Preparing vulnerable the to go home remains focus

Redcar and Cleveland Council-owned Meadowgate Intermediate Care Centre, in Eston, has kept focus on its residents by ensuring more one-on-one time and establishing creative stimuli.

Manager Lisa Mussett said: “It can be quite emotional at times but the spirit of all our people, the staff and our families, how everyone has come together, has been special.”

Meadowgate, opened in November, is specialist centre which takes people with health problems coming out of hospital and helps them regain independence so they can go home - which means beds can be freed up at James Cook University Hospital.

Residents have gone into isolation in their bedrooms and families have been unable to visit, while some staff have had to stay home.

Individually, people are taken out of rooms to the likes of the gym or the garden and have one-on-one time with staff.

“Our team also work one-to-one with them in their rooms. There’s been a lot of arts and crafts and we’ve been doing ‘bedroom bingo’ and quizzes. It takes a lot of running around from staff shouting out numbers and questions for everyone to hear,” Ms Mussett said.

“We have someone who loves gardens, so it’s important she spends time there. There are lovely relationships building but, at the same time, the work getting people ready for home must not stop. The exercise and preparation regimes for independence are continuing.”

Staff have their temperature taken at the start of each day, and change into uniforms on site.

A flexible rota is designed to ensure that members of staff are not in physical contact to reduce the risk of infection and more time is spent on cleaning and changing into the right protective equipment.

Family and friends are also reassured throughout the day, with photos and emails being exchanged. Normally, residents can have visitors twice a day.

“We had a really emotional one today,” Ms Mussett added. “We have a lovely gentleman who has been in hospital for a long time and today was the first day he could actually see his daughter – who lives away - since Christmas Day.

“Emotions were running high, but it was a lovely moment when the video link worked. The families need reassurance but, at the same time, they’ve been so supportive of us and I can’t tell you how much everyone appreciates that.”

Colleagues are taking turns to make communal meals, while the kitchen staff have baked treats, like a rainbow cake, as a sign of hope.

Councillor Mary Ovens, cabinet member for adult social care, said: “The team at Meadowgate is always excellent and it is no surprise to me that they have risen to the challenge of coping during the lockdown so well.

“I would like to take the opportunity to praise the hard work and dedication of care workers in all our homes and centres right across the borough who are going to work every day to give such crucial support to some of our most vulnerable people. You are all heroes.”