“Most days I come home and feel absolutely exhausted, trying to support people who have no idea what’s going on in the world and then trying to support myself is just heartbreaking’ says health care support worker Chantelle Court. “Sometimes I wish I could just be at home doing Chloe Ting workouts and making iced coffee like most of the world, but the pandemic has made me realise how important my job is and that just about keeps me going“
With long hours, short breaks and being at high risk of catching covid, carers haven’t had it easy. “When the pandemic started in March, I won’t lie I was anxious, everyone was told to stay at home because it was too dangerous to be mingling with people etc, yet my job is taking care of multiple residents and being with the other carers.” Chantelle’s favourite part of her job always used to be “seeing the people I support develop skills and achieve things on their own” but now her favourite thing is just being able to say she got through the day.
Chantelle loves being a carer at ‘Care without Compromise’ in South Wales, “It’s what I’ve always wanted to do with my life, I love looking after people and helping people that need extra support, the pandemic has been the hardest challenge I’ve ever faced, and with my job, that’s saying something! The support key workers have received is incredible, it shows that we are being seen and heard as we work our socks off trying to look after everyone and ourselves, it means the world to me that we’re are now getting noticed for all the good we do.”
Key worker carers are now starting to receive their first dosage of the coronavirus vaccine, Chantelle said she hopes that the vaccine works so that she can get some ‘normality’ back in her and her residents lives.
Carers and all the key workers have put their lives on the line to give others the support and care they truly need, whilst everyone’s sat at home in front of the TV moaning they’re bored, key workers like Chantelle have been working hard throughout the pandemic and haven’t had time to moan once. Now is the time to realise just how lucky we all are.
