‘After all we’ve been through, it’s such a relief that we can see light at the end of the tunnel’
As the roadmap out of lockdown is revealed, many are daring to see the light at the end of a long and dark tunnel, after months of huge challenges for neurorehab centres. Here, Jules Leahy at STEPS reflects on many difficult months and discusses how optimism is returning.
“The early days of the pandemic were very scary for centres like ours.
With little access to PPE, we had to resort to making our own out of bin bags when supplies just weren’t coming through, and sourcing our own was hugely expensive as it was so in demand.
We also had to fight hard to avoid COVID getting into the centre, which could have caused a deadly outbreak among our clients, all of whom are very vulnerable.
We refused to accept a client back into STEPS from hospital until he had been tested for COVID, which wasn’t being routinely done in the early days of the pandemic, but we insisted on it.
As much as we wanted him back, we needed to know if he was COVID positive or not so we could manage the risks appropriately. Our other clients and team would have been at risk if we hadn’t have found out he was positive and nursed him with the appropriate PPE.
People’s lives were at stake and we wouldn’t accept no for an answer.
We established he did indeed have COVID-19, so then quickly reorganised our building to create an entirely separate isolation area, which enabled him to come back to us while ensuring the protection of our other clients.
Looking back, that was a hugely challenging period – but thankfully things turned a corner quite quickly afterwards. After those awful first few weeks, the huge quantities of PPE we needed then started to come through and that made a huge difference.
Our staff have been absolutely amazing, we’ve all been in it together and have been there for each other every step of the way during long shifts, difficult times and sometimes tears.
We have three COVID tests every week and the new daily essential tasks of putting on PPE and washing hands regularly have been embraced and now feels like second nature.
It’s been a long slog, but we feel like we’re getting there.
The vaccination has been such a relief for everyone and the process has been done very efficiently.
Our local GPs are brilliant, they have vaccinated our team in three batches, one even out of hours on a Saturday evening. Our clients are also being vaccinated, which gives them a bit of hope and some light at the end of the tunnel, particularly with regard to being able to see their families.
One of the hardest parts has been our clients not being able to be close to their loved ones. That is heartbreaking and hasn’t got any easier.
We started doing drive-by visits in June, and we now do visits outside and have converted some space inside so visits are possible in some circumstances, but it is so upsetting that our clients can’t touch the people they love the most. It is genuinely heartbreaking to watch.
Pre-COVID, we didn’t have set visiting times so we had family members here all the time, they’d sit playing games with their loved ones, join them for meals, watch their therapy sessions, and many other things.
Lots of family and friends in the building was normal for STEPS and they helped to create the special atmosphere here. We all miss that incredibly, and we know how much the restrictions affect our clients.
Our staff have done an amazing job of stepping in, in the absence of family visits. The rehab intensity hasn’t changed at all and our clients have continued to progress accordingly.
What has been lovely to see is the relationships they have developed between each other, this has been fantastic and vital these past year.
Our team have worked so hard and have sacrificed so much in terms of choosing not to see friends and relatives, even when Government advice allowed it, so they could ensure the safety of our clients and their colleagues.
Many have opted to stay at work even when they’ve finished their shifts – sometimes we have parties for clients, if they’re leaving or for their birthdays, which many of our staff attend even if they’ve finished for the day.
Recently one of our staff bought a jewellery making kit for one of our clients, and they did it together one evening. To say our team are going above and beyond is really an understatement.
We’ve been amazed by the kindness of people.
When we couldn’t access enough PPE at first, we had donations of masks and gloves, and local schools were making visors for us. Wakefield Girls’ High School made us scrubs.
A company called Seoul Engineering in Korea sent us a huge delivery of masks, gloves and sanitiser at a time when PPE was very scarce in this country – that donation would have cost us £1,500 to buy at the time.
We also had clients’ families and local businesses sending us treats and goodies to take home. One lady donated 150 Easter eggs for our staff, Stewarts Solicitors sent us edible goodies and France & Associates sent us a hamper of pamper products. Even taking one little face mask home gave a huge boost to our staff, it was so appreciated.
