The parents of a young nursing home aide in Scotland who took her own life last winter have said on Thursday that their daughter was driven to suicide by the trauma of washing countless bodies at work.
Taylor, 22, worked at Fullerton Care Home in Waterston, Irvine, and Shalom Care Home in Draghorn, Scotland, where her difficult responsibilities contributed to the mental health issues that led to her death, her grieving parents said in an interview. .
“One day he asked if I knew how many bodies he would have washed,” his mother, Lana McClave, told news outlet Daily Record. “She had lost count. I couldn’t believe it when she said that. She was just a young girl and she had to do it regularly.”
Waterston had worked in a nursing home since the age of 17, including through the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken a particularly heavy toll on the elderly population and those living in senior care facilities.
Her parents said that seeing the residents she was passing regularly was difficult for them to bear.
“She couldn’t get over it,” said her father, Andy McClave. “She told me she was taking care of one or two people a week that she was losing.
“The only other line of work at that age would be a soldier in a war zone. What kind of impact did this have on the mental health of the caregivers?”
Waterston sought professional help for her mental health struggle and was given medication, but she did not recover.
Eventually, he quit his job and isolated himself from friends and family before taking his own life on December 19, 2021.
Since the death of their daughter, Andy and Lana have thrown themselves into raising money for a charity that counsels bereaved families.
“It’s hard for us to get out of bed in the morning, but we want to devote as much time to it as possible and raise awareness,” Andy told the outlet.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling.
If you live outside of the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
