This uplifting story takes us to a small residential home based in the town of Gosport, Hampshire. Brooklands Care Ltd is home to five adults with learning disabilities, from Autism to Down Syndrome of varying ages.
Pre pandemic, the home gives a maximum of five adults a place to live and thrive and enjoy a life very much integrated into the community. With current Government restrictions ensuring people stay indoors it’s a very different story.
When Manager, Paula Holloway got in touch with PSE it was to shine a light in the inspiring way their 10 staff members and five residents have adapted to this extremely difficult period.
No residents or staff are showing any symptoms of coronavirus, which is good for obvious reasons, but also as the home doesn’t use agency staff and likes to keep the same faces caring for their residents every day.
The welfare of staff is something which is of high importance to Brooklands Care managers and staff have been given an extra paid day off a week to be mentally and physically at the top of their game when they are on shift enabling them to spend extra quality time with their families.
The residents of Brooklands love going out into the community, and as they are currently unable to, staff have had to innovate around the restrictions to keep day to day life as normal as possible.
These include turning their garage into a large arts and craft space during the day and a disco in the evening, equipped with a bar and disco lights.
They have invested in in-house activities such as gardens games and baking supplies, and there is currently a vegetable garden underway, giving residents a wonderful distraction whilst making their own produce.
Manager Paula Holloway said:
“We have ensured that we have adequate and supplies of PPE although this has been hard to source at times. We are in continuous contact with our CQC inspector (usually weekly) as we are with the local authorities. All my staff are going above and beyond so could never single one person out. All are amazing and have defined the word team brilliantly.”
