Community Heroes - #PoweredByPeople

Community 4 min read

17 Apr 2020

Nikki is a care team manager for a residential unit in a Dementia Specialist Nursing Home in Magherafelt, Co Derry. She has worked here for 8 years, having previously been based in the community as a care worker.


Nursing and care home staff, along with many other critical roles in communities, have continued to provide essential services for the elderly and most vulnerable. As with nurses, doctors and front line staff, they have been putting the health and well-being of patients and residents above their own amid fear and uncertainty.


Most nursing and residential units throughout Ireland are closed to visitors, meaning relatives and friends can’t visit those that they love, and for those suffering from dementia, whilst they might not be aware of what is going on in the world around them, they will be undoubtedly be missing the visits and time with their families.

The role that the care teams play in filling those voids, and keeping their residents calm, reassured and content must be significantly more challenging at a time when they will have their own Covid-19 related anxiety and worries.

We asked Nikki what her role has been like, and how it has been impacted by the current pandemic.
“I work 12-hour shifts (typically days), caring for between 12-16 dementia residents. With a carer to assist me, it’s our responsibility to care for all of our residents’ needs, including medical, personal care and their general well-being. Each of our residents is different, their needs and the support that they require will vary significantly. This could include washing, dressing and feeding them, so the start of our shift at 8am is always extremely busy!”


Residents requiring medication would then be catered for, including the management of on-going medical needs and liaison with community nursing teams and doctors’ surgeries, dentists, opticians, the list is extensive. As anyone working in a care-giving role will attest to, a significant chunk of time is taken up with paperwork. Nikki’s care facility operates a diary to closely record and monitor all residents in their care, providing all staff with updates, notes or concerns on each person that can be monitored and escalated if necessary.

As Nikki said
“Teamwork is vital to ensuring we can give our residents the best possible care. A resident can deteriorate very quickly, making it so important to work together and keep each other and families informed. I love my job – I love how I can rely on other members of staff to help when needed. Our housekeepers, laundry staff, activity co-ordinators and management have all been on-hand in a crisis.”


Afternoons are typically filled with activities to keep residents entertained – music, games and visitors give the residents enjoyment, and for some in the earlier stages of dementia, something to look forward to in their day. With the lockdown in place, keeping residents entertained has proven to be a bigger challenge, so how has the daily routine changed for those working in care homes? Nikki told us:
“As one of the first care homes in our local area to close to the public, our decision was both welcomed and a cause for frustration. A family member of one lady I care for said to me ‘Thank god, I have been so afraid of bringing germs into the home, you have taken that fear away’. Others were understandably disappointed to not be in a position to see their loved ones, but quickly came to realise that this was in their best interests.


“To begin with, the removal of visitors and non-essential outside health professionals actually made the day easier, a little less hectic and more relaxed. However, it didn’t take long to sense a shift in the residents’ moods – almost like they knew something wasn’t right, but couldn’t tell you that it was because they missed seeing their loved ones. A lot of reassurance is needed – in many ways, you could compare it to caring for small children.

Whilst they don’t know or understand the bigger picture, they get a sense of anxiety that things are different, particularly now with the introduction of PPE equipment such as masks etc. To be honest, that’s when it really home for a lot of the staff too – suddenly what we’ve all watched on the news is our reality. We are conscious now more than ever that our behaviour and happiness dictates their overall mood as well – as hard as that can be, I try to be calm and reassuring, and if I am happy, my residents will be too.


“Where possible, we have tried to vet newspapers and TV programmes with disturbing content, so that they don’t get upset. We’ve also provided a facility for family members to video call their loved one, which has been wonderful, but at times, upsetting too. We’re taking pictures to send to families, and helping those who can write short notes to those who are on their minds. Much of this wouldn’t be normal practice, but we are not in normal times! The families are so appreciative to see and talk to them.


“Our local community has been truly amazing. So many businesses and individuals showing their support for our work, it is very humbling. We have had local restaurants sending food for staff, local singers setting up performances in the gardens that residents can enjoy from their windows, and a local initiative from young people at home from school who have been sending notes, pictures and stories in to keep the residents spirits up. I could not be prouder of how our whole community, regardless of religion or background, has come together to be there for one another in such a difficult and frightening time.


“Our protective equipment protects us, but more importantly protects a home full of vulnerable elderly residents, who would undoubtedly be amongst the worst affected should they come into contact with the coronavirus. We must all do whatever we can to protect those that are vulnerable.



Our residents are like our extended family…we have been on a long journey together, some from the day I first started here. We are doing whatever we can to keep them safe, in the hope that it won’t be long for the day to come for us to open our doors again. It’s those thoughts that keep us going on the difficult days, seeing families and loved ones reunited, seeing our own families again.”
 

Nikki's story has been told as part of the #PoweredByPeople campaign - Community Heroes Edition. This campaign tells stories of those in our community who are going above and beyond to make lives a little easier.