Carers in Cumbria share their experiences of the pandemic

Fearful and often with restricted access to their families, many were reliant on carers as their only connection to the world.

“It has almost been like house arrest,” says Dr Chris Moss who runs Westmorland Homecare, based in Kendal, alongside Dr Josh Macaulay.

“You have had elderly people who for a year have been more isolated because they have not been able to see their family and friends as easily.

“That can start to lead to communication and anxiety issues and if a person has dementia or mobility issues it can make the situation even worse.”

Westmorland Homecare provides hundreds of hours of care each week to people who live independently in their own homes.

During the pandemic, the company’s weekly social events - including pottery, singing and movement classes - were forced to cease and homecare staff have not been able to take clients out for trips.

However, Chris says its staff have been doing their best to bring such experiences to their clients’ homes.

“In one case we were planning to take someone to a music concert - that was cancelled so the staff member brought a flute to the person’s home and played for them,” he says.

“It is all about giving people a sense of self-worth. That is what we are all about - helping people to live life to the full. Being independent and at home and part of the community has been a real challenge during Covid but our staff have been a real lifeline and an extended part of clients’ families.”

Examples include carer Sarah Thompson who put in an extra call to a client because she was frightened and tearful when she left her at 5.30pm.

“So, despite the fact that I was due back at 9pm, I popped in with some sweets for her in my own time at 8pm," she says.

Ann Holmes baked a birthday cake for a client on her day off because he could not get to the shops to buy one and another health care assistant showed a client how to use WhatsApp so she could see and talk to her family in the UK and a daughter who lives abroad.

“It has strengthened and developed bonds with our clients who rely so much on our services,” says Chris.

“It is a real honour to look after some of the more vulnerable people in our community.”

Carol Wilson, owner and managing director of Bellcare, in Workington, says one of the biggest challenges had been sourcing personal protective equipment for its 125 staff.

This included everything from masks, gloves and aprons for regular visits to clients to visors, full length gowns, arm sleeves and shoe coverings for dealing with others who had left hospital or had tested positive.

Carol says the business never ran short of PPE, but its annual bill for the equipment rose from about £9000 the year before to £60,000 last year.

“It was out there, you just had to pay for it,” she says.

“At the start of the pandemic I trawled the internet looking for the PPE, no matter what cost it was I bought it.”

Bellcare, which cares for around 250 clients mainly in West Cumbria, has also added some extra services to its normal work, for example, doing shopping for clients.

“We had to look at what difficulties might arise for a client and try and overcome it,” says Carol.

“Every one of our staff has stood up to it. They’ve done it with diligence. I am proud of every one of them.”

Judy Clay, owner and care director for Home Instead South Lakes, says it has seen an increase in work over the last 12 months, both because families were strapped for time to spend with loved ones or, conversely, realised they needed care because they were spending longer with them.

She says the well-documented issues in care homes during the pandemic have also made more people consider homecare as an option.

“Beforehand people were a bit unaware homecare was an option,” says Judy, who founded the company - which is part of an international franchise group - with husband Will in 2017.

“Homecare has started to be a lot more visible.”

In response to this, Home Instead has launched a live-in care service where staff stay with clients.

“We can now offer that full wrap around support from someone who just needs a few hours of companionship care to someone who needs 24-hour support,” says Judy.

The company is also increasing the amount of technological support it offers.

This could range from something as straightforward as installing an emergency cord to sensors which can learn people’s patterns of behaviour.

“It can learn when they usually get up and what times of day they move around the house and it will create alerts when there are discrepancies in that pattern,” says Judy.

“It helps us tailor the care for how we support that person because it’s based on evidence of how they are living. It gives us a much clearer image and helps to keep them safe even when we can’t be there with them.”

The company currently employs 50 people, but is constantly looking to take on more including the recent addition of an apprentice working in office administration under the Government’s Kickstart scheme.

Judy says one of the defining features of Home Instead’s care is that its staff pay visits of an hour or more as standard so they can build a relationship with clients.

“It ranges from those who just need a bit of companionship and support and maybe they’ve not been able to have their family coming as often during the pandemic and they can’t get out and about as much,” she says.

“So actually having somebody to come and spend time with them is really important.

“We’ve got some clients who need more help with the day to day care. But it’s not just about going in and doing the tasks, it’s about spending time with the person.

“Our staff have been absolutely amazing, they have adapted and been flexible and been vigilant.”