The Duke of Cambridge spoke to five keyworkers from the care sector in a video call and thanked them for the “fantastic job” they are doing during the pandemic, saying “it’s hugely appreciated and acknowledged”.
He added: “I hope we see a shift in attitudes towards the care sector and an appreciation for all the wonderful things you all do.”
Prince William wanted to find out from those on the frontline of care what their experience of working during COVID-19 is like, how it has changed the way they delivered care and how the job has affected their wellbeing.
Keyworkers included Suraya Alvi.
The 42-year-old told the Prince William, “the main thing we face is uncertainty from clients. We aim to reassure them that we will still provide the best level of care regardless of the pandemic.
“The main aspect is keeping people safe in their homes at this time and providing that level of care that we did before but just with the added PPE and handwashing.”
She spoke about the mental strain on both the home care workers and the people they care for, revealing “the main thing is keeping well emotionally, and it can be really tough”.
A mental health crisis among the elderly and vulnerable may be emerging as over half of home care staff report being concerned for the mental health of those they care for, since the start of the pandemic.
A survey has revealed that 57 per cent of 1,366 home care staff say they have become worried about the mental health of the people they look after at home, in the wake of the UK going into lockdown.
The survey, which was carried out during the seventh week of lockdown, was conducted by homecare.co.uk, a leading reviews website for providers that give care to people in their own homes.
The findings come following figures from the Office of National Statistics showing nearly half of people in Britain had reported high levels of anxiety in the last week of March. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned that services could be overwhelmed by “a tsunami of mental illness”.
Claire Murdoch, NHS England’s national clinical director for mental health, told the Commons health and social care committee that demand for mental healthcare would increase “significantly” once the lockdown is over and would result in people needing treatment for trauma for years to come, especially those who had been in intensive care or had lost someone to COVID-19.
In an exclusive video interview, Home Care Insight editor Sarah Clarke spoke to Dominique Kent, co-founder of the Live-in Care Hub and chair of the United Kingdom Home Care Association.
She discusses a campaign to recruit 21,000 more care workers to the sector amid the coronavirus crisis and says the Hub, and the 21 live-in care providers within it, are ready to “step up” and create capacity planning for NHS discharge teams in order to get people home from hospital safely.
Kent and her peers are working hard to convince NHS trusts that live-in care is a safer alternative to discharging people into a care homes and mitigates the risk of COVID-19 cross-transmission between residents.
For more on this story and to watch the interview – CLICK HERE
With so much uncertainty and conflicting information regarding COVID-19, we wanted to inform our service users and families what Everycare are currently doing about COVID-19.
We are following and implementing all advice and guidelines provided by the UK Government, Public Health England , Public Health Wales, Public Health Scotland, CQC, UKHCA, National Health Service (NHS) and the Health and Safety Executive. We are monitoring the situation closely and are in constant communication with our team providing updates and advice on policies and procedures as new information becomes available.We are vigilantly monitoring the situation to ensure none of our Carers or Staff have a cough or temperature, or display any other symptoms of the virus.We would be grateful in return that should you display any of the symptoms of the virus that you immediately inform us so that appropriate action can be taken.The Government’s guidance recommends that the best way to reduce any risk of infection is good hygiene and avoiding direct or close contact (within 2 metres) with any potentially infected person. Our care and support staff always maintain high standards of hygiene and follow robust infection control guidelines, but given that we care for some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, during this outbreak we expect them to be extra vigilant about handwashing, coughs and sneezes, and keeping clients’ homes clean. The well-being of our clients and staff is our highest priority.
One point which is frequently raised by both staff and Clients is the use of face masks by our Care staff. In normal day-to-day activities facemasks do not provide protection from respiratory viruses, such as COVID-19. It is recommended that face masks should be worn by infected individuals only when advised by a healthcare worker (to reduce the risk of transmitting the infection to other people) and not routinely by care staff.
If you are currently self isolating due to coronavirus and you need assistance in respect to your personal care needs, including help with shopping, domestic duties or other home care requirements please contact your local Everycare office.
All our care is provided by our highly trained and vetted care workers with experience of working in a wide variety of home care settings.
We would like to thank you for your continued support and wish you all good health during this very difficult time.
