The complex challenge of staffing homes for disabled people during Covid
A number of staff and residents at homes for people with disabilities in Hafnarfjörður have COVID. Around half of the homes' managers also tested positive for the virus this week. It has been difficult to manage staffing levels, as the residents require round-the-clock care. Just over sixty residents live in the homes for people with disabilities in Hafnarfjörður and receive round-the-clock care. The high number of COVID infections has made it difficult to provide the necessary care.
A number of staff and residents at homes for disabled people in Hafnarfjörður have COVID. About half of the homes' managers also tested positive for the virus this week. It has been difficult to manage staffing levels as the residents require round-the-clock care. There are over sixty residents at the homes for people with disabilities in Hafnarfjörður, who receive round-the-clock care.
Hrönn Hilmarsdóttir is the Manager of Development and Operations for the Disability Portfolio in Hafnarfjörður.
„There is a lot of transmission at the moment, both among residents and staff, and as the situation stands today, for example, at this place, two-thirds of the staff are infected, all the residents are infected and we're just taking it one day at a time, one hour at a time, trying to find ways and solutions. But this is just one of those places that are in this situation right now. The managers have taken things with great equanimity and are incredibly positive and solution-focused, finding ways because no two days are the same and what's happening in one place might not be happening in another.“ says Hrönn.
In some places, it is easy to separate infected residents from others as they live in flats, but elsewhere it is complicated. Sometimes, infected residents also find it difficult to understand why they are not allowed to be with the other residents. Hrönn says the infection is truly widespread in the community right now, but that circumstances can vary greatly.
„But it's important to remember that we have people here who need assistance around the clock, all year round, and these are often small, vulnerable units, not large teams of staff. We have even had staff seconded from other sites where there have been instances of the day service, where you know the residents, coming into the homes to resolve matters.“ says Hrönn.„I can't help but admire the staff working here because they've been a rock, united in their aim to make the residents feel as comfortable as possible. That's simply the goal for this entire team.“
„Part of the problem is finding a solution for each individual, especially in the shared houses. We need to protect the other residents. There are instances where I don't know whether I should disclose it, but there are instances of a manager simply taking a resident home with them, because everyone at the manager's home had Covid, the resident had Covid and got permission from their family because that was what suited the resident best, they had been cared for for a great many, many years.“ says Hrönn.