Respite Care

Barney2004

Barney2004

Vital 1st Team Regular
Need to write this down before I blow my lid!!

My grandma was taken into respite care last Thursday. She's 100% healthy, other than her legs are swollen and gave way - hence why she is in respite, to try and get her walking again with a bit of physio.

The place where she is, disgusting. Ive been on the phone to them complaining and have even threatened to speak to the inspectors for Sandwell council and CQC (which for me is easy given my job role, I can get straight to the top)

here are just a few things that are wrong, baring in mind she cant walk. I want , whoever reads this to tell me if I am being too harsh on the place - as sometimes I can go off on one without thinking first.


-: buzzer in the room not given to her – its on the wall where she cant reach it to buzz. If she did attempt to get the buzzer she would fall.

-: when she does have a buzzer, she could be buzzing for up to half an hour before someone comes to see her.

-: on two occasions at lunch time she was served stone cold food.

-: breakfast time today they didn't even offer or bring a drink to her. When she asked, they forgot.

-: on some occasions she has had to wait two hours to be taken to the toilet (after buzzing) which results in her having to do it in her pad. Very degrading.

-: left with broken tv and carers and nurses moving her books and magazines out of her reach.

-: after a week there is still no physio plan in place to get her to start walking - by this time I would have expected some very light excersise's.

-: one night they had forgotten about her - she was in her room and the lights went out in the unit. The had forgot to come round to wash her, get her ready for bed and put her to bed. It was only when a nurse done a routine check in the middle of the night she was found and then sorted out (buzzer was on the wall which she couldn't get to)


After writing all that im fucking fuming!
 
Typical of too many (don't)care facilities I'm afraid Lee. My advice, give it to them with both barrells.

 
Im going to mate - im going tomorrow evening, going to speak to a nurse and also the manager of the place - if nothing gets done then i'll take it to the top.
 
Had all the same problems when I was bed bound in hospital mate it's fucking disgusting I was kept waiting for over an hour for a piss in the early hours when this rather big nurse turned up she said she was busy with another patient and that she would get back to me when she was finished.Now all she had to do was go to the cupboard get me a bottle but she didn't have time so I told her you either get me a bottle now or I will lean over and piss on the floor I got the bottle.As Ian says get stuck into them but you need to raise your concerns to senior staff and don't let them fob you off with promises to sort it out later demand they do it whilst you are there.
 
I will mate - as I said , I'm going to be speaking to her nurse tomorrow as well as the manager. Then if no changes have been made I will take it to the contracts team at the council and also CQC.
 
Sounds disgusting Barry and the truth is people feel guilty complaining, but don't she deserves better.
 
I don't feel guilty mate , heads will be rolling tomorrow. But yeah, people do feel guilty - like most of my family do. But me, if I see something that isn't right then i'll do everything I can to get it up to the standard where it should be.
 
Utterly disgraceful Barny and you are doing the right thing in highlighting it.
Perhaps the press might be interested too.
 
Yeah Wurzel the older generation don't want to make a nuisance of themselves but things have changed now all these institutes have a duty of care and if they don't provide that they are actually breaking the law.
 
Trekker - 20/8/2014 12:44

Utterly disgraceful Barny and you are doing the right thing in highlighting it.
Perhaps the press might be interested too.
Click to expand...

good point - also have links to the press to trekker from my previous job.
 
gator - 20/8/2014 12:46

Yeah Wurzel the older generation don't want to make a nuisance of themselves but things have changed now all these institutes have a duty of care and if they don't provide that they are actually breaking the law.
Click to expand...

all I want is basic care for her - which they cant meet.
 
its amazing that when you mention to them where I work and that I see inspectors from CQC on a daily basis , how more interested in the call, and their tone in their voice changes. Lets see what tomorrow brings.
 
Get it done Barney. Too many like it. Where my Mom spent the last 10 weeks of her life, in a nursing home, it wasn't bad, however there were things I didn't like and I kept on top of it. The worst was the clothing side when I would find her in clothes that weren't hers. The do's I had with them about it. All Mom's stuff was clearly marked. Because we went in nearly everyday we could keep on top of things.

It's the 1's who don't have visitors very often, with dementia which Mom had, they are even more neglected. There only voice is the family who visit. I was determined Mom would have everything as it should be right to the end and after.

It is even worse, like with your Gran as she is in her right mind. Flaming disgusting and you have every right to complain and take it further.

Be easier if you bought her home and got physio from the hospital to come in and visit her to do the exercises, which is what they do up here

Good luck! Let us know how you get on
 
I will KK.

for those that know me on her and have met me will know that i'll get this sorted. Its good that im not going today because I'd lose it with them - whereas now I can go home and sleep on it and act professional about it tomorrow.
 
Barney2004 - 20/8/2014 13:05

I will KK.

for those that know me on her and have met me will know that i'll get this sorted. Its good that im not going today because I'd lose it with them - whereas now I can go home and sleep on it and act professional about it tomorrow.
Click to expand...

:15: Yes that is the best way, to do it in a professional manner. Yes I am the same and was over my Mom too. Infact I was told I was too on top of everything with Mom even before she had to go into nursing that I had made my job harder as the authorities didn't need to do alot so for instance when we had respite they always left it to the last minute to do the paperwork whilst I was tearing my hair out.

Mom lived with us for 15 months after her stroke and I seen her daily when we were still able to keep her in her home. Well I did anyway even before dementia see her most days and always rung her if I hadn't

You have to do it Barney. It is what is right. You know what your doing with this, however I always gave them a check list when I wasn't happy so they had it in writing too.
 
kefkat - 20/8/2014 13:10

Barney2004 - 20/8/2014 13:05

I will KK.

for those that know me on her and have met me will know that i'll get this sorted. Its good that im not going today because I'd lose it with them - whereas now I can go home and sleep on it and act professional about it tomorrow.
Click to expand...

:15: Yes that is the best way, to do it in a professional manner. Yes I am the same and was over my Mom too. Infact I was told I was too on top of everything with Mom even before she had to go into nursing that I had made my job harder as the authorities didn't need to do alot so for instance when we had respite they always left it to the last minute to do the paperwork whilst I was tearing my hair out.

Mom lived with us for 15 months after her stroke and I seen her daily when we were still able to keep her in her home. Well I did anyway even before dementia see her most days and always rung her if I hadn't

You have to do it Barney. It is what is right. You know what your doing with this, however I always gave them a check list when I wasn't happy so they had it in writing too.
Click to expand...

I think with me knowing whats right and what should be done in that home is making me angry even more - its just BASIC care!!

I train carers, I employ them, I visit homes, deal with CQC etc and I sacked staff for less. Im fuming at the moment. I asked the nurse there , over the phone, would you leave your new born baby in her cot for 2 hours? she said no. And that all I needed to hear... because that's what she is more or less doing now.
 
Barney2004 - 20/8/2014 13:17

kefkat - 20/8/2014 13:10

Barney2004 - 20/8/2014 13:05

I will KK.

for those that know me on her and have met me will know that i'll get this sorted. Its good that im not going today because I'd lose it with them - whereas now I can go home and sleep on it and act professional about it tomorrow.
Click to expand...

:15: Yes that is the best way, to do it in a professional manner. Yes I am the same and was over my Mom too. Infact I was told I was too on top of everything with Mom even before she had to go into nursing that I had made my job harder as the authorities didn't need to do alot so for instance when we had respite they always left it to the last minute to do the paperwork whilst I was tearing my hair out.

Mom lived with us for 15 months after her stroke and I seen her daily when we were still able to keep her in her home. Well I did anyway even before dementia see her most days and always rung her if I hadn't

You have to do it Barney. It is what is right. You know what your doing with this, however I always gave them a check list when I wasn't happy so they had it in writing too.
Click to expand...

I think with me knowing whats right and what should be done in that home is making me angry even more - its just BASIC care!!

I train carers, I employ them, I visit homes, deal with CQC etc and I sacked staff for less. Im fuming at the moment. I asked the nurse there , over the phone, would you leave your new born baby in her cot for 2 hours? she said no. And that all I needed to hear... because that's what she is more or less doing now.
Click to expand...

That's just it Barney. I said to a carer in Mom's home 'how would you feel if it was your Mom in someone else clothes?' She just looked embarrassed and didn't answer. I walked away. Point made.

Yes I did make them take Mom back to her room and put her in her clothes which I put out on the bed. I used to check her wardrobe everyday after that and frequently went down to the laundry room to see where clothes were that I hadn't seen in her wardrobe for a few days.

Lets face it Mom wearing someone else clothes isn't as bad as what your Gran is going through.

It will kick there backsides some more with what your line of work is. However even without it, it is basic common decency and sense.

What they are doing to your Gran is disgusting and degrading.

You are doing well, not going in today. Maybe that is just me, however the longer I waited for an appointment the angrier I would get in a case like this.
 
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