaign and by investing £15m to increase international recruitment of carers.”