Love, warmth and hard work: the heart of the UK care system – photo essay

3 weeks ago 2

In Love and Care came from a personal place in my heart. Many of my family members work in care, with aunties and cousins working in nursing homes, as well as my mum, who previously took over a caring role for her mother. This project took inspiration from my family, who have first-hand dealt with the exhaustion and physical demands of being a carer.

From the conversations with social care workers, you confront the stark realities of an underfunded sector where caregivers often work tirelessly against the odds. The gender disparity in the social care workforce highlights broader societal inequalities that demand attention. If people can see the love, warmth and hard work that these carers pour into their jobs, it will hopefully encourage the government to allocate more funding into the sector.

In Love and Care discusses the understaffing and lack of availability of carers, how employers value them, and shares positive and negative experiences from people who work in care.

Despite the troubles of an under-governed system, care workers show up and give their all, day after day. Above all, In Love and Care celebrates the love and resilience of carers, highlighting the importance of the care system as the population ages.

Chelsey Depledge, healthcare assistant, Somerset

“I believe to improve social care, more funding should go towards employing more staff, and more training should be put in place for staff so they feel comfortable and confident undertaking their job roles. More meaningful activities should be provided in care homes and social care settings for clients, to ensure they have a good quality of life and have activities where they can interact with others to combat loneliness and gain mental stimulation.”

A housekeeper folding sheets in the laundry room of a care home

Mikey, day centre driver and support worker for adults with learning disabilities, Hertfordshire

“Everything is forgotten. If you want to talk to the health minister now, or even say to your care workers: ‘Look at the pandemic, we were clapping for carers.’ That was the best you got, it’s a mouthpiece. But it doesn’t bother me, you know, I look at myself as an individual helping other people because you never know, situations might change. That’s the beauty of the job.

“It was very good when the government was singing our praises. Wouldn’t it be nice to actually get more people into the profession? But, you know, everything is forgotten.

“I mean anybody who hasn’t done care or wants to come into care, it’s a very broad industry, with many different people. Just like anything in life. Come and try for yourself. You’ll love it, because the guys you work with, the individuals who work with you, will make your day, they’re all different characters. That’s the beauty of it, different branches of a tree. Everybody’s got their little bit to uplift you.

“Come in and try it, you can’t go wrong, if you’re a people person and you want some change. This is for you, you know, give something back to people, not just think about yourself, give something back and the reward will be yours.”

Ellen, foster carer and day centre support worker for adults with learning disabilities, London

“I foster care because I want to improve the experience of young people. I want to create new ways of working with and supporting them. I want to make a lasting impact on the people who come into my life.”

Jan, care worker and vicar, Somerset

“I think when people bring their mother or father to the home, they’re worried that they wouldn’t get the care that they should. There was one lady who has recently died, but her daughter came in and said, you know, we were really worried because we didn’t know whether she would get the love and the care she needs.

“It’s handing that responsibility over to someone else at that point, you don’t know, really, and you just have to trust that what is said is the truth. It takes a little while for them to realise that yes, you know, this home does provide, we all go out of our way to provide great quality of care. After a short while she realised that, and that her mum was very happy as well and said everything’s well. She called us her family. She’d say: ‘I’m leaving you with your other family.’”

A resident’s bedroom at a care home in Somerset

Margaret in the reflection of a bedroom mirror

Michelle, day centre support worker, London

“If you speak to a lot of people, it’s the funding that is the problem, and we have to sort of beg, steal and borrow them. Over the years we’ve had to make do and mend so many things. And our clients are paying quite a bit of money to come here. They should be having the best that we can offer them. And not jigsaw puzzles from a charity shop. Why shouldn’t they be having brand new? I think the government needs to look at the funding, and they shouldn’t be stingy. Then they would attract more people into care.”

An activity coordinator hosts a ‘guess your cards right’ activity in Vauxhall

Jan Monahan, day centre support worker, London

“The day centre promotes life skills and integrating people into the community. Over Christmas they were involved with Borehamwood football club, they were out and about to pantomimes. It just gives them confidence to go into the community, because it’s not made such a big thing. I think for me it is promoting their independence. That is what I get out of it.”

A physio room in a care home in Vauxhall

Kate, healthcare worker and day centre support worker for adults with learning disabilities

“For me, just seeing people develop and happy, being able to do the little things like creating a picture or making a cup of tea. Seeing the smile on their face and realising that they’ve done this.

“You know, the sort of happiness they get, and I think in that moment, when they’ve realised their potential and realise they feel valued for what they’ve done, I love that because in that moment it’s like there’s nothing else around you.

“There’s nothing else that matters, it’s just that moment of seeing what they’ve done and you feel like you’ve supported them to do that. They’re really lovely moments and I think that’s what keeps you going, to help inspire people to keep moving forward.”

Debbie Coles, former care assistant, now a teaching assistant

“I found towards the end it was quite difficult. We had quite a high turnover of staff. I was still on relief and I was running a shift with agency workers who didn’t know the house. So you end up doing the lion’s share of what needs doing.”

A corner of the common space in a care home in Fulham

Sue, care worker and manager of a nursing home, Somerset

“We used to have quite a few social service residents. But the difference in what they pay now and what our fees are is so huge, we really can’t afford to fill our home with people on social service. And I don’t know, I feel awful having to say no to people. But in this home, the only income you’ll get is what the residents pay, and I don’t think people realise how much goes out.

“The biggest chunk of whatever comes in is the wages. And we do try and always pay above the minimum wage. Because they certainly deserve it. I’d like to pay more if we could.”

Lujan, healthcare assistant at an elderly care home, London

“My parents, they work as healthcare assistants, but they didn’t tell me anything about the job. It was a surprise to me. It’s better if your children want to go into healthcare. They need to research it on their own. And if the research is on the internet, it just says personal care and people won’t even read it. They’ll say, OK, personal care, that’s it. Then when they go there, it’s like there are a variety of things in personal care that’s needed.

“I didn’t know anything about needing to change your pad, needing to give clients a wash and everything. At first my mind was blank. OK, what is it? But, slowly, it took me some months to be familiar with the job, but after that it’s OK. When you enjoy doing this job, you’ll find it easier.”

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