Shane’s family buoyed up by kindness of friends during lockdown
THE family of a young Tuam man, who are unable to visit him in his nursing home, say they have been lifted by the kindness of people at such a difficult time.
Shane Grogan, 30, is a resident of Greenpark Nursing Home in the town. He was left with a severe brain injury following an unprovoked assault in 2012 and has required round-the-clock care since.
His parents Joe and Joan and sister Sarah have been unable to visit him since public health measures were introduced last month to limit the spread of coronavirus.
His mother Joan said the kindness shown to the family has kept them going through some dark days.
"We love Shane so much we have to protect him and that means staying away for now but we know we’ll see him again. Worse things are happening to families who are losing loved ones in all of this.
“Everyone is doing a tremendous job in Greenpark and we’re very grateful. We’re also so thankful to all the people who have contacted us in the past few weeks on Facebook and with texts telling us they’re thinking of us and have candles lit for Shane. We’ve even had a few postcards in the past few days and when you’re down that is the sort of thing that can really lift you.”
Joan said the family were worried that Shane wouldn’t understand why they weren’t going to see him, as she had spent every day in the nursing home up until it was closed to visitors.
“My concern is that Shane will get down, he needs contact with his family and I’d be worried that the loss of his routine, where I was with him every day, will be affecting him," she said.
Shane Grogan, 30, is a resident of Greenpark Nursing Home in the town. He was left with a severe brain injury following an unprovoked assault in 2012 and has required round-the-clock care since.
His parents Joe and Joan and sister Sarah have been unable to visit him since public health measures were introduced last month to limit the spread of coronavirus.
His mother Joan said the kindness shown to the family has kept them going through some dark days.
"We love Shane so much we have to protect him and that means staying away for now but we know we’ll see him again. Worse things are happening to families who are losing loved ones in all of this.
“Everyone is doing a tremendous job in Greenpark and we’re very grateful. We’re also so thankful to all the people who have contacted us in the past few weeks on Facebook and with texts telling us they’re thinking of us and have candles lit for Shane. We’ve even had a few postcards in the past few days and when you’re down that is the sort of thing that can really lift you.”
Joan said the family were worried that Shane wouldn’t understand why they weren’t going to see him, as she had spent every day in the nursing home up until it was closed to visitors.
“My concern is that Shane will get down, he needs contact with his family and I’d be worried that the loss of his routine, where I was with him every day, will be affecting him," she said.
“I miss him so much; I especially miss saying goodnight but I’m very thankful of the care he’s getting.
“We did ring him a few days ago and the nurse said that he reacted when he heard our voices so he knows we haven’t gone away but it is very hard. Even the simple things, like having his hair cut, are gone for the moment and we are worried about the loss of his physio but what’s keeping me sane is that I know he’s safer there without us at the moment.”
Joe said he finds it very hard not to see Shane and said they had avoided using video calls as they didn’t want to distress him.
“I last saw Shane in early March, Joan was with him a few days later and we both tried to explain things to him but we don’t know if he understands. We don’t know what Shane is thinking but we would hate him to think we’ve abandoned him,” he said.
“We purposely don’t FaceTime him as we think it would be too stressful for him because we don’t know how much he does comprehend. All we know is he is safe in there as the infection isn’t there and they’ve done a wonderful job in keeping it out.”
Joe said that any easing of restrictions next week was unlikely to resolve their situation but he hoped a solution could be found to allow families to see their loved ones.
“The sad thing is that if there is any easing of restrictions on May 5, we’re pretty certain it won’t include nursing homes. I go for a walk every evening and I pass Greenpark and it’s so hard not being able to go in, I’d only want five minutes but I know it’s not possible.
“We’re worried about the things Shane is missing such as his physio. He has a wonderful physio, Jonathan Gibson, who came down from Spiddal four to five times a week and was making great progress with him. He has a great connection with Shane and had no fear of pushing him or trying new things and he’s dying to get back to him. The worry is that Shane will regress and with his mental status as it is it is so hard to gauge.
“But the fear of Covid getting into the nursing home is the main worry. Shane is so vulnerable anyway but he can’t tell anyone how he’s feeling and if he does end up having to go into hospital, we know we can’t go with him.
“We have to wait to see what the situation is after May 5 and hope that they will find some way to allow families visit their loved ones in nursing homes. It’s hugely difficult, we understand that, but we want to see Shane so much.”
When the current crisis has passed and the family are able to see Shane again, they’re planning to do it in style.
“We’ll have a big celebration in Greenpark when all this is over. We’ll get Noelie McDonnell in to play a few songs, he’s Shane’s favourite, and it’ll be one big hooley,” added Joan.