Living with fear – working with pride

A job in care has always been challenging, however, 2020/21 has added an additional element to the role…fear.

Working within a care home during a global pandemic is an experience few would wish to relive. Aside from the normal pressures of care, COVID-19 brought fear: fear of catching the virus, fear of taking the virus home; fear of bringing the virus into the care home. This fear undoubtably takes its toll.

Everyday, we sanitise, we socially distance (against our instincts), we don and doff PPE numerous times a day. We do this as we genuinely want to protect everyone within our care home. The people that live here become our friends and people we openly care for, the thought or idea of them becoming ill with this virus is terrifying for us.

Despite the fear, we wear our uniform with pride. Despite our fear, we enter the home with a smile and joyful attitude so that the atmosphere and environment remains positive and a happy place to live and work.

Though COVID has brought many downfalls, it has made us realise the impact of our role within care on individual people and communities. It has seen people shine, teams work together, and communities offer more support and encouragement than ever before.

So although COVID-19 has brought some of the toughest days and experiences; we have also witnessed our greatest days and triumphs within the homes. We’ve had fun and we have had belly laughs. As teams and colleagues but also as homes with our residents, we have started to appreciate each other like never before. We’ve pulled on skills and talents (carers also acting as hairdressers; domestic staff baking up a treat; kitchen staff entertaining on the guitar).

We don’t know when this will end, but we do know that anything we face in the future will be a breeze in comparison. And anything we face, we know we have the strength and ability to tackle it head on.