Care workers volunteered to isolate with their residents
Care home workers who volunteered to isolate with their residents says they would have stayed regardless of lock-down to reduce the risk for vulnerable dementia patients who are ‘like family’
- Staff at Bridgedale House in Sheffield isolate themselves with dementia patients
- Eight employees don’t return home after shifts because of coronavirus fears
- Appeared on Good Morning Britain, said there was ‘no hesitation’ about choice
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Care workers who volunteered to isolate with the vulnerable residents of a care home have insisted there was ‘no hesitation’ about the decision.
Eight staff at Bridgedale House home in Sheffield are isolating themselves with 23 dementia patients, giving up going home after their shifts to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus to their residents, who are ‘like family’.
The staff are staying in the residential home round the clock for at least two weeks, and told on Lorraine today they would have stayed ‘from the get go’, despite the lock-down, to avoid any spread of the disease.
Care assistants Sarah Willis (left) and Maria Mantu with residents of Bridgedale House care home in Sheffield pictured on lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak
Deputy manager Lynsey Wright (right), care assistant Sarah-Jane Clark (left)and Katie Wright (middle) appeared on Lorraine today
Deputy manager Lynsey Wright, said: ‘No hesitation at all, for me or any or the girls. We just thought, “Yeah we’ll do it”.
‘They are like another family, obviously we spend a lot of time with them. But it’s not like work, in a way it’s like visiting your family.
She later added: ‘I would not be doing this because of lockdown, I was going to do this from the get go.
‘Because people need to be looked after and if we’re not going to do it, who’s going to do it? I’d rather do it myself than have people going in and out putting them at risk.’
The carers told they are giving up going home after their shifts so they don’t spread the coronavirus to their resitents, who are ‘like family’. Pictured, care assistant Sarah Willis (R) and cate assistant Maria Mantu (L) with residents of Bridgedale House
She explained that while a few of the patients are aware of the situation, the majority are not, and so she and other staff are trying as hard as possible to maintain a normal atmosphere.
‘We have a few that are aware, said Lynsey, ‘The majority of them aren’t. We’re just being very over positive, carrying on day to day, so their normal lives are as normal as possible.
‘We are still contacting family members, by Facetiming them, daily calls to family members – so they’re still seeing them.’
Care assistant Sarah-Jane Clark admitted that at 23-years-old, while she was dubious about spending time away from her family and fiance, she too knew that her ‘second family’ needed her.
Lyndsy explained that while a few of the patients are aware of the situation, the majority are not, and so she and other staff are trying as hard as possible to maintain a normal atmosphere
They told host Lorraine Kelly (pictured left) they would have stayed ‘from the get go’ despite the lock-down, to avoid any spread of the highly contagious disease
‘At first in the back of my mind, I thought can I be away from my family for that long? But you have to, and this is my second family and they need me.’
Speaking of her fiance, she said: ‘He was really good and very understanding, he messages me every day. Lovely messages, saying how proud he is. He’s been brilliant about the whole thing.’
She added that grateful families have been sending supportive messages everyday, revealing: ‘They’re so grateful, I’m waking up to messages everyday,checking in, seeing how we’re all getting on. It really keeps us going and puts smiles on our faces.’
Katie Wright, spoke of leaving her children with her partner, saying: ‘I miss them all the time. I’m on constant contact with them. We’re always video calling and I think he’s doing quite well on his own.’
Lindsay celebrated birthday over the weekend, and admitted while it was strange being away from her husband, she was able to enjoy the occasion with her patients and ‘sleepover buddies’.
‘It was a little bit strange’, she said ,’But it was really nice. I had my sleepover buddies and all the residence, we had a birthday cake and we really enjoyed it.’
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