That’s Life
Making sure staff are settled. Making sure residents are cared for. Making sure relatives are kept informed and updated. Making sure daily/weekly/monthly documentation and information is submitted. Making sure new guidance is implement and staff are trained. Making sure weekly testing is completed and reported. Making sure the home is sanitised. Making sure appropriate PPE is worn….the list is endless.
But when asked, a manager will always reply ‘That’s life, that’s what we need to do!’
The weight on the shoulders of care home managers is immense. With barely a second to sit back and think of the next task ahead. So, we must ask ourselves, at what point does it become too much?
Everyday there’s ever more asked of our homes and managers. Each time a new government review or guidance is announced, our homes feel the impact. At the minute, finding the balance is the most difficult task. To switch off and unwind is a luxury of days gone by. Even if they’re not in the care home, they’re head still often is. The simple reason being is because they care!
Managers feel the responsibility of every nook and cranny of a home and the people within it. We must find a way of caring for managers and our workforce and affording them the same time and compassion that they show others.
The social care sector has done an incredible job throughout this pandemic and now it becomes more important than ever to ensure the wellbeing of a workforce. A workforce that experienced fear, fatigue and pressure like no other.