Roles, Priorities and Being Human - Part 3

[This article is a little off theme from the title, but my roles get a mention towards the end.]

It’s a month since the “working and school from home” regime started in my home and just over 3 weeks since the country’s lockdown started in earnest. In that time, I have learned a little more about many things. Some of which are of little relevance outside my household (domestic plumbing, electrical configuration, rescheduling a wedding) but some of which have greater significance to my understanding and appreciation of the infrastructure, services, relationships and day to day “operations of my life” that I’ve no doubt taken for granted or been “too busy” to pay attention to in the not too distant past.

These include: the sheer enormity of the NHS in terms of number of employees and its scale of operations; the reliance we have on care homes and other public services to care for our elderly and other vulnerable members of our society;  the supply chains and delivery capability of supermarkets; the philanthropic or charitable nature of those organisations who still have a choice to be so;  the extent of our population’s reliance on mental health services including suicide and domestic abuse helplines; the availability of technology and devices to enable ongoing connection and communication; my colleagues’ capabilities, humour and resolve to contribute; my family’s level of patience and tolerance for one another (across a range of issue, opinion and activity), and the level of community spirit, empathy and support for each other that is evident across the various networks I belong to.

An increased awareness of the kindness and resourcefulness of my networks has led to a deepening concern for those who have no network of positive benefit to their mental or physical wellbeing. I have an increasing level of fear associated to the hidden members of our society who are struggling to get the support they need in dealing with their day to day lives. Whether or not they have COVID-19 they have been impacted. Domestic abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse and other mental health issues are not confined to a particular class or demographic. Similarly, they are not confined to those of us who have a source of help or support. Many of the public services and charities that would usually provide a level of safety net, care or monitoring, are heavily overstretched or untenable to operate in the current circumstances. This issue has started to come to the fore in the news this week and I applaud this constructive use of media output.

I believe our handling of current and future mental wellbeing issues will be as critical to the economic viability and sustainability of purposeful life in the UK as our government’s handling of the COVID-19 virus and any future viral challenges that may follow. When the urge to give away free meals and free drinks to key workers has ended, and the immediate need to prioritise the elderly and shielded has passed, what will we be doing differently to acknowledge the value of people beyond our immediate and usual networks? How will we retain awareness and empathy for those who are not usually integral to our economic or personal concerns, business or personal planning?

For me, in my roles as colleague, parent, friend and family member, the mental and physical wellbeing aspects of our current situation of lockdown stretch into the future as an ongoing concern and point of consideration. When a plan of how to “exit” COVID-19 lockdown is agreed, what will the accompanying plans and reflections be for how we encourage ourselves back into a more physically interactive world? Beyond the existence of a vaccine against COVID-19, what will do about the anxiety, fear and psychological harm that is being created across society? There is a lot of courage needed to talk about “this stuff” and my sense is we will need to. You may be unaffected as an individual but will certainly be called upon to pay attention to these issues if you are a member of an organisation, sports’ team, club, choir, family or friendship group.

I hope we will all keep an increased awareness and empathy for the world outside our own. In a time of lockdown there is proving to be such opportunity to heighten our understanding of life beyond our immediate spheres of activity. Whether this ends up being used to economic, charitable or societal benefit, I hope it proves to be utilised to positive, humane impact beyond our own networks.