Hairdressing Student Helps Raise Care Home Residents’ Smiles One Snip at a Time
For residents of HC One Care Home in Swallownest, a weekly visit from Rotherham College Hairdressing student Georgia Hosford has come to mean far more than simply a chance to freshen up their tresses. Since lockdown began, it’s one of the rare times they are able to leave their rooms and enter the main area of the building.
Georgia has been part of the HC One residential cleaning bank staff team for almost a year, and due to all staff and residents testing negative for COVID-19 and adhering to strict social distancing measures, Georgia has been able to continue with her hairdressing duties.
Treatments range from perms and sets, colours, blue and pink rinses, haircuts and beard trims for the men, but those aren’t the only skills learnt at College that Georgia is putting to use. She said: “There’s quite a few older ladies that come into the salon at College first-thing on a morning and have their hair done, which gets you talking and develops your people and social skills.”
Georgia continued: “I’ve always enjoyed doing hair since being young. I love that you can put a smile on someone’s face and change someone’s complete look through a simple haircut.”
The weekly hair treatments offer residents the chance to socialise and enjoy some much-needed pamper time. Georgia said: “It’s hard because the residents aren’t allowed to see family and so they don’t get to see many people; you might be the only person they see that day, so it’s a chance to brighten up someone’s day.”
While many care homes have suffered at the hands of COVID-19, the measures HC One Swallownest have put in place to protect its residents and staff have been paying off. Georgia said: “We have shielded quite well and have managed to avoid Coronavirus completely.
“When you enter rooms you have to be fully kitted up with an apron, mask and gloves and it’s all got to be taken off before you leave. There’s lots of washing your hands regularly, changing gloves more often and constantly wearing a mask. Any of the residents who go into hospital are tested before being allowed back into the care home. We’ve done really well to keep it out, especially when a lot of care homes have been some of the worst-hit places.”
Georgia continued: “It’s important to keep your distance, not only to keep yourself safe but also to keep the residents safe. The staff are really the only people who can bring the virus in, so it’s on us to keep everyone safe.”
Rotherham College Hairdressing lecturer Anne Derbyshire praised Georgia for her diligence. Anne said: “Georgia has worked very hard in the last three years at College to pursue her dream career of becoming an employable hairdresser, sometimes doubling two jobs at the same time. It has not always been easy but her northern grit and tenacity has kept her going. I am very proud to see Georgia helping out in her key worker role in the care home.”
If you’ve been inspired by Georgia and have an interest in Hairdressing, why not take a look at some of our Hair and Beauty courses.