Ruislip & Eastcote & Northwood Gazette
‘Health and social care staff are now valued as key workers’
FRONTLINE WORKER: ‘WE’RE STAYING POSITIVE’
AT the beginning, Madina Lancaster admits she was a bit worried about working on the frontline during the pandemic.
Madina, 33, is a care worker in Hounslow, working for Dimensions, which supports people with learning disabilities and autism.
Like many other key workers, she has continued to go to work throughout the coronavirus pandemic, while many other people have been able to stay in and work from home.
However, Madina’s job cannot be done from home.
She spends every day helping people who are in desperate need of it and making a positive difference to people’s lives.
“I was a little bit worried about working during the coronavirus, and the impact it might have on my health and my family,” she said.
Despite this initial worry, Madina explained that they have not had any cases of the virus where she works.
She said: “Thankfully, we haven’t had any cases of coronavirus, and I’d like to think it’s because we’ve been really responsible, following all of the guidelines and using the right PPE.
“Obviously it is still a challenging time for us, but we’re staying positive and making sure we provide the best possible support.”
Madina added that she feels lucky that, at Dimensions, they have been provided with such adequate PPE.
“Almost every week, we’ve had new supplies of masks, aprons and all the necessary PPE, which we’re really grateful for,” she said.
She also went on to explain that, despite difficulties, she feels incredibly proud to be working during such a challenging time.
She said: “It’s great that health and social care workers like me are being viewed differently now, valued and recognised as key/critical workers. We are keeping people’s loved ones safe, it’s a very important role.
“We’re keeping the people we support positive, putting comedy movies on for them, having spa mornings, doing music therapy sessions via Zoom and having video calls with their families.”
Madina’s job is about making connections and building relationships with the people she works with in order to help them and give them the support they need.
She spoke passionately about the individual people she works with and you can tell she really cares about everyone.
She said: “We have one resident who loves films, especially musicals with lots of dancing. We always put them on for him, and if I can see he’s happy I move him around and dance with him in his wheelchair.”
Madina also spoke about another individual she works with who has severe dysphasia, which is a language disorder, explaining she’s built a “really strong bond with her”.
“I can help feed her without her resisting, because she trusts me,” Madina said.
“She has a calm and quiet personality, and likes relaxing music and people speaking quietly to her. She also loves books, and we’re doing pamper sessions with her, styling her lovely long hair, and giving her a manicure.
“It’s all about spending one to one time together and making her feel good.”
While Madina’s job is certainly inspiring, she admitted it is definitely not always easy.
“When you’re working with people with learning disabilities and complex needs, you never know what you’re going to face when you come into work,” she said.
She added that the only way you can make a career like this work is to be adaptable.
“Plans can change at any time,” she added.
Madina has not always had the life she has got now. She came to the UK from Russia, where she had worked as a teacher, around two years ago.
When she arrived in the UK she said she felt like her English was not that great and she need to practice more to build up her confidence.
“My husband worked in care when he was at university, and he advised me to try a care job to build up my confidence,” she said.
From there, she has only gone up.
“There’s lots of flexibility with working hours and there’s great opportunities to make steps in your career and grow, if you’re ambitious,” Madina said.
“Within six months I was promoted as a senior and got the opportunity to do office work and at the same time help people to improve their life for better.”
This pandemic has made everything harder for everyone, but there are some jobs where stopping is not an option.
Madina, like many others working in care, will continue.
As many of us have stepped up to help others during this pandemic, that is Madina’s normality.
“Life is hard,” she said, “but if you help others there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.
“It is so good to have opportunity to make some positive difference in people`s lives.”
We are keeping people’s loved ones safe – it’s a very important role
Madina Lancaster