A 33-year-old home care worker in Fortrose, Susan Johnston, is working night and day to give personal care and support to a young man with complex needs at his home in Inverness.
Her mother, Edith Johnston, from Lasswade, is in awe of her daughter’s dedication to the job and commitment to her 21-year-old charge who requires round-the-clock care.
Facing some health difficulties herself, Susan had keyhole surgery a few years ago for endometriosis and was scheduled for more surgery that was cancelled when lockdown began.
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Susan works for Thera Trust, a charity which supports adults with learning disabilities, which are helping some of the most vulnerable in our society and at higher risk of contracting Covid-19.
In the current state of lockdown, Susan is doing an incredible job of supporting her service user in his home, so that he can continue his day-to-day life with as little disruption as possible.
But despite any of her own problems, Susan “struggles on”, says Edith, with a knack for remaining cheerful and “just getting on with things.”
Edith Johnston says: “We are so proud of her working in these difficult times, and she is always cheerful despite suffering from endometriosis. She takes her work seriously, but thoroughly enjoys it despite the very difficult circumstances.”
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Susan’s job, which can be stressful, was recently made easier by someone in the community 3D printing a face mask for her when they heard she was working without any PPE - another example of community spirit forged in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
At a time when keeping people safe means being unable to visit family or spend time with friends doing the things they enjoy, Susan is on the frontline working long hours to ensure the people that need it most receive the live-in care and attention they require.
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