Find the latest classes both online and live available now from Age UK Barnet. From Bollywood dance to walking groups and so much more. Do you enjoy watercolour, or poetry? There really is something for everyone! Click here to view! Visit the website for more information.

My life as a care home worker during the last year 

On the surface little has changed. I have travelled daily to my work place as before but the daily challenges are totally different. Literally overnight my colleagues and I were the main human contact in our residents’ lives. We became responsible for managing the massive change in particular in their social interactions, hopefully softening the many restrictions they faced. The hardest part has been to communicate why their life has been turned upside down and that COVID is a real and serious threat to their life. 

My work place became more like my second home and the residents my second family. Balancing this whilst remaining professional and with the restrictions, including social distancing, has been a constant challenge but an extremely rewarding one at the same time. 

I also lost my preferred leisure activities and had to find an alternative way to manage my work life balance. This has made me more domesticated at home and I have enjoyed the closer interaction with my own family. 

I think I am lucky in my choice of second career as a social care worker. It has allowed me to maintain as much normality as possible and at the same time rewarding me with a real feeling of satisfaction and hopefully I have been able to make a positive difference. 

We spoke to Age UK Barnet about their organisation during the pandemic and what it meant to them and how they adapted to support Barnet seniors and this is what Helen Newman, Chief Executive, had to say:

‘It has been a challenging year for older people in our borough but we’re proud that Age UK Barnet’s staff and volunteer team have been there for them. We adapted all our usual services when the first lockdown began: we set up shopping and prescription collections; our bus was on the road delivering food parcels and hot meals; our handy person team carried on doing essential jobs (in full PPE); and our falls prevention team even went door to door to inspire people to keep moving. 

Our befriending programme continued over the phone and we reached out to more people with regular friendly phone chats. We used modern technology to maintain art classes, singing, craft groups, exercise and cookery sessions and we helped those older people not online to get connected – including 83-year-old James who sent his first ever email.  

And throughout, the Later Life Planning advice team has done an amazing job, helping people get the support they need, be it with feelings of loneliness and isolation or practical issues such as benefits, housing, care options or, sadly,  bereavement.  

Age UK Barnet are looking forward to gradually opening up their regular face to face services and activities. And in April, they are excited to be launching their new Living Well Service, offering advice, support and activities to people with mild-to-moderate dementia and their carers.’

Visit the website www.ageukbarnet.org.uk or call for more information on 020 8203 5040

Age UK Barnet would like your help to plan and develop their services to meet the needs of older people in Barnet, please complete our 10-minute online survey.  They would really value your experiences and views! 

Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TYHGLLX

Or call for a paper copy 020 8203 5040