#SnowHeroes: Care workers ditch day off to battle into work for elderly

Care home staff around the country slept in care homes, undertook marathon shifts and even battled blizzards on their day off to keep elderly safe from the ‘Beast from the East’.

The Beast from the East - a nickname used to describe arctic conditions affecting huge swathes of the UK - has seen care home staff among those earning the title of 'snow heroes'. On Twitter, the hashtag #SnowHeroes has been trending and includes many stories of care workers’ heroism.

Stranded in car at night but went into work

Donald Macaskill, the chief executive at Scottish Care, which represents independent care providers tweeted:

‘Heard tonight of #carehome worker who had to be rescued from car after stranded on Tues night and despite ordeal was back on shift on Wed evening having travelled 15 miles through blizzards to make it into work. That’s real #socialcare dedication.’

Meanwhile, staff at Davers Court care home in Bury St Edmunds decided to sleep at the care home because of the extreme weather including home manager Wendy Harvey.

Food deliveries did not reach the home, so care staff braved the snow and ice on foot to get food.

Ditching the day off

And as a bitter chill engulfed much of the UK, some staff even decided to work on their day off, including a district nurse who arrived at Davers Court care home with her children and husband.

“She was on a day off but she wanted to ensure that the residents had the clinical support they needed, and she knew other healthcare professionals may not have been able to get to the home”, said Ms Harvey, who manages the home operated by Care UK.

Some staff at Heather View in East Sussex also ditched their day off and battled through freezing conditions and icy paths to walk to work because the roads were too dangerous.

Home manager Natasha King said: “Our home is at the top of the hill and so was affected from the start of the wintry weather. I was delighted and amazed when I went to the home’s front door at 8am on Tuesday morning and found four of the team.

“They were not scheduled to work but they wanted to ensure residents and their colleagues were supported. They walked in from their homes to ensure we had sufficient people on duty, knowing that those who had to come from further away may not make it here."

She says two of the team even stayed overnight “to make sure they avoided slips and trips on the way home that may have caused them to be off during the coming days.”

Care home provider HC-One took to Twitter to praise care workers.

HC-One tweeted: ‘A huge thank you to the staff at Tenlands who have gone above this week. They have walked to work, having abandoned their cars to ensure they can look after the Residents, cleared pathways and ventured out for supplies of bread and milk #kindcare #snowheroes’

Marathon shift

With Brooke village in Lowestoft cut off by snow drifts, staff at Brooke House care home, run by Kingsley Healthcare have been doing a marathon shift – which started when the blizzards began on the morning of Wednesday February 28 and may not end until Monday 5 March.

Care home manager Hayley Hirst does not know when she will see home again. She told The Lowestoft Journal: “I arrived at 11am on Wednesday because the journey took me four hours in the snow. I have been here ever since, with my deputy manager Sue Manning, senior support worker Claire Selby and domestic Tracey Fairman.

Care home's chef walks miles in snow carrying potatoes for residents

“Other members of staff have been walking more than two miles in the snow from Poringland to get in. One of those, our chef Paul Newson, has been carrying supplies of potatoes with him."

Describing the never-ending shift she says: “We have just been dozing in the lounge when we can. Six staff are not able to make it in today so we won’t be getting home anytime soon – maybe it will be Sunday or Monday.”

Luckily for residents at Cavell Court in Cringleford run by Care UK, staff from across the care group were having an internal meeting at a nearby hotel.

Care home manager Jennie Rodger said: “When they woke up and saw they snow, they managed to get to the home to help. Those who were nurses and former carers found uniforms and got to work, while others made beds and helped out" as some couldn't make it to work that day.

At care homes run by the group Caring Homes staff have been giving each other lifts and swapping shifts with those who live closer to care homes. The group stated: "Each home has made provision to offer overnight stays for those employees who cannot make it home due to extreme weather conditions".

Going extra miles though the snow

Staff at Yaxley House near Eye, run by Kingsley Healthcare, have literally been walking more than the ‘ extra mile’ in the snow. Simon Parker arrived at work after a two-hour hike.

Mr Parker said: “You do what you have to do to get to work and do your job.”

Sharon Allen, chief executive of Skills for Care, spoke at the Skills for Care conference on 1 March praising care workers who had been bravely continuing to “do what they do day in, day out”.

On 2 March, Theresa May thanked “everyone in this country who is going the extra mile” and praised care workers in particular.