Meet the Sheffield care home staff who have left their families behind to care for vulnerable

Staff at Bridgedale House care home in Sheffield have been praised after volunteering to live there for the duration of the coronavirus lockdown.
By Dan Hayes
Published 27th Mar 2020, 06:00 BST
Updated 1st Apr 2020, 14:50 BST
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As well as the deputy manager, the specialist dementia home currently has a live-in chef, a domestic, and six care assistants, two of whom work nights.

Care assistant Sarah-Jane Clark, 23, from Nether Green, was one of those who volunteered.

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She said: “We did it because we cared about our residents and we wanted to keep them safe.

“It feels very surreal and strange. Some of the girls have kids and I am very rarely apart from my fiance.

“But it is hard for the residents as well because they are not able to see their families either.”

Sarah-Jane said some of the residents had underlying health conditions but were mainly at risk simply because of their age.

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But she added they were still able to keep in touch with the outside world by taking advantage of the latest in modern technology including Facetime, What’s App and video messages.

A group of Care Workers at Bridgedale Care Home, have moved into the home, to help protect the residents from Coronavirus. Lynsey Wright, Deputy Manager (front second right), pictured outside the home with staff members. Picture: NSST-26-03-20 Bridgedale 1-NMSYA group of Care Workers at Bridgedale Care Home, have moved into the home, to help protect the residents from Coronavirus. Lynsey Wright, Deputy Manager (front second right), pictured outside the home with staff members. Picture: NSST-26-03-20 Bridgedale 1-NMSY
A group of Care Workers at Bridgedale Care Home, have moved into the home, to help protect the residents from Coronavirus. Lynsey Wright, Deputy Manager (front second right), pictured outside the home with staff members. Picture: NSST-26-03-20 Bridgedale 1-NMSY

“We are keeping their day to day lives as normal as possible but we don’t have the news on as much as we don’t want to upset them,” she said.

“And we are still doing lots of activities with them like armchair aerobics which we have been doing outside in the really lovely weather.”

As well as missing family and friends, the staff are having to sleep on blow-up mattresses in any spare space they can find - but they have still managed to make their new quarters their own.

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And some will even be celebrating their birthdays at the home with deputy manager Lynsey Wright’s taking place on Sunday and care assistant Sarah Willis’s happening next week.

Staff members pictured with residents waving through the Conservatory Windows. Picture: NSST-26-03-20 Bridgedale 4-NMSYStaff members pictured with residents waving through the Conservatory Windows. Picture: NSST-26-03-20 Bridgedale 4-NMSY
Staff members pictured with residents waving through the Conservatory Windows. Picture: NSST-26-03-20 Bridgedale 4-NMSY

“We have all brought in little home comforts and my mum gave me some photographs to bring with me so I am happy,” she said.

“And we are keeping in touch with our families on a daily basis as well. It is hard but I came here first on work experience and just completely fell in love with it.

“I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. It is like my second family.”

Related topics:Sheffield