Westgate Healthcare, recognised for its expertise in elderly care, is proud to share an inspiring story that underscores the life-saving value of their comprehensive training programmes. In August, Athira Vengavila, a new team member, participated in Westgate Healthcare’s three-day induction training led by Group Training Manager Maria Fagen. Unbeknownst to her at the time, those training sessions would soon prove to be critical.
In September, Athira wrote a heartfelt email to Westgate Healthcare, recounting a terrifying incident when her husband experienced a choking emergency. Alone at home, she found herself in a situation that could have easily spiralled into tragedy. However, thanks to the practical skills she gained during her induction, she calmly and confidently intervened, saving her husband’s life.
Athira began in her email: “I attended the 3-day induction with you on August 5-7th. I’m writing this email at this late hour because I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you. Before the training, I had no idea how to respond to someone choking, but now I realise just how valuable that training was.”
Maria Fagen, who leads Westgate Healthcare’s training courses, shared her deep pride in Athira’s response. “This story is a testament to the life-saving skills we strive to instil in our training sessions. Knowing that our training made such a significant difference in someone’s life is incredibly rewarding.”
Westgate Healthcare’s commitment to training extends far beyond first aid, it is integral to ensuring the highest standards of care and safety for all residents. As trusted carers, Westgate healthcare provides specialised workshops that include dementia care training, empowering team members with the expertise needed to offer compassionate, informed support to those with complex needs. Their focus on ongoing professional development through accessible e-learning modules reinforces the company’s dedication to excellence in elderly care.
This incident not only highlights the importance of first aid but also reflects Westgate Healthcare’s broader mission: to build a proactive, compassionate team equipped to handle any situation, always ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents.
Testimonials from team members who took the Westgate Healthcare First Aid Induction course:
Funmilola shared: “Training was fantastic, I learnt so much and can’t wait to start ASAP to implement all I’ve learnt.”
Aimee echoed this, saying: “Training was amazing! Very interactive. It feels like I learnt so much in the short period of time. I loved every second.”
Westgate Healthcare is dedicated to creating safe, supportive environments where residents—and their loved ones—can have peace of mind knowing they are in expert hands. Through comprehensive training and a deep commitment to quality care, Westgate Healthcare continues to set the standard for elderly care in the UK. Learn more about Westgate Healthcare’s specialist dementia training here, along with its comprehensive training programmes and resources here.”
About Westgate Healthcare
Westgate Healthcare is a family-owned and run care group, founded by a nurse and her husband, and you’ll find that family feel in all eight homes across Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire and London. With more than 25 years’ experience providing specialist and general residential care for people in later life, we’ve shaped our care experience by listening to and learning from the people who come to live with us, as much as from the specialists who train our teams. We believe that life is to be lived and loved, so we put individual choice at the heart of home design and activity planning.
All inspected Westgate Healthcare homes are rated ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by the sector regulator, The Care Quality Commission.
