Q & A with a manager of one of our emergency accommodation services

Heather, the manager of one of our emergency accommodation services answers a few questions on how clients and staff are doing in the service

1. Can you describe your service and the clients in it?

The service I manage is very busy. We have an eclectic mix of clients with a lot of different personalities and cultures, many of whom have complex needs which increase their vulnerability. If I were to describe the service as a whole, our vision is to create a home-from-home environment to prepare the clients for their forever home. Support staff and key workers help clients to develop their independence while also supporting them with budgeting and harm reduction and providing therapeutic interventions for mental health, addiction and behavioural needs. Through the holistic trauma-informed-care approach, the objective is to meet the clients where they’re at.

2. Describe your typical day at the moment?

With the addition of Covid -19, the existing supports are now supplemented by teaching and updating the clients about the necessary protocols such as physical distancing, hand washing, signs and symptoms. We have also put local policies and procedures in place on isolation, PPE and cocooning. We need to carry out our Covid-19 strategy in a sensitive manner so as not to increase our clients’ anxieties or trigger pre – disposed traumas, while also highlighting the risks associated with not following the guidelines.

3. What motivates you to come to work, especially now during this challenging time?

There are many factors that motivate me to come into work. First and foremost are the clients. This is a very scary time for all of us, however the majority of us have family, a home and support systems in place. A lot of our clients do not have these things and now, with the Covid-19 restrictions, they do not have the same access to mental health teams, GP and Nurses, detox and stabilisation programmes. Supported by clinicians, staff in the service have had to incorporate aspects of these clinical roles into their work in order to provide the necessary individualised supports. The Dublin Simon Sure Steps Counselling Service is also providing over-the-phone counselling for clients who are struggling with the emotional impact of Covid-19. My team provide a lot of motivation for me, through their dedication, strength, humour and their compassionate approach to all our clients. Not all heroes wear capes.

4. How are your clients feeling about Covid-19?

A lot of the clients have not been able to see family members due to the restrictions and as a result are in the accommodations service with a lot of time to think. This has led to a lot of the clients reflecting on past trauma they have been

exposed to, which has led to a deterioration of mental health… they are presenting as extra vulnerable. There is a lot of anxiety, as rumours about COVID-19 circulate online. To combat this, staff are meeting with the clients on a daily basis to inform them of the official updates, where Ireland is at. The clients have been really active in adhering to what is required of them and the service has never been cleaner as they are taking an active role in cleaning and disinfecting everywhere.

5. What are the biggest challenges at the moment and how are you overcoming them?

Similar to a lot of family situations, cabin fever is setting in… however on a positive note, staff are really getting to know the clients and are building strong relationships as a result.

6. How are the clients coping with the social isolation? What kinds of activities have they been doing to stay entertained?

This has been a brilliant time for a bit of creativity from staff performing dance routines for the clients to karaoke, table tennis, planting flowers, art/crafts, bowling, cinema nights and even obstacle courses. The service is really going back to basics, which is bringing a lot of the clients back to their childhood. Hopscotch has taken off for example, which in turn is starting conversations of childhood memories.

7. How are you and your colleagues feeling about Covid-19?

A lot of the team at the moment have not got the luxury of going home to their family, due to the distance restrictions or having vulnerable parents to whom they are afraid of transferring the virus. They understand that working every day in the service means they are putting themselves at risk. Their coping mechanisms are fantastic. As a team we are very open. We discuss our concerns and have been supported by web clinics through our clinicians in the service. Open communication and daily meetings appear to have alleviated some of the anxieties. The overall organisational culture and supports from various parts of the organisation have also supported the staff team within the service.

Overall it has been observed in the last few weeks that there is a kind of partnership forming between staff and clients that I have not seen before.

Clients & staff are working together to increase hygiene standards in the service and clients are finding a deeper appreciation for the roles of the staff. The clients have opened up more to staff and their trust has increased. Our motto in the service is: we are in this together and we will fight this together.