Home Carers shielding the vulnerable

I care for my mother full time who has Advanced Alzheimer’s and am shielding her. I have not been out even for a walk since way before the lockdown started and I do not feel safe to do so now. Could we please have a set time allocated for home carers shielding to go out for a walk - families and other groups could also go out at specific times. Other countries have employed this tiered system of exercise which I think would be a very fair way to proceed - older people who are able to go out could also be given a set hour?

Could the needs of home carers shielding the vulnerable also be looked at when garden centres or specific shops eventually open and have allocated hours - this could also of course apply to vulnerable groups. Perhaps certain smaller stores could let one individual in at a time in to shop. I would again ask for the needs of those shielding the vulnerable to be considered or we face months behind our front door for fear of passing the virus on to our loved ones.

I have also stopped all carers coming to our home - I feel that any carer going into a vulnerable person’s home to provide respite should be tested on a daily basis to provide reassurance./ensure safety.

Why the contribution is important

As above, as a full time carer of someone with Alzheimer’s, my freedom has often been curtailed . We now have the added worry if we do go out, we could catch a virus that we could then pass on to our loved ones. As a result , I like many others, shielding an individual have not gone out for exercise or fresh air . I think when the lockdown ends this will be very tough for cares shielding the vulnerable and hope their specific needs and challenges are considered - so that they can have some a necessary break but ensure their loved ones are safe. Full time carers do a very important and I often feel undervalued job, I hope their needs and health will be considered.

by Ljs on May 10, 2020 at 05:47PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.9
Based on: 14 votes

Comments

  • Posted by HarryWillis May 10, 2020 at 18:01

    We are getting to the time when lockdown rules need to be amended to assist those who are frontline workers but who do not have the luxury of a job description and a salary.

  • Posted by DSEDIN May 10, 2020 at 18:03

    Fully support your suggestion and can sympathise with your situation.

    The reality is we need to also recruit an army of new carers at the same time as think of ways to make sure they don't pass on the disease inadvertently to those they are looking after.

    I suggested quarantine hotels where staff can go on shift safely. But we do need many more caring staff so that there can be enough people on hand.

  • Posted by MikeJohnston May 10, 2020 at 20:55

    Yes, do this very publicly with the carers proudly wearing some sort of badge/scarf/hat to identify themselves. Suggest 11:00-12:00 each day and we can all come to our doors to applaud you and offer support.

  • Posted by Woodsider May 11, 2020 at 09:47

    fully support this suggestion. Carers like this one who are helping our services greatly through their voluntary efforts need to be given special times when they can get some kind of respite and being able to go out safely could greatly improve their ability to continue doing the hugely important valuable work they are doing.

  • Posted by CMcIlroy May 11, 2020 at 14:29

    Sharing the time each of us have for the tasks we each have and our own care with and in the local community needs support and guidance

    Team time (shielding, care workers) community awareness and giving way to these teams during their recreational.

    Making these activities economically recognized within a wellbeing measurement that foreign investors and tourists should be both offered an option to buy into and be obliged to acknowledge in their visit schedules.
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