Just about every aspect of life in the UK has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the work carried out by Beloved Homecare in Trafford is no exception. In many ways our approach to working around the pandemic is no different to the approach we take under more normal circumstances. In simple terms, we always do everything we can to provide care which meets two important criteria. The first of these is that it ensures the physical well-being of the client in question, while the second is that we meet the emotional and psychological needs of our clients while delivering that care. In other words, the practical help we provide is hugely important but it is never delivered without accompanying emotional support. Covid-19 has thrown both of these requirements into sharp relief, particularly since the pandemic impacts disproportionately on the age range which is most likely to be in need of our services.
Protecting the Elderly
According to figures published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) 95% of the people killed by COVID-19 globally were older than 60 years of age, while more than half of all fatalities occurred in people aged 80 and older. The risk to older people has been reflected in figures from all over the world – in Sweden 90% of deaths occurred in patients aged over 70 years while data from the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention showed that the fatality rate amongst patients rose in line with their age:
• Adults in their 60s – 3.6% fatality rate
• Adults in their 70s – 8% fatality rate
• Adults in their 80s – 14.8% fatality rate
The same trends have been apparent in the UK. Out of every 100 people to die from COVID-19 in the UK, 88 will be aged over 65, while only 2 out of every 100 to die of COVID-19 are younger than 50. Taking all of this on board it’s blatantly obvious that the kind of elderly people we provide care for need to be protected from exposure to the virus as effectively as possible.
Effects of Shielding
In addition to the physical impact of the virus itself it is vitally important to consider the psychological and emotional effect of the kind of shielding which the pandemic calls for. Research carried out by Age UK uncovered a range of findings which underscore the hugely negative impact of isolation on elderly people forced to withdraw from risky forms of social contact. According to the findings of this research, one in three elderly people felt that they had less energy since the start of the pandemic, with one in five less steady on their feet and one in four unable to walk as they used to. At the same time, one in five elderly people reported a degree of cognitive decline during the course of the pandemic, feeling confused and finding it harder to remember things. This phenomenon was particularly acute amongst those people already living with dementia, with the Alzheimer’s Society finding that 82% of those affected by dementia reported an increase in various symptoms.
Emotional Support
Findings such as these underpin why we were so determined to maintain our usual high standards of care during the pandemic. A large part of the work we do is dedicated to providing emotional care for our clients. As well as delivering bespoke practical help with everything from getting washed and dressed in the morning to cooking meals and carrying out housework, our carers go out of their way to become friends to our clients, offering a smiling face and the chance to socialise. That might mean chatting about last night’s TV or reminiscing about the old days or it could simply be a bit of small talk about the weather. The point is that it enables the client to experience social contact and human warmth, cheering them up and reassuring loved ones who might not be able to visit as often as they’d like. The fact that the Age UK research mentioned earlier found that the proportion of people over the age of 70 experiencing depression has more than doubled during the pandemic underlines yet again just how important contact of this kind can be.
Care At Home
The vital role our home care visits play in maintaining the physical and mental good health of our clients means that we’ve done everything we can to maintain our services throughout the pandemic. The danger posed by the virus itself has meant that this has only been possible thanks to an extremely strict set of guidelines and the hard work and commitment of our carers. These guidelines include the following:
• Carers have to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and hot water before and after every visit. We provide each carer with their own towel so that they don’t have to touch one belonging to the client, and during longer visits the carer may wash their hands again or re-clean them with hand sanitiser, particularly if they have to touch the surfaces in the home or come into close contact with the client.
• We supply our carers with the equipment they need to work safely. This includes items such as gloves, aprons, hand sanitiser and masks. We also provide thermometers so that carers can check the temperature of clients if they are asked to do so.
• One of the most important aspects of the support we offer is the degree of communication between our management team and the carers themselves. The situation regarding COVID, and particularly in terms of the restrictions in place and the advice offered to the public in general and professionals such as carers in particular, is extremely fluid and fast moving. Our lines of communication help us to ensure that carers are always completely up to date with the precautions they need to take. On a practical note our management teams also now travel out into the areas we serve around Trafford in order to deliver essential supplies to carers outside client’s homes. Our use of modern technology – and in particular the PASS digital system – makes maintaining fluent communication of this kind much simpler.
• Many of our clients might previously have been able to travel to and from the local shops on their own but are now having to shield because they are vulnerable. We’ve always picked up shopping for our clients who need us to, and that now extends to anyone who needs us to pick up every day essentials from the local supermarket while they are staying safe in their home.
• The communication mentioned above also extends to making sure that the relatives of a client are regularly given updates. This enables them to remain informed of the care that is being provided for their loved one, as well as receiving updates on the metal and psychological well-being of the client.
In addition to the support offered during working hours we encourage all members of staff to follow the latest government guidelines. This includes advice such as maintaining a distance of 2 metres from other people out in public, washing hands regularly and covering their face when entering venues such as shops. Whenever the advice changes we make sure our employees are aware of the latest updates. That way they can do everything possible to keep themselves safe, which in turn will help them to protect our clients. We know how important in-home care services can be, and all the measures we take are focused on maintaining our services as effectively as possible until the long-awaited time when life begins to return to normal.