Written by: Methodist Homes
Article source: Supplied
The nursing staff forms the backbone of the Methodist Homes organisation in ensuring that we honour our core business – caring for the elderly. We therefore always endeavour to show our sincere gratitude to all our nurses and caregivers each and every day for their unwavering commitment to and passionate care for our Care Centre residents at nine of our fifteen Retirement Villages. So International Nurses’ Day on the 12th of May remains one of the most important days on the Methodist Homes calendar; this day belongs to our nursing staff, giving acknowledgement of their hard work and dedication.
But the extent to which nurses go in caring for people and saving lives has without any doubt been amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Covid year has been one of the most gruelling for most nurses, Methodist Homes nurses included. These past months have seen countless front line workers around the world going above and beyond, risking their lives every single day to care for the ill. So now, more than ever before, these selfless individuals deserve acknowledgement and thanks and so we urge everyone to please spare a special thought for all first responders and front liners around the world on Nurses Day.
As our residents fall into the high infection risk category, Methodist Homes has been implementing strict health measures and protocols since the inception of the first lockdown level 5 announced by the South African Government in March last year. While we have relaxed a few of our measures in line with the gradual easing of lockdown, we continue to adhere to a number of strict protocols for the protection of not only our valued residents but also of their families and loved ones as well as our staff. During the various lockdown levels, many of our nursing staff and caregivers have been asked to sleep on the premises during each shift in order to minimise risk to our residents and to provide care. This meant that they did not see their families very often, whom were left at home.
We are so proud of our nurses’ commitment to their work and the loving care they provide to our residents. They have been simply amazing during Covid, putting themselves at risk, unfaltering in their gentle understanding of the elderly and ensuring that all the Covid protocols are observed. Our nurses are supported by the caregivers who are at the coal face of our nursing care, being there to cater to our residents’ every need and performing all the back breaking everyday tasks, like showering residents, helping them to eat, etc.
We consider the mental wellbeing of our residents as important as their physical wellbeing. Subsequently, with facilities such as hairdressers closed and social activities limited, our nursing staff and caregivers have stepped in to pamper residents, giving manicures, head and hand massages, washing their hair or simply being a companion when someone is feeling lonely or missing their loved ones. They have taken the place of the residents’ families and loved them like their own. When families and loved ones were unable to visit residents during the early lockdown levels when visitation form loved ones was not permitted, our staff again went that extra mile; families needed a lot more communication during strict lockdown which demanded extra time from our staff. But they were always ready to assist the residents with video and/or voice calls to families and to take snap shots of the residents and send them to their loved ones. Some of the nurses and caregivers have even been marching through the Retirement Villages singing uplifting songs, helping to lift the spirits of our residents during lockdowns.
They have assisted to take some of the Covid strain off management and give the best care possible to the residents in a very different way than ever before. The way they have taken on the extra responsibilities and stepped up whenever we needed them at short notice is testimony to how happy they are at work and how professional and loving they are as employees.
In addition to mid and frail care, some of our Care Centres also specialise in the care of residents living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Each Care Centre is under the supervision of a qualified Nursing Manager. Our nurses, supported by caregivers, work two shifts per day at each Care Centre where a registered or enrolled nurse is always on duty. We are proud of the fact that many of our nursing staff has been with us for a very long time; fifteen staff members have reached over 30 years’ service and another ten members have been with us for over 20 years.
We also make sure that there is professional health care available to residents at our Retirement Villages that do not have a Care Centre. Qualified nurses, assisted by care givers, run clinics and pay personal visits to the residents in their retirement home.
Training at Methodist Homes is ongoing for all categories of staff. Our registered nurses attend various training courses annually in order to keep up their required CPD points. Our Nursing Managers and/or professional nurses provide regular ongoing in-service training to our nursing staff, including our caregivers. In addition, specialised courses are also provided including Alzheimer’s training, palliative care, customer care, induction, and debriefing courses. We embrace the Eden Alternative and the entire Methodist Homes staff, including management, is given training on this philosophy that “is focused on the care of the human spirit as well as the care of the human body” and promotes retirement “environments where residents want to live and carers enjoy working.”
In closing, the Methodist Homes management extends an accolade to all our staff for working tirelessly, often unnoticed to take care of our valued residents. “Our nurses are angels in disguise. Your job is a special calling and God gives you the wings to do it so well. Without you Methodist Homes would not be able to do what we do. You are our face in the industry and the unsung heroes. Your commitment and passion is what makes you stand out! Thank you and God bless all of you abundantly!”
About Methodist Homes
Since 1970, Methodist Homes for the Aged has professionally managed twelve villages in Gauteng and three in the North West Province, providing comfortable and secure accommodation to some 2000 elderly in a safe and secure environment. In addition to the 9 Care Centres offering mid, frail and Alzheimer’s care, the organisation also offers a wide selection of retirement accommodation options that range from life rights and rental units to full board and lodging.
International Nurses Day is celebrated every year on May 12, on the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday, the founder of modern day nursing, to mark the contributions that nurses make to society.
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Date published: 06/05/2021
Feature image: Image for illustrative purposes only. unsplash.com
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