A YOUNG care assistant has won a major award for the compassion she shows in looking after residents at an Ammanford care home as they come to the end of their lives.

Managers at Cartref Ael Y Bryn have praised 24-year-old Rhian Thomas for the way she goes “above and beyond” her basic duties to care for residents close to the end and they speak of the time she stayed beside one elderly person holding their hand and making them as comfortable as possible until they passed away.

Rhian also likes to just sit and talk to end of life residents and even brings them in treats of their favourite food and drinks.

And, often in her own time, she shares her experiences of caring for them with her fellow staff members by carrying out one-to-one training sessions.

It is this “deep-rooted desire to care” that saw Rhian shortlisted for the prestigious Wales Care Awards 2014.

At the glittering presentation ceremony at City Hall in Cardiff, Rhian took the bronze award in the Excellence in Palliative and End of Life Care category, sponsored by Barclays Corporate.

Rhian, who lives in Tirydail, originally went to do a short spell of work experience at Cartref Ael Y Bryn back in 2008 after completing her A levels at Amman Valley Comprehensive School. But when her potential was spotted by managers she was persuaded to stay on and take a full-time job as a care assistant.

Rhian said, “As I’ve kept them since I was a little girl, I always thought I might like to work with horses when I left school, either that or something with art and design, which I also enjoy.

“But then I went to do some work experience at Ael Y Bryn during my gap year, decided I liked it, decided to stay on and have just taken it from there.

“If I can help people in any way I will do that. Generally, I like to make our residents feel happy and I sometimes bring my dogs into the home to meet and greet them. I have four Chihuahuas, Alfie, Missy, Rudy and Lily, and when I bring them in the residents just love it.

“On a couple of occasions I’ve also brought in my two horses, Rigo, a three-year-old Appaloosa, and Spirt, a two-year-old Welsh mountain pony, and walked them past the front of the home, which the residents also really enjoy.”