Coronavirus: 'Unimaginable heartache' brings huge rise in mental illness among care home staff

Care homes have seen a "massive" rise in mental illness amongst staff and "unimaginable heartache" with two thirds of staff reporting mental health issues since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a managers' poll reveals.

An anonymous survey, conducted in late June by the Sheffield Care Association of care homes responsible for 885 care home beds in the city, has revealed care home managers admit their staff have anxiety, depression or stress.

Care home providers said the proportion of staff reporting mental health problems ranged all the way up to 90 per cent of their team, with the majority saying that 20 per cent of their workforce had reported concerns about their mental health.

’Unimaginable heartache’ felt by staff

Nicola Richards, managing director of Palms Row Health Care and chair of the Sheffield Care Association (SCA), which conducted the survey, said: “Sadly, care homes have taken the full force of the impact of this pandemic and the impact on the mental health of care home staff has been massive.

“They’ve also experienced unimaginable heartache after seeing residents die in extreme circumstances and also the higher death toll in some care homes across the country.

“I’m extremely proud of all my staff and the way they have responded to this horrific period but I’m not surprised that many of them, along with carers throughout the city, are struggling with their mental health and I fear we may see experienced staff exit the sector as they struggle to cope.

“They have spent the last four months fighting for residents’ lives while putting their own health at risk despite every safety precaution being taken within the homes.

"This is a workforce that has made the wellbeing of the most vulnerable people in our society a priority and sacrificed time with their own families in order to protect them.”

The majority of care home managers were concerned about the wellbeing of their workforce with almost three quarters (72 per cent) expecting to see a rise in mental health problems after this pandemic from staff, residents and families.

Over a third (36 per cent) of care homes have seen an increase in mental health problems among their residents.

SCA had responses from a fifth of the care beds in Sheffield. The poll of care home managers also revealed that a third of all care home beds in the city could face closure in a matter of weeks.

The chair of SCA added: “They’re understandably exhausted and we as a society need to repay our debt to them and recognise what they’ve been through.”