‘Reservists’ help care provider
A Sussex care provider has mobilised an army of ‘reservists’ to support its learning disability services.
Southdown is providing care and support for more than 200 people with learning disabilities during the Covid-19 pandemic, many of whom have additional physical disabilities and behaviour support needs, a spokesman for the firm said.
He added: “With an increase in staff absence due to the need to selfisolate, Southdown colleagues in other parts of the organisation have volunteered to be released from their current roles to provide support to their Learning Disability Services colleagues. More than 55 of these wonderful staff volunteers, known as Southdown Reservists, have signed up to take on support roles including telephone support buddies and food delivery drivers.”
The team are supporting clients who are being shielded, providing distanced support and helping community partners with their emergency plans among other activities. Alison Bacon, support manager at Brook Court in Horsham said: “Our team are doing a fantastic job of providing care and support. One of our staff members supported a resident who was crying about the situation. They got him a Guinness, waited for the start of dusk, then poured the drink for them so they could watch the sunset together. Our volunteers who are isolating have been able to make calls to clients and keep their connection going, and we’ve had great fun making quizzes and playing games together, which is something we love doing all year round.”
She added that staff go ‘over and above’ with senior managers supporting them.
Alison said: “A local supermarket sent the support workers and each of the people we support here a massive bunch of flowers last week. That meant a lot to us.”