'We need more' - the calls from a care home short of personal protective equipment

A care home in Dumfries & Galloway has told ITV News of the “need” for more personal protective equipment in order to keep its frontline staff safe from Coronavirus.

Carlingwark Care Home in Castle Douglas has so far been unaffected by COVID-19, but its thirty residents and forty members of staff have had to make big changes to how the care home runs.

Manager, Kelly Henderson spoke about the strain being placed on staff, as residents with dementia struggle to come to terms with changes made within the home.

She said: “We entered into lockdown nearly 4 weeks ago, so we had to restrict visitors where possible, it then came to the fact that we had to restrict visitors all together and it is just emergencies only.

"I think the residents have found this really difficult, as has their loved ones. Trying to find some sort of normality in a situation that’s unprecedented is really quite difficult."

  • Video report for Dumfries & Galloway reporter Lewis Warner

"The staff is finding this extremely difficult because obviously they’re being asked to come into their work on a day to day basis not knowing what they’re coming to.

"They come in, they check their temperature before they commence, they come in in their civic so they don’t come in in their uniform.

"Staff that normally would be in and out like catering assistants, housekeeping, laundry, have all had to be restricted as well."

Inside the care home, residents are being kept about wherever possible but Kelly explains why this is yet another challenge.

"For that, again it’s quite difficult, people living with dementia don’t understand what this actually is or what it means.

"The staff has been fantastic trying to keep everybody in their areas and doing different group activities like one-to-ones to keep them motivated."

With demand for masks, gloves and sanitiser rising, it has left some without the correct equipment.

Kelly continued: "It is a worry because as an organisation they have tried really hard to get PPE for all care homes. Obviously everybody wants it. We do have provision but obviously we want more, we need more.

"We’re doing out very best to try and keep people's spirits up, I think what’s really important is that we are going to get through this, things will get back to normal and yes, we will meet again."

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