A message from a care-home – Remember us when you panic buy

Far too many people have been unreasonably scared by the news being put out by the government and the MSM about the coronavirus.  They don’t remember the many times when the world was hit by viruses that never quite managed to be as deathly as prophesied by the people in charge of the news.  Yes, it is a virus. Yes, it needs testing, containing and managing in a calm and sensible way. Not something the UK is doing. Instead, they appear to be putting the whole horrible mess onto ‘war footing’.  They should remember this:

Scaring people doesn’t just make them do what you want.  It makes them stressed to the point where they could become ill, and become more, much more, vulnerable to the virus.  It also makes them more selfish, more ‘me first’. It isn’t ‘How can I help other people?’ but ‘How can I help me?’ The first nasty effect of that has been panic-buying.  And that can bring some nasty consequences, such as food banks having to close down.

So, it was not surprising that a plea to the public appeared on the Dorset Eye website, and it isn’t just Dorset that has suffered from this.

Jenny Whitehead wanted to post what follows, on behalf of other care homes in and around Dorset which are facing the same struggles as many around the country.

 

“We are a 22-bed care home providing complex care for 70-101-year-olds – the most ‘at risk’ people in our society.  Whilst we struggle through this tough episode I would like everyone to spare a thought for us when you panic buy in supermarkets.

Today we were told that we couldn’t have our weekly delivery slot from Tesco’s because everyone had booked up for the next few weeks, leaving us with no choice but to go and shop in person. Not only does this put our staff providing front line care at greater risk going into a supermarket, but it also then means that they are going back in to the home after being in a busy populated space and carrying potential germs that could be fatal for many or even all of our beautiful residents.

Also please remember that we now have to go shopping for 22 people for a week when we will be rationed to buying only 3 ‘identical’ items – all because of selfish people panic buying!

Not only is this highlighting how selfish people have been, but that we will have to go into the supermarket several times to get an adequate amount of groceries.  It takes staff away from the care it provides and increases risk.

When we lose staff to this illness (which we will), we will be on our bare bones trying to keep our vulnerable residents safe and well cared for. How is it fair that we will also have to find a way of shopping numerous times per week just to feed them because we can only get 3 of each item?

I would like to finally add how amazing the staff are who work for me and for all other parts of the health care system. The industry has been under-appreciated and underpaid for so long, but they are the ones who can’t ‘work from home’; they are the ones getting up and going to work every day to keep the most vulnerable safe.

Let’s hope the government recognises this after it’s all over and gives more recognition and funding to a sector who will get this country through its worst crisis in our lifetimes!” 

 

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