IT is hard to fully understand the sacrifices being made by care workers to try to keep the people they look after safe.

The Glasgow Times has spoken to care workers prioritising their duties over their own families.

CARE home nurse Laura Hargan has recently finished a 36-hour shift to help support her "second family".

While working for that length of time is far from the norm, she and her colleagues want to do all they can to help the residents in their care.

"If I can be here to help the people I love when they really need me, it's definitely worth it," Laura said.

Yesterday the First Minister said one third of the Scotland's 1616 Covid-19 deaths have been in care homes.

So far, Whitecraigs Care Home in Thornliebank, where Laura works, has avoided any cases - but the staff know the risks.

She said: “The residents are just like our second family.

"In fact, we spend more time with them on a daily basis than we do with our own families at home, so it’s a comfort to us being here to make sure the residents are safe, well and happy.

"At the end of the day, I know my own kids are happy at home.

“Although a 36-hour-shift definitely isn’t the norm, these are really difficult times and I know that all of my colleagues will do whatever they can to ensure the safety of the people we’re looking after.”

Laura’s daughter, Caitlin, 21, has been helping with her eight-year-old brother, Rory, while their mum has been working.

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Their dad is also a key worker with First Bus, making sure fellow frontline workers get to their jobs every day.

Laura said: “Having Caitlin around has been great, as it allows me to spend as much time as possible in the home where I am more urgently needed.”

"Everyone has really pulled together to keep each other safe.

“I’ve heard people say that we’re brave for coming into work every day, but to us, sitting in the house not being able to be there for our other family would be far worse.”

Whitecraigs is part of the Renaissance Care group, owned by Robert Kilgour who has been pushing the Scottish Government to deliver additional personal protective equipment (PPE) to homes.

Robert believes the actual death figure in care homes could be double the government figure and as many as 1000.

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Since January he has been working with his 15 care homes across Scotland to come up with strategies to protect the elderly residents in their care from the spread of Covid-19.

The homes were able to equip themselves with significant supplies of PPE - but Robert said more support is needed as care homes are the new "front line" of the virus battle.

Just yesterday Whitecraigs received a supply of face masks, gloves and aprons.

Robert said: “So far obtaining our PPE has been a case of scrambling around and approaching contacts from construction companies and dentists to nail salons and opticians cap in hand.

“Our supplies were running desperately low, and these deliveries take the pressure off our people and allow them to focus 100 per cent on caring for our residents.

“We are now looking forward to the rest of our homes throughout Scotland, and indeed all other care homes, receiving similar deliveries."

But he also put out an urgent appeal for increased, accessible and regular care home staff testing.

He also called for all symptomatic care home residents to have immediate access to testing, saying: “Both of these are simply not happening yet despite promises that have been made.

He added: “The care home sector is the new front line against COVID-19, and until now we have been facing a tsunami of infection and sad deaths without enough access to virus testing."

Throughout the coronavirus crisis, much-needed specialist care at the Connect One project in Maryhill has been continuing.

The centre, run by charity Quarriers, provides support to men with complex needs.

Senior Support Worker Lily El Darawy has worked in the care field for almost 23 years but has never experienced anything like the current situation.

She said: “This is a difficult and challenging time for everyone and from the outset I took the decision not to see my family to reduce the risk to both them and those that I care for.

“I have five grandchildren aged from 10 months through to 19 years old.

"It has now been five weeks since I have been able to hug any of them.

“However, the most important thing is making sure that they are safe and well and it is a small sacrifice to make to look after them.”

Lily has also taken this pragmatic approach to work and she introduced a new working pattern which saw reduced staff numbers but longer shifts so there were fewer people coming and going.

A typical day can now see Lily starting at 10am and working until 10pm when she has a sleepover until 6am the next day.

She is then back to work until 10am when fresh staff take over.

Lily said: “It is working effectively and we are continuing to provide the same routine and structure for those we care for.

“The biggest change for them has been that they can’t go out and that there are no visitors and we know they are missing their families too.

"But we are doing what we can to keep their spirits up, even trying to recreate their favourite meals from McDonald’s.”

Lily has also been overwhelmed by the response from the public and the community spirit that has emerged from these challenging times.

She said: “I am so proud of the work that we are doing and the high standard of care that we are providing but I’m equally grateful for the response from local people and Quarriers staff.

"We have received so many offers of support from people; volunteering to deliver food or to collect prescriptions.

“I’ve also been moved to tears by the Thursday night clapping.

"It was amazing to hear the sound echoing as so many people took part to show their appreciation and gratitude to all the frontline workers for their hard work and commitment.”