A mum-of-three who works in a care home has written a heartfelt poem about protecting the residents and keeping the coronavirus at bay.
According to care practitioner Michelle Williams, who works at Pendine Park’s Hillbury care home in Wrexham, she put her feelings into verse because she was struggling to cope and losing sleep because she cares so much about the people she looks after.
Michelle, 52, who lives in Ruabon, wakes up every day hoping the virus doesn’t find its way into the home and infect her beloved residents.
Before starting at Pendine Park, she worked in offices and even ran her own pub.
One of her three daughters, Emily, who works as a care practitioner at Hillbury is also studying mental health nursing at Chester University
Michelle said: “It’s in your mind every second of the day from the moment you wake up. We all feel the same, we just want to keep this horrible virus away from our residents.
“I woke up the other day and while I was having a coffee I started to write a poem, just the first verse. I can’t really explain why, it was just how I felt at that time. I went to work and that night I finished it when I got home.
“I sent it to Emily who encouraged me to put it on Facebook. I did and it went crazy. It just got so many likes and was shared so many times.
“Our manager at Hillbury, Cindy Clutton, contacted me and asked if she could share it with the owners of Pendine Park, Mario and Gill Kreft.
“I was a bit amazed as I was just saying what we all feel. Our residents are like family to us especially while their own families can’t come and visit them. It’s so hard.”
She added: “Keeping our residents safe and virus free is hard work and it’s only really now that I feel the government is realising the important role we play and the fact we too are on the front line.
“We are so lucky to have such a great team. We are in total lockdown and relatives just can’t come in which is so hard.
“Mr Kreft has installed washing stations outside all our care homes and everyone that does have to come in must wash their hands thoroughly before entering.
“It’s an amazing team. Everyone is just so determined to prevent this virus from finding a way into our care home.
“I enjoy working with Emily and the rest of the team. We are like one big family, staff and residents.”
Daughter Emily, 21, started working at Pendine Park when she was 16
She is proud of her mum and believes her poem and words of wisdom are inspiring.
She said: “Mum just sent the poem to me and asked what I thought. I told her she has to get it on Facebook. She put it on and it went kind of viral. It had so many likes and shares it was just amazing.
“Mum’s poem really sums up how we all feel right now. It’s so hard but we are determined to protect our residents. I just thought the poem was amazing and it brought tears to my eyes.”
Emily added: “I really am proud of mum and the whole team I work with.
“Everyone is just so professional and determined. If the virus was to get in it wouldn’t be because of any failure on the staff and management’s part that’s for sure.”
Hillbury manager Cindy Clutton says Michelle’s poem perfectly summed up the feelings of all her staff.
She said: “It struck a chord when I read it. It’s heartfelt and I know Michelle, Emily and all the staff have a really strong bond with residents. It sounds corny saying they are like family but that’s the relationship they have.”
COVID 19 THE CARERS POEM
The alarm goes off I raise my head
Thinking of the day ahead
How things have changed in many ways
Bringing sleepless nights and worrying days
But my role as a carer remains the same
Keeping my residents safe is my main aim
Lockdown is on, family they miss
I reassure them.. I can do this!
Social distancing and masks I wear
Regular hand washing this shows I care
I strive to keep this virus away
With my amazing team, we can keep it at bay
Regular bulletins from our boss
Without these we would be at a loss
Important guidance on what we should do
And a little humour thrown in there too
Covid 19 you plan to be mean
But the staff at Pendine.. we’re a great team
You’re taking lives more and more
But I’ll do my best! You won’t get through our door!!!
