We did not expect to still be here, 8 months in. We did expect that you, our frontline carers, would rise to the occasion and you have. We have been getting praise from our next of kin and some have even argued that there should be a separate day – “Clap for Carers”. Despite all that is going on in your lives, you continue to keep focused on our communities most vulnerable. We want to say thank you for flying the Eleanor flag high!
We have also started to see the cost of this pandemic on you, the very people who have been championing the protection of the most vulnerable in our communities.
What are we seeing
Some carers have called in sick, sometimes just a few minutes before their start time. Further examination has helped us to understand why.
The reasons include :
- You are tired
- You are struggling to cope with the new challenges
- You are scared of contracting Covid-19, or fear bringing it home to your family
- You feel isolated and alone
- You know people with Covid-19, and have lost friends and family
- You are caring for others, but you need care
We want to be clear – these are all normal and understandable feelings. We want to encourage you to speak to us, to someone you know, or please make use of the links below
What we are doing
- Creating teams to support you
- Building redundancy into our scheduling to have back up, in case you do not feel upto it
- Creating software to make sure that your client service notes are available to a backup carer, ensuring your service user is well looked after.
All of these steps are aimed to help you. If you feel the pressure is too much, we have your back.
What you can do
- Ask for help. Any of your feelings or emotions are natural. To ask for help is not a sign of weakness and will not be a mark against you
- Speak to your line manager, or senior management if you need to escalate it.
- If you feel uneasy with this, we have created a confidential helpline.
Katie Wordley, Operations Manager, 07881336433.
You can also use the links below to learn more Useful Links
Find your local group – Covid-19 Mutual Aid (covidmutualaid.org)
Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen
Online Therapy & Free Counselling, Someone To Talk To | 7 Cup
