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Off her trolley over lack of age concern
A new play about a care home sets out to scorn the idea all grannies like to sit and knit, writes Peter Gruner
A NEW one-woman play exploring Britain’s appalling treatment of the elderly and those who care for them is being staged in Camden next month. Eleanor Bennet’s Off Her Trolley has been critically acclaimed at the Edinburgh Fringe festival and is already sending ripples of interest through the care industry.
The play, written and acted by Ms Bennet, herself a care assistant for 16 years, is due for a two-week run at the Etcetera Theatre from September 2 to 14 before a nationwide tour.
Ms Bennet, 37, who lives in Leyton, east London, said years of working long hours in difficult conditions with the elderly, and for a pittance in wages, inspired her to create the play, which uses both comedy and song to present the life of a typically exploited care worker. This is her first play, took six months to write, and lasts an hour.
“I like old people, and I enjoy working with them,” she says. “That’s the sadness of working in a care home. The majority of us like our work but are so often under-paid and overworked. And who gets the blame when something goes wrong? The care worker.”
She plays three characters in a care home, including an elderly woman who has Alzheimer’s disease.
“I explore the experience of ageing and aim to illustrate the difficulties posed by the onset of Alzheimer’s disease both for the individual and their carers,” she says.
She also deals with the difficulty of loss of a parent. “People often feel guilty about putting a parent in a home,” she says, “although often there is no alternative, particularly if you have a family and the parent is behaving oddly. But there is often a great feeling of loss and sadness.”
Ms Bennet also talks about the positive things about being old and the wonderful people who she has met. She says she wants to challenge stereotypes and rebuff the idea that all grannies like to sit and knit: “Many of the OAPs I have met have had interesting careers. I’ve cared for strippers and even in one case, a circus performer.”
Care workers, she says are among the lowest paid workers in the community. And this low regard is despite the enormous responsibility they have in providing support for our growing aging population.
“And privatised homes are among worst because they often will cut corners,” she adds. “I know of an experienced carer who has an NVQ and 22 years’ experience, for example, but is working in a private home, who earns as little as £5.59 per hour.”
Care workers, she says, are expected to work nights and weekends for the same low pay. Not surprisingly, many don’t stay in the job very long.
“The best run homes are those where care workers are treated with respect, are happy and want to stay,” says Eleanor. “Experience is invaluable.”
Ms Bennet’s own life has been one of change. A few years ago, she gave up care work temporarily after winning a mature student place at the Central School of Speech and Drama in Belsize Park.
It was only after graduating – and being in between competing for acting jobs and still working in care via an agency – that she decided to write a play based on her experiences.
“Before taking it to Edinburgh I tried it out on friends and professional colleagues,” Ms Bennet says. “Everyone loved it and thought the message was a very important one. We’re all getting old and many of us could one day end up in homes. Quality of care is so important.”
Directed by Kirrie Wratten, Off Her Trolley has been nominated for the Amnesty International/The Big Issue Freedom of Expression Award and interest in the show has been expressed from the Alzheimer’s Society, trade unions and the care industry.
Despite the serious subject matter, Off her Trolley is definitely meant to entertain and make people laugh, Ms Bennet insists, as well as giving a voice to elderly people and their care assistants through the genre of theatre.
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