Amita Doshi usually finds herself supporting carers to have respite breaks by looking after people with care needs. However, with Crossroads Care Surrey unable to provide face-to-face care services in the home or the community because of Coronavirus, the charity has chosen to adapt how they support the community in which they serve.
Amita, is now a key worker, caring for carers, those with care needs and vulnerable/at-risk people who are self-isolating due to illness or age to keep safe from Coronavirus.
As part of her new role, Amita may help up three or four families per day with essential shopping and prescription medicine collection.
Amita works in and around Guildford and Waverley and on one day last week, we asked her to send us a diary about her day as this is what she said:
“First thing on Tuesday morning I arrived at Sainsburys Brookwood at 8am. The queue was so long, it stretched as far as the local Homebase! I showed my ID card and explained I was here to collect medication for a client, so was allowed to have a priority pass to get in to the pharmacy quickly.
Waitrose, West Byfleet also let me bypass their queue and use their toilet when I was caught short between medication pick ups/drop offs – thanks Waitrose. Later on, I dropped some prescription medication to Mrs H, who is a carer for her husband William. While I was there, she told me she needed to collect another prescription so I said I would head back again tomorrow to the pharmacy….. Mrs H, was so incredibly grateful she gave me £5 to donate to Crossroads as a thank you.
My final job of the day saw me queueing for a prescription for more than 1 hour for Mrs F, only to be told it wasn’t ready. The pharmacist apologised, but I asked them to look again and miraculously it had just been delivered, so was glad I asked the question.” Throughout the day, Amita supported four families, making an incredible difference for them. As a key worker, Amita has seen her role change quite substantially and she says: ”the work is different, but somehow just as incredibly rewarding. People are so very grateful for the help I am able to give. It’s just a small, random act of kindness”.
Thanks to Amita Doshi for sharing the details of her day. In total, Crossroads Care Surrey key workers have supported more than 200 families with essential shopping and prescription medication.
Please consider a small gift towards their work to support people during the Coronavirus social distancing restrictions.
