Dorte

Gender: Female
Ethnicity: White European – Danish
Background: Dorte is 55 years old and Danish. She is married and works as a care home manager. Dorte, a care home manager, found it stressful when Covid entered her care home. She says that she was worried about the residents.

Dorte first heard about Covid around November 2019. She did not think much about it at first. However, everyone around her was in panic. Dorte was sent information from her employer about how to cope with Covid. She says this time was very hard because she had to keep employees informed and stay up to date with policies which were changing all the time. Dorte and her husband decided to take extra measures to protect themselves before mask mandates came in. They would wear masks and gloves indoors and socially distanced.

Unfortunately, a new resident bought Covid into her care home (despite being quarantined). Dorte described this as a very stressful time as the resident was severely ill, other residents were at risk, and some of her staff did not want to work. Dorte also felt emotionally drained because she had to try to keep people with dementia in their bedrooms. As she explained, you just want to do the best for residents

In December 2020, Dorte became quite run-down. At first she thought it was because she had been working a lot of hours and had much emotional stress. However, she decided it was best to take a Covid test. The test came back positive and so did her husband’s. Dorte remembers thinking, how do we get food into the house? How do we survive? We have a dog so how do we walk the dog? How do we manage this

Dorte isolated for ten days and then went back to work. However, she felt severe emotional distress. She explained that her mother-law was in hospital and her husband was still severely ill with Covid. So, she had another few days off work. What helped her recover was seeing her mother-law on a video-call.

Jennifer was using private healthcare services to create her own version of a Long Covid clinic because there were no long Covid clinics in her area.

Age at interview 55

Jennifer said that online peer groups had been the best source of emotional support for her.

Age at interview 55

Jennifer has had some weeks when she has felt ‘almost normal’ because she has been careful with pacing. It has been difficult to keep pacing herself, but it gives her hope that she will get better.

Age at interview 55

Jennifer found it hard not to be able to join in with social activities after Covid restrictions on daily life started to ease.

Age at interview 55

Dorte asked herself ‘how do we get food into the house?’ when she found out that she had to isolate.

Age at interview 55