Extra Hands Home Care launches new award for carers 'going the extra mile'

Dedicated carers who have been going the extra mile during the Covid-19 pandemic are in line for a new award thanks to a West Norfolk home care company.

The award-winning Extra Hands Home Care is launching the new initiative to thank its staff after being inundated with news of carers who have made extra special efforts for their clients.

The team at Heacham-based Extra Hands has been working hard all the way through lockdown and stories of carers’ dedication, caring and help have been sent to the office from both service-users and their families.

As a result there will be a new Going the Extra Mile award (GEM) which will recognise those staff members who go above and beyond their role to ensure service-users are safe, comfortable and happy.

Jo Tier, director of care services, said: “We know how hard everyone worked, and are still working, because of coronavirus and how much difference our carers are making to the lives of our service users. It has been a very difficult time and we wanted to ensure our visits carried on as usual, with all the correct protection in place.

“Older residents in particular were very worried and unable to see family members because of the pandemic. We did all we could to reassure them and to use technology so they could see their relatives or friends remotely, for example.

“It can be very scary and confusing for the best of us, so it was vital we all kept calm and carried on in a professional way so no-one was unduly frightened by what happened,” said .

The GEM awards will be presented at the end of each quarter and will be given to any member of staff of Extra Hands who has put in more than they really need to. Recipients will receive a trophy and gift voucher.

Nominations can be sent to Extra Hands by email to: contact@extrahands.net or by post to: Extra Hands, Units 13/14 Heacham Hall Industrial Estate, Heacham PE31 7JT (01485 570611) or Unit A10 Abbey Farm Commercial Park, Southwell Road, Horsham St Faith, Norwich NR10 3JU (01603 898623) .

Nominations can be made by a service user, a family member, staff or someone who notices the extra effort being made.

“It really doesn’t matter if our carer is conducting a short wellbeing check, or visits twice a day as it’s the additional effort we are concentrating on, the added factor that sees someone stand out for their kindness or enthusiasm, for example.”