Dedicated staff at two independent Angus care homes have spent weeks in ‘live-in lockdown’ alongside elderly residents to shield them from Covid-19 risk.
In a remarkable show of devotion to those they look after, care teams at St David’s in Forfar and The Glade, Brechin have sacrificed life with their own families for the past three weeks to stay on-site in a bid to seal the homes from the outside world.
Owners of both premises have praised the devotion of staff to the senior citizens.
At the Forfar home, which has 22 residents, owner Ivan Cornford and his 11-strong team have adopted the title of the ‘St David’s 12’ since they all moved in on March 19 – a week before the nationwide lockdown.
“Myself and my manager, Wendy Smith, were trying to work out what our first response would be to try to keep the virus out and we decided sealing off the home would be the best way,” he said.
“She asked for volunteers and they all said yes without hesitation.
“Fortunately, we have just finished building work here to add new rooms to the home and they have been able to stay there – we wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.
“The staff are completely dedicated and needed no convincing. We have our shifts and down time, and get together in the evening so we’re probably the only party in town.”
“The whole situation is not easy on anyone but I can genuinely say that there hasn’t been a cross word and I couldn’t have asked for more from them.
“We will keep this in place until April 20. We’re aware that it would be a miracle if there was not some impact of the virus, but we have given ourselves the best chance of avoiding that with four-and-a-half weeks of social isolation.”
Care worker Lynn Morrison, from Forfar said: “It was a case of whatever is better for the residents. If their wellbeing is better with us here, then that’s where I’ll be.
“It does feel a bit like we’re living in a bubble though. When I watch the news it’s hard to believe what’s going on.”
At The Glade, seven staff have been living in-house to look after the 16 residents there.
Chris and Claire Curnin have run the home for the past 13 years and have now put stringent measures in place to lift the total lockdown which came into place at the same time as their Forfar counterparts.
“We own the house next door so have been able to use that and we now have everything in place to let other staff come back to work from next week, including all the necessary PPE and a sterilisation booth at the home.
“We speak to every member of staff every day and those who have now been living here have been given things like viral washing powder to try to cut any risk as much as possible.”
He said the staff commitment had been “amazing”.
The home bought seven testing kits for residents and, thankfully, has shown no signs of coronavirus.
Loved ones who have been communicating through calls and Skype will also be given the chance from next week to see residents face-to-face, from a distance.
“We have a raised area in front of the home and can section it off with proper distancing so they will be able to come in and see their family,” said Mr Curnin.
“A lot of our residents families live in Brechin so they can pass by on their daily exercise and it will make a difference for residents to see them.”
