Staff struggle with psychological toll of patients’ deaths
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‘We have patients with dementia in the Solas Unit and when we asked what we should do with them, we were told to continue as normal. We couldn’t restrain them and confine them to their rooms.’
The average age of residents who passed away was 88 and some were in their 90s.
‘Some were receiving end of live care and couldn’t take any infection on top of what was there,’ she says.
Dolores says that any residents who needed more care than could be provided in the nursing home were transferred to hospital.
The impact of the outbreak on staff was such that Eoin says ‘people were walking around with their faces shielded in floods of tears’.
‘Our staff are human beings and these patients are loved ones that they are dealing with.’
He continues that they had always prided themselves on the excellent end of life care which they had provided, affording dignity to families and their loved ones, but this had to change due to the COVID-19 protocols.
‘It’s very difficult for staff not to be able to give that to the best of their ability. There isn’t that closure.’
‘We would have grieving families here in the middle of the night and we miss being able to hug them, that human touch,’ says Catriona.
In the past, staff would have formed a guard of honour as the remains of a deceased resident was removed from the home, but now remains were being taken away in body bags by undertakers.
Eoin accepts that there were problems with communications, due to staff absences, but says that regular updates were provided by email and through the post.
As the virus spread through the nursing home, a large number of staff were also affected. This impacted on their ability to communicate with anxious relatives wanting to know how their loved ones were doing.
‘We would normally get about 300 phone calls a week, but during mid-April we were getting 2,500 calls,’ says Eoin, ‘It was a huge struggle and completely understandable that families wanted updates about their relatives.’
With office staff out sick and nursing staff concentrating on caring for residents, the management team pay special tribute to Clare Ward, a primary school teacher and granddaughter of a resident, who volunteered to go in and man the phones.
‘Her granny was very unwell with COVID but she came in and managed the front office, answering calls, giving families updates and doing admin,’ says Dolores.
‘She has been a tremendous support to Dealgan House and worked here for the past three months.’
Eoin says that other nursing homes have been in contact with them to offer support and to give the message that they felt ‘ lucky’ that they weren’t in the same position.
Although the deaths of 22 patients will never be forgotten, Eoin points out that other patients who contracted COVID-19 have recovered, including a 101-year-old woman.
While the level of publicity and abuse has taken its toll on staff, Catriona says that they are also getting much appreciated support from the relatives of past residents.
‘We have got hundreds of handwritten cards saying how they appreciated the care their relatives got here.’
Local businesses have been dropping off food and treats for the staff. ‘Every Friday The Windsor delivered food for staff,’ she says, adding that a local councillor also provided them with scrubs.
‘ The psychological impact, whether you had COVID or were working with COVID patients, is enormous,’ she continues. ‘ The staff are very tearful and emotional.’
She adds that they hope to hold a religious service of commemoration for all the residents who died during the pandemic whenever it is possible.
‘ They were like family to us.’