Tired DD

[Oma]

Last night I had a long chat with DD she is exhausted.
She is on call 24 hours a day and this week has worked 60 hours .

Yesterday she was the only Manager in along with 3 staff to cover the whole of Gateshead .
Not only were they doing usual work but they also had calls for 9 people without food , 4 Hospital admitions they had to attend and 3 nursing home admitions.

She went out on 6 food runs and all the a Hospital admitions. And one of the other staff did 3 food runs and the nursing homes .

By law now for their safety every time they leave the office they must report in to senior management like Directors so each time she emailed in and out ,
Not one rang to see how they were coping until 6.30 when the director rang to say he knew she had two days off so would she do two 8 hour shifts in the care home over the weekend .

She refused , under normal circumstances she would have said yes but she's on her knees and needs a rest .

She told him if he wanted her to end up on the sick fine but what would they do then ? They already running on skeleton staff as it is .

She loves her job but last night she actually cried . My DD is like me tough and it takes a lot to drag her down so to hear her cry broke my heart .

She has 2 days off but couldn't even have a lie in this morning as she had to do a conference call at 8am .
She said Mam I feel on rock bottom what do these poor Drs and Nurses feel like .

When this is all over I wonder if all these key workers will be rewarded in any way even a extra week paid holiday would be good

She was in from 7am yesterday morning till 7.30 last night and still getting messages about work at 8.30 . She said SIL had taken her phone away and switched it off . Good for him .

[Nanto2girls]

Oma, sorry to hear work is taking its toll on DD.
She certainly needs a rest.
Well done SIL for switching the phone off.
Unfortunately,things won't get better any time soon.

[Gemini]

Oh the poor girl Oma She is only human. I know these are exceptional times, but one human being can only do so much xxx

[Oma]

I still see her as my little girl so when she cried my protective mode took over if her boss had been handy I'm afraid he would have had me to deal with . Just as well I can't get to him

[Nana]

Bless her little heart. It's beyond awful for them. What a terrific daughter you've brought up tho Oma. I wish they would all be rewarded but can't see it happening. All these billions, trillions of pounds that's suddenly appeared have got to be paid back somehow when all this is over.

However I did hear that MP's were getting another ten grand on top of the twenty they've already been given so they & their office staff can work at home. This money is for equipment... laptops, copiers etc.

Personally I'd prefer monies to go to a young woman in Gateshead whose worked 60hrs this week & whose on her knees crying with exhaustion. Working so hard but the director appears not to give a 💩. Give her my love Oma & tell her that we are all so grateful for her devotion & selflessness towards her fellow human beings, who genuinely need her help. God love her.❤

[Mimi]

Oma your poor DD , she is going above and beyond her call of duty.
It's good to see that she refused to do extra shifts. She isn't much help to anyone if she becomes ill.

We were taking about all the NHS staff and key workers who are doing extra hours , it would be a lovely gesture from the government if they didn't pay tax on their over time and when this is over I think they should have a substantial amount of paid time off .

[WeeGranny]

Hope that your DD manages to get some much needed rest this weekend, Oma. Someone was taking the P*** asking her to work extra shifts over and above what she's already done. And well done SiL for taking her phone away!

[Oma]

She got up early this morning for the 8 am conference call and two of the big bosses didn't get on till 10 so she wasn't happy but at least till Monday she's free .

Thank you ladies for your support for her.
I bet there are hundreds feeling the same way she is at the moment . They deserve medals the size of bin kids all of them xx

[Lizzie48]

It must be so tiring for all concerned. I hope she takes it easy this weekend.

[Daisy]

Oma, it makes me cry to hear how your DD is slogging her guts out in extremely stressful and dangerous situations, helping people in need. I actually think it was morally wrong of the Director to ask her to do 2 x 8hr shifts over the week-end. If she doesn't get a break she won't be able to carry on at that pace for long, so your SIL did the right thing and taking her phone away. Everybody needs to stop before reaching their breaking point and she needs a couple of days to rest and try to recharge her batteries.

We're all proud of your DD and the hundreds/thousands of people like her who are putting their own health on the line to help others.

I hope when all this is over wonderful, selfless people like your DD are recognised for what they've done - tax-free overtime would be a nice gesture, but I think they deserve much, much more - both money and recognition.

Tell her 'thank you' from one very grateful granny. xxx

[Plantaholic]

Quite agree with everything Daisy has said, there comes a time when you have to say enough is enough

[Sum1Ls]

So awful. Half the nation is sitting at home desperate to help and the other half run ragged trying to do an impossible job. I think she’s wise to insist on having a respite from the strain which is emotional as well as physical. She will need to keep a balance for her own sake and for those service users she supports.

We are in a dreadful position too. I Chair Greenwich Mencap and we have had to close the workshop and the reorganise the ILS. Our service users don’t understand what is happening or why they are being restricted and the managers of the different services we offer are exhausted too. Staff are ill or self isolating and the needs are urgent. We are doing what we can online and also making hard decisions about furloughing staff. Our finances are fragile, such dreadful times.

Just glad your daughter has you for emotional support.

[Mimi]

It makes me mad that there are so many people who are working with their backs against the wall but they keep going doing a wonderful job and then you get some who are treading this lockdown as some sort of flipping holiday.
Yesterday, Easter Sunday didn't stop several families around here having friends and families around to their homes for bbqs and general get togethers.

[Daisy]

Sum1 - It's an impossible situation for both your service users and all the providers, managers and volunteers.

Friends of ours have an adult daughter who lives in a sheltered house with 24/7 care. They have had to send the 3 residents home because of staff self-isolating and having their own families to care for. This young woman has no idea why she's back at her parents' home, why she can't go and see the people she usually loves to see and why they can't go wandering round their village. Her dad takes her out in the car each morning (carrying medical evidence explaining why they can't walk from home) and they go for an isolated walk, but she likes to see people and loves going into town for a cup of tea. She won't settle to sleep at night and her mum usually ends up 'sleeping' with her. The parents are also sandwich generation carers with highly dependent frail parents, and must be at their wits' end, pulled in every direction.

It's hard to know how to help. I send the young woman regular photos and tell her what we and our GDs (who she knows) are doing. Her mum and dad read them to her and she loves looking at photos. I can't think of anything else which might help to keep her amused for a few minutes.

You must have service users who haven't got any back-up, which must be worrying and very sad.

[Sum1Ls]

Daisy it’s dreadful, and your poor friend. Their daughter is in a similar place to many of our service users. It’s a constant juggling act, and when wardens or ISW are themselves ill the consequences don’t bear thinking about. Some have no family to go to. Our CEO is working 60 to 70 hour days and I worry for her health. And her daughter who lives with her is in charge of discharge arrangements from QEH. She strips off all her clothes at the porch, gets straight into the shower and clothes in the machine - no PPE for them. They live in constant fear.
And all my contact is remote so I can’t offer the sort of support I would like. Getting clarification from the government is a nightmare although the LA are doing their best.