Exit lockdown, one step at a time: C-19 update
This week Kairos director Mossie Lyons looks ahead to how and when our services might operate more fully as lockdown begins to be lifted, and he praises Kairos staff for their dedication.
The message from the Prime Minister yesterday (10 May) was to work from home if possible; if not, a return to work is to be encouraged. Social distancing of two metres should be maintained.
Kairos head office continues to operate as you have come to know it over the past two months. From today, Judy will be in the office every day, as will Oye.
The Move-on team will continue its Zoom meetings on Monday mornings. Assessments for supported housing will be carried out either by phone or face to face at the discretion of the team.
The Aftercare Programme will recommence on 26 May. It will operate a split day: taking five participants in the morning and five in the afternoon. It has planned strict social distancing and sanitising protocols with clear directions on the use of shared facilities.
I met with the Bethwin Road residential rehab team last Thursday and it was decided to maintain Bethwin’s current operational procedures (including single-occupancy bedrooms) until the end of May, when there will be a further review. In the meantime, the team will begin a dialogue with care managers to agree a way ahead, in particular how referrals and assessments will move forward.
The Garden Day Programme is operating very successfully with group therapy via Zoom and other work by phone. Well done to all concerned. Tim and I started a discussion late last week about how and when the programme might return to face-to-face group work. We will continue to work towards that end.
Our Linden Grove abstinence-support hostel continues to operate a most successful admissions process, with isolation facilities in place if there is any doubt about a new resident arrival.
Above all, I want to say well done to all staff throughout Kairos, you have been amazing. Forbearance, resilience, commitment and dedication to your clients are evident in abundance. And, admirably, all work has been carried out with the most important ingredient of all, common sense.
My last word is: continue to encourage your residents to stay at home, keep social distancing and not to take risks that would endanger themselves or others.