Nov 2020
Life during a pandemic for an Activities Co-ordinator at Jubilee Lodge
Activities Co-ordinator, Georgia Butler joined Jubilee Lodge in August 2020. Read Georgia’s account of her experiences working in a care home during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“Coronavirus has been difficult for all of us, but even more so for those in care homes. Many of our residents are very vulnerable, so as a result visits from loved ones have been limited, as has the amount residents can mix between households.
“But, as with anything, where there is bad there is also good.
“Since the start of the lockdown, OSJCT began organising video calls between the residents and their loved ones, which has allowed the residents to stay connected with the people they care about. As an Activities Coordinator, I frequently assist with the video calls and, as a result, I have got to know the families and friends too. We hear stories of our residents’ pasts, their likes, and dislikes and of course, some funny stories. These moments make it easier to connect with residents and to introduce meaningful activities into their lives.
“We have increased the amount of one-to-one time we spend with the residents and for me, the value of one-to-one activities swiftly became clear. The quality time you spend together can be tailored to the individual; I play a lot of music for the residents, and through this one-to-one time I have been able to learn their favourite songs and the ones that will trigger their memories and that they will sing along to. I have learnt interesting aspects of their history, from guilty pleasures to surprising skills to cherished memories, which before now we may not have been aware of.
“Where residents have unique skills, I will ask them to teach me something. Revisiting an old skill will often light up something in them, as well as the value in passing on information. It reminds them that while they are in a care home, they have by no means stopped living their lives.
“We cannot wait to return to group activities and have visitors and entertainers in again, but the importance of the time we have taken to slow down cannot be underestimated. Keep an eye out on our Facebook page to see what we get up to.”