Domiciliary care workers

[ginforthewin4]

Hi.
I am a domiciliary care worker (home care worker).
Is there anyone else on here in this job at the minute?

We are going into clients houses with no masks, basic gloves and aprons. We have no sanitizer left. We are going into vulnerable adults, we do not know if we have the virus with no symptoms, we do not know if we are carrying the virus but have not had symptoms yet, same for the client.

We are crying out for masks but it is falling on deaf ears. We all have family at home that we risk carrying this too. No body knows what way each individual will react to this virus.
We have been told that masks do not protect us...... how can this be when it can pass through droplets? We cannot social distance from clients.

I just was looking to see if any of you are on the same boat as me. It is such a worrying time. I am so stressed all the time and just want proper equipment to do my job properly and safely.
We keep hearing how we do not need equipment UNTIL someone has symptoms.... why?? It is spreading like wildfire! It is too late to wait until symptoms show. We need the equipment now to protect those most vulnerable and ourselves and our families.

Everything you have said, and more.
The over looked and allegedly unskilled workforce! ( my arse!)

Not a care worker but a community nurse... much the same situation.

We are just starting to see patients referred with suspected Covid not suitable for hospital admission ...so will never be diagnosed . The home will not be clean, the virus will be on all surfaces and we have gloves and an apron wand if we are lucky a surgical mask.

And then we need to go onto the next patient... there is no planet on which this is safe.... stress levels are through the roof, it comes to something to be jealous of hospital colleagues with PPE!

Same here, although not a care worker but I am in a home daily. Lots of staff and some of them are going out shopping in their uniforms, coming back in and then going out on domiciliary visits. All we have is hand gel, it's utter madness and I feel as if nobody care, least of all management.

Yes, I'm a home care worker, I brought masks to keep at a cleaning station at the entrances of homes for all our clients when this all kicked off, we're a very small company so I could do this, it's just as frightening for us as it is those elderly and vulnerable and their families. I was shocked at how many who have close families near by still chose to have us in tbh.

@ginforthewin4 I've just started my own thread on this but no replies as yet.
I could have written your post word for word.
I am petrified of going back to work next week after being on self isolation for 2 weeks due to a cough (99% sure it wasn't covid19)

@MoreHairyThanScary

I completely agree with the element of jealousy r.e. hospital staff.

Whilst they 100% require it, they have the diagnosed numbers of covid 19. We on the other hand, in the community, where there is thought to be tens of thousands of cases, have nothing but our run of the mill aprons and gloves we wear daily anyway.
It is so disheartening. I am am so anxious and worried. Worried for my clients, my family, and myself. I have heard of nurses and doctors dying due to exposure. How much of this am I being exposed to unknowingly because of no appropriate PPE.

@ohdoriswheresthesalad
I work for the nhs
There was a clap tonight at 8pm and all I felt was utter sadness that we have nothing to protect us or our clients.

Same here. Ambulance worker

They just don't seem to be taking it all seriously do they?

I work in care and am in a similar situation. I am scared for my clients, scared for my colleagues and that I will spread it to my children.

@countrygirl38 do use have masks?

We are not getting masks. But yet we walk into a local shop and all the workers have them

I think PHE are turning a blind eye to the problem. Perhaps someone somewhere is hoping any deaths can be put down to run of the mill chest infection or heart failure etc.

I've brought my own masks. I'm not risking it, regardless if "you only need to wear if the client has symptoms "

This makes for very depressing reading.

I'm a self employed carer and it's terrifying. Fortunately for me being self employed I get to decide who and what I do. I have Ppe on the way from public health England but I don't have any hand sanitizer now. One thing I did do was buy an infrared no contact thermometer and I check my clients temperature on entry each day.
It's a really scary time

How can you only need masks if there is symptoms though?
People carry this without symptoms for days therefore it has already been spread. You could wash your hands a million times but it is passed through droplets in the air which we and everyone else is breathing in.
I really cannot get my head around this.

I'm a home Carer. Are you finding less of your clients family are helping when they were before, I know we are on lockdown but dropping meals off outside or washing?
We have had to do all these to help taking extra time so the poor clients aren't left with nothing at all. Twice today I was reduced to tears with what I was met with no food, no clean clothes, no gas or electric etc.
We only have gloves and what ever hand wash we can get hold of and that's it.
My daughter is beside herself with worry every time I leave the house but as her father lives abroad I have no choice but to continue to work.

@crimsonlake
It is a very depressing but real time to be living in.

Exactly why I brought my own masks.
We've got clients who's families are still
visiting which isn't the point!
Absolutely terrified.

The only masks I could get where dust masks from my partners work.

I brought mine from amazon, £49 for 50 but what do you do? Theyll last me 2 shifts ☹️

Is there a likelihood that people will catch it, like 1 in 3 or anything like that?

I think you will get it if exposed.
So you will either just carry it, no symptoms.
Mild symptoms and carry.
Moderate symptoms and carry.
Or the worst.... severe symptoms and obv carry.
Symptoms can take days to show so by then you will have spread it.... a lot. Which is why masks, aprons, gloves, visors etc are (in my eyes) essential BEFORE symptoms show up.

I have never heard of a virus either where the more exposed you are the worse it is. Young nurses are dying in italy from being exposed so much.
I have always known a virus that you either get it or you don't regardless of levels of exposure.

Is it transferred by touch and droplets isn't it?
If we try not to get close so they dont breathe on us and don't touch them with bare skin the risk is lower isn't it?