A Murtoa mother and community support worker has asked Wimmera residents to remain committed to social distancing measures, as the coronavirus pandemic stands to prevent her from witnessing the birth of her grandchild.
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Kelly, who has asked not for her surname to be used, attends the homes of vulnerable residents to help them with domestic duties in her role with Yarriambiack Shire Council.
"I've got two teenagers, an adult son and a two-year-old granddaughter living with me," she said.
"My daughter Kasey lives in Mount Gambier (in South Australia), and our home burnt down a few years ago. I relocated to Murtoa, but she stayed in South Australia to complete year 12. She got a job there soon after so she stayed there.
"We've basically commuted to one another's places since, but of course that's now all stopped, and she's due to give birth in October.
"That's caused a lot of grief and unknown as to whether we can be around for the birth, and to support her. As the isolation moves forward, we don't know if she will have the support to get through it all."
Kelly said her daughter was living with her partner and managed a cafe which has shut.
"My frustration is how many people aren't getting the message about staying home," she said.
"There are so many essential workers, and we need every kind of protection we can get so we can continue servicing the community. People need to understand the importance of staying home: If we are not out there serving the community, it's disastrous.
"I've noticed police are patrolling the area and speaking with people, so it's slowed down in Murtoa, but in the past week I made a trip to Horsham, and the car parks weren't any different: People were standing outside shopfronts talking, eating pies... I'm just not sure if everyone understands how this is going to affect the people that need to get out there and work."
Kelly said many of her clients lived in Rupanyup, Minyip and Warracknabeal, and had become more vulnerable since the pandemic's effects began to affect the Wimmera.
"There are some people who are confused and extremely isolated having been separated from their families," she said.
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"It's very tough for them. They are afraid of people forgetting them, not having interaction with the outside world, and some are worried about being targets of crime because people know they will be home all the time.
"A lot of the dementia clients don't have a concept of what is going on, so they just think people have abandoned them."
Kelly said she hoped "some kind of pen pal" system, where people kept in regular contact with elderly Wimmera residents, could be established.
"The shire is very flexible and has tried to keep all the services in place that it can, but a lot of us workers also have children at home and not able to attend school to learn. It means a lot of the support workers can't continue working," she said.
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
