With COVID-19 continuing to take its toll, schools and public places have closed, supermarket shelves are often bare, and some well-known businesses have sadly gone into administration. While many people have found some comfort in the idea of self-isolation and social distancing, the same cannot be said for everyone. For some, staying home simply isn’t an option.
Key workers – the backbone of every nation – are still getting up each morning, leaving their homes and families behind to stand on the front line of the fight against coronavirus. Among them are our healthcare and social care workers.
The reality of care work – even on a good day
Being a care worker is never easy. It’s a deeply rewarding role, but one that demands sacrifice, patience, compassion and strength. No two days are the same – you never know what mood or state of health your clients will be in until you arrive.
Add a global pandemic into the mix and the pressure multiplies. Not only is there uncertainty in the workplace, but there’s also uncertainty across the world. It can be overwhelming. But we carry on, for the sake of the vulnerable people who rely on us. They’re scared too – for their health, for their loved ones they can’t see. Our job is to be their calm in the storm. Their rock. Each other’s rock. And that can be tough.
A new definition of safety
Before COVID-19, keeping people safe meant checking medications, washing your hands, supporting your colleagues, following care plans, managing risks, maintaining good posture, wearing appropriate footwear – the fundamentals of care work, well understood and routinely followed.
Now, safety means much more. It’s keeping your distance when you can. Wearing a face mask when you can’t. Disinfecting every handle, button and surface that’s frequently touched. It’s saying no to visitors. It’s sitting six feet apart during lunch.
It’s not holding someone’s hand when they’re crying – or if you do, washing your hands immediately after. It’s knowing your smile can’t be seen behind a mask. It’s watching residents miss their family visits because those families are legally bound to stay home.
So how do we cope?
How do we keep the people we care for happy, calm and connected when the world outside feels upside down?
We look for the light.
Because despite the fear and uncertainty, the pandemic has also brought unexpected silver linings. The planet is getting a rare break from pollution. Families are spending time together that they never normally have. People are reflecting, reconnecting and realising what truly matters.
And more than anything, there’s a renewed sense of community. Beautiful gestures are blooming everywhere. Children are drawing rainbows and putting them in windows, so others can spot them on daily walks. Care homes are receiving drawings and letters from strangers, reminding residents they are not forgotten. Every Thursday, doorsteps fill with people clapping for carers and NHS workers, a small but powerful show of gratitude.
These gestures remind us of the most important message of all – we have each other. And together, we will get through this.
Stay safe. Be kind. And don’t forget to wash your hands.