Worried nursing home staff put residents first

Worried nursing home staff put residents first

2 December 2015

AS news of the impending closure of Oakridge Nursing Home sinks in, staff have set aside concerns about their own future to concentrate on residents’ comfort.

This is according to Andrew Graham, who has worked as a carer in the Ballynahinch home for almost six years.

Andrew is one of 74 staff facing unemployment in February when the home will close for financial 

reasons.

Although he dreads the prospect of losing his job in the specialised dementia unit, he said workers were doing their best to make sure residents are as unaffected as possible by the stress.

Andrew said there was a feeling of sadness in the home, which he said was evident on workers’ faces, but they were working hard to ensure the run-up to Christmas is as festive as usual.

“Residents are like your family members, they are no different,” he said.

“When you look after them for so long and celebrate their birthdays and Christmas with them you get close.

“I came here as a cleaner but afterwards moved on to be a carer and I have never looked back.”

Although Andrew said he had heard Four Seasons Health Care, which owns the Magheraknock Road facility, was experiencing financial difficulties, he said he never dreamt Oakridge would close.

He said he discovered the news online after wakening at home following a night shift.

“I know there might be some changes for Four Seasons but I never really thought it would be our home,” he said.

“I was so shocked when I heard the news as were many relatives and their families.”

Despite the fact the home will close in weeks, Andrew said he will not dwell too much on it until after Christmas.

“We are trying to give the residents a good Christmas and I am trying to keep myself busy at work as I don’t want it to ruin Christmas for everyone,” he said.

“I would say the panic will really kick in in the New Year. You can already feel the atmosphere in the air even though staff are doing their best to stay positive.”

Local union organiser for the GMB, Mr Alan Perry, said he too found staff at the home were working hard to maintain normality for their elderly residents.

Although he said the union was campaigning to save the home, he said it was not yet clear if that would be possible.

“This came very much as a shock. Nobody had an inkling whatsoever,” he said. “Even from the trade union point of view the first we knew was when an public announcement was made.

“I was in the home on Wednesday and people were dumbfounded, staff were very emotional. It is a very hard time.”

Mr Perry said the situation at Oakridge was aggravated by the fact that many staff personally know the residents and their families, many of whom are from Ballynahinch.

“This is a community issue rather than solely to do with care,” he said.

“I have looked after the independent care sector for eight years. Home are not a typical workplace. Workers view Oakridge as an individual’s home and they have personal relationships with residents.”