Published: Monday, 11th January, 2010 4:02pm

Life savers

EXTRAORDINARY stories are emerging of workers who braved worsening weather to keep life-line services operating as heavy snow paralysed the Borders.

Scottish Borders Council revealed staff and contracted carers who provide a service to clients in their homes have not been defeated by the adverse weather conditions.

They have gone to great lengths to ensure continuity of care. In addition, staff managed to get into work to provide support in care homes, while the emergency out of hours services worked tirelessly to maintain essential care and support services.

Director of Social Work, Andrew Lowe, said: "This has not been a short spell but a solid three weeks of adverse conditions. I was made aware on Christmas Eve of a valiant effort by a home care worker to battle through snow to relieve a family who were trapped and required palliative care. Our staff have been heroic and the way in which they have collaborated with roads, health and independent providers to keep the show on the road is, frankly, humbling."

There are many stories of staff dedication and commitment, with people working beyond the call of duty to maintain the safety and wellbeing of their clients. Just some of these are detailed below.

One carer walked three miles to and from a client's home, leaving home at 6.15am to be there on time, and repeated this for the evening shift. Another carer walked two miles to a client with shopping in a backpack to make sure the client had food supplies.

It took three cars for a carer to reach her client after the first two cars had to be abandoned in the snow. Many carers sought alternative modes of transport, including tractors driven by family or friends. Those with 4x4s ferried colleagues to the most remote parts of the Borders.

Another carer travelled nine miles in atrocious conditions to be with a client who had taken ill to stay with him until an ambulance arrived.

Out of hours home support has worked tirelessly, responding to need across the Borders day and night over the past three weeks.

Night support service workers defied the freezing temperatures walking throughout the night to tend to their clients - one team responding to a woman who had fallen and broken her hip.

Carers have carried grit and salt to clear doorways for their clients and make paths safe. They have supported each other in their efforts to reach their clients, by staying overnight with their colleagues to ensure they get to their clients at the usual time.

Managers covered work when it has not been possible to deploy carers. They have transported their staff in 4 x 4s and spent many hours re-scheduling work. Most managers have also been on stand- by outwith office hours. Their local knowledge has proved to be invaluable.

Members of the public have shown great community spirit and many people have offered to take carers home when they were stuck in villages. One man with a 4x4 helped by delivering shopping and ferrying carers around and some people provided food and drink for carers on their rounds.

The Red Cross has been invaluable, helping out with a 4x4 and driver in the Coldingham area, while an ambulance crew offered to take a carer to her next service user. All other social work services have helped home care in their task of ensuring service users safety and well being.

Councillor Raw, Executive Member for Social Work, said, "I cannot express my thanks enough to all the staff employed in social care services across the Borders who have braved the snow and freezing conditions to provide the essential care and support to our older citizens and people with disabilities. This demonstrates the dedication and quality of all staff who provide these services throughout the year."