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Tiptree Housing Warden Toni in mercy dash to save pensioner
1st April 2008
A quick thinking retirement home warden for Colchester-based affordable homes provider Colne Housing has won praise for saving a pensioner’s life as he lay slumped in his car at a local supermarket car park.
The lifesaving dash began when Colne Housing Society’s Orchard Lodge, Tiptree, Retirement Scheme Officer, Toni Ryan, was alerted that one of her residents, 80-year-old Daniel Jordan, had been spotted slumped at the wheel of his car.
Toni, from Colchester, was told that the frail pensioner was apparently asleep inside his stationary car, parked outside Tesco’s supermarket in Tiptree’s Church Road.
Realising her elderly resident was a diabetic, Toni left her office and rushed to the supermarket car park: “As soon as I was alerted it was my gut reaction that there was something seriously wrong,” said Toni who has worked at Colne Housing’s 24 -unit Orchard Lodge scheme for one and a half years.
“Alarm bells went off in my head because that this resident was known to me to be diabetic and insulin dependant and I realised that he was not just asleep but probably in need of urgent medical help”.
“When I found his car, he was slipping in and out of consciousness. I immediately dialled 999 and waited with him until the ambulance arrived and he could be rushed to hospital for urgent treatment.”
Mr Jordan went on to make a speedy recovery, recovering in time to go ahead with his 80th birthday celebrations.
Now Mr Jordan’s niece, Eileen Thoms, of Tiptree, has praised Toni’s fast response and commitment to her clients: She went above and beyond the call of duty.
“She could have simply called an ambulance from her office, as the weather was horrific that day, but she went the extra mile and rushed over to see for herself.
“What she did for my uncle was marvellous and very caring – I couldn’t ask for my uncle to be in a better place, or to have a more caring Scheme Officer.
“I am also sure that if Toni had not done what she did, he would not have been here to celebrate his 80th birthday with us”.
Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, Colne Housing owns and manages more than 2,000 affordable homes in north Essex and Suffolk, including many offering resident based care for the elderly.
Colne Housing Chief Executive Executive Mark Powell Davies said: “Everyone at Colne is very proud of Toni who exceeded her normal duties on this occasion to save the life of one of our residents.
“Toni is the friendly face for everyone who lives at Orchard Lodge which provides independent living for the over-55s.
“Colne is proud of its great team spirit and we know how every one of our staff does everything they can, and more, to make sure our residents are getting the support that they need.
“We believe it is vital to have a strong management presence at all our sites. Our residents really appreciate having someone on hand to help whenever they are needed and we take pride in offering the highest quality care for every one of our residents.”
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