Membership Support Care Home Day 21 Blog
In volunteering to write a blog for this important day in the Scottish Care calendar – Care Home Day ’21 –  I feel a little underqualified to share my thoughts with you. In part because I am relatively new to social care, or because I only started in the role of Membership Support Manager in February of this year, so what do I know? Granted, I have been with the organization for nearly 2 years in other roles here at Scottish Care, but do I really have enough to say that is important or relevant or valuable that shares how I feel about all of you and the work you do? How you should be celebrated not just on Care Home Day, but every single day of the year, for the work and the service you provide to loved ones everywhere?
One thing I have realized during my time with Scottish Care, that it is not the individual role any of us play that counts; it is all of us as part of the sum, part of the whole, that has kept things going these last 12 months. By ourselves, we can all do our little bit, but together we can, and we have created a movement. We have created an environment where no one is left behind and everyone is taken care of, no matter their level of need, all are loved and cared for – but often times this has been to the detriment of those who do the caring – YOU the amazing care workers, our incredible members.
It is so easy to say how much we admire you, how you inspire us and how we know the value you bring to the people you take care of. Because it is true. I can only speak to my experience working with all of you and I am in awe. I speak to you every day – learning about your struggles, your challenges, the issues you must deal with daily, especially in this last year when things have been so very hard. I sit in meetings and hear the passion, the spirit, the frustrations, the sadness even – and I truly cannot believe you get up and do this day in, day out, 24/7, 365 days a year. I try to be creative, solution-oriented, and supportive for you and I always promise if I cannot help you, I will find someone at Scottish Care who can. Because it takes all of us to get to where we need to be – as a sector, as care home providers, as individual care workers, together we are stronger.
I truly believe it is this can-do attitude that personifies social care and all of you who have been working tirelessly in care homes this past year. You care SO much for the residents and their day-to-day experiences. You speak passionately to regulatory bodies, local authorities, HSCP’s, Scottish Government, to anyone who will listen – that this is about the care home being the resident’s HOME, somewhere they need to live with dignity and with love. You advocate for them in ways far above and beyond what some may feel is your role. Why?  Because you CARE – CARE as in CARE home, CARE as in CARE worker, CARE as in CARE home day and CARE as in CARE FORWARD. The skill, talent and dedication you bring to work every day, even those days when you feel you just can’t do it– this is what we must shout to the world! YOU have the power, you have the GIFT, you need to be recognized again and again and again for who you are and what you do – with LOVE, with RESPECT and with DIGNITY for those you care for. Thank you seems so little for all you have done but truly, thank you sincerely for all that you do, for all that you have undertaken this past year and let us hope that this next year will be all about YOU and that you can and should be CARED for too!
Stefanie Callaghan
Membership Support Manager
Last Updated on 14th July 2021 by Shanice
