DOL why and should we be worried

[purl]

my aunt has been in hospital since Jan. Ready for discharge. Just failed to get CHC and there has been some dispute in relation to them not following the process correctly and us complaining about them. We have been trying to find homes but EMI nursing homes are not that easy to come by. We had a call from someone in relation to deprivation of liberty. This is the first time we have heard of this term. Mum didnt really understand anything. They said they had seen and spoken with my aunt today and asked what was happening in relation to finding a home. We are rather concerned that this has come just a couple of days after being told the final no for CHC and that they might in some way try and move her somewhere without our say so as they obviously want her out. We are self funding. We have not done a financial assessment with SS. We have POA for H and Welfare. We really want her out ttoo and someone should have gone to assess her for a home today and this person said they would phone and check they had been tomorrow.

Are we worrying about nothing? She has been there for 5 months already. They are going to phone mum tomorrow but because the who situation hasn't been very friendly with the hospital are worried that in some way they could challenge our POA and take over in some way.

Sorry if this is a simple question for some but a bit out of the blue for us and we are really worried.

Thanks for reading

 

[susy]

Who is it asking for the DOL? This is used in a care setting to allow the staff to stop someone leaving or doing something that would harm them. Without it a person can simply walk out the door and if no talking to them helps there is nothing that can be done.

 

[purl]

we don't know who asked for it. They are in hospital preparing for discharge when we have found a place. I don't actually have a clue who has requested it just that the person said they had seen my aunt in life with DOL guidelines

 

[jenniferpa]

DOL has absolutely nothing to do with LPAs so you don't need to worry about that. I assume they have taken this step because without it, they couldn't require her to go into a home (and if you are looking at EMI then I assume she needs it).

Have a look at this fact sheet http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1327

 

[purl]

DOL has absolutely nothing to do with LPAs so you don't need to worry about that. I assume they have taken this step because without it, they couldn't require her to go into a home (and if you are looking at EMI then I assume she needs it).

Have a look at this fact sheet

thank you for that. Feeling paranoid perhaps. We really got their back up in relation to requesting records and insisting on a CHC assessment and have have not been told anything about anything they have done all the way through which makes us worry unnecessarily at times.

 

[Pete R]

You are not alone at being worried unnecessarily as this recent thread and one mentioned in it just shows that those who should know better are either ignorant (at best) or using DoL's as a bullying technique. http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/show...nd-proper-communication&p=1097943#post1097943

Keep trying in trying to find a placement you are happy with.

I wish you all well.

 

[canary]

Mum has a DOLS as she is in a dedicated dementia unit with a lock on the door. If she did not have one she could not stay there, so it is routine for all the residents to have one. It was organised by mums care home before she went in there, so this could well be what is happening to your aunt. There is nothing sinister about it.

 

[chelsea girl]

DOL has absolutely nothing to do with LPAs so you don't need to worry about that. I assume they have taken this step because without it, they couldn't require her to go into a home (and if you are looking at EMI then I assume she needs it).

Have a look at this fact sheet http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1327

Sorry to be thick but wats an EMI home??

 

[canary]

Sorry to be thick but wats an EMI home??

Its an old term that isnt used so much now. It stands for Elderly Mentally Infirm and is a secure unit (ie has a lock on the door). They tend to be known as dedicated dementia units now. Its the fact that its a secure unit that means you have to have a DOLS to be there.

 

[opaline]

I'm thick, too, what's a DOLs? x

 

[canary]

I'm thick, too, what's a DOLs? x

Deprivation Of Liberety Safegaurds

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1327

 

[looviloo]

I've read this thread with interest... my introduction to a DOL was a month ago, while my dad was in hospital. He had become delirious and wandered outside, onto the road in his pajamas. The social worker who met us at the hospital waved a DOL in front of us, and I'm still not sure if it was meant as a threat or a comfort, since I had no idea what one was at the time :-/

 

[chelsea girl]

Aw brilliant, now i know

 

[gringo]

This subject comes up again and again. There is clearly widespread misunderstanding about the process. I have posted the following on several earlier threads.
"The Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (MCA DOLS) exist to ensure that no one is deprived of their liberty without good reason. They should be as short as possible and no longer than 12 months, although they can be extended, after proper assessments are carried out. The aim is to prevent people coming to harm.
A relevant person’s representative (RPR) has to be appointed to protect the interests of the person being deprived of their liberty, usually a family member.
The Dept. of Health pamphlet OPG609 gives the detail in easily understood language."
My wife has been the subject of DOLS assessments for some time, I am her RPR. and am always consulted and given every opportunity to comment. In my opinion the important word here is 'safeguards'.

 

[susy]

I've read this thread with interest... my introduction to a DOL was a month ago, while my dad was in hospital. He had become delirious and wandered outside, onto the road in his pajamas. The social worker who met us at the hospital waved a DOL in front of us, and I'm still not sure if it was meant as a threat or a comfort, since I had no idea what one was at the time :-/

I think I would have been asking this social worker if she already had this then why on earth was he found outside on a road in his pyjamas or if she didn't already have this why on earth not as he was obviously at risk!
(Just because waving stuff in your face like that is so antagonistic and unnecessary)

 

[jaymor]

My husband is assessed every 12 months and I am his representative and attend every assessment. As Gringo says it is to make sure he is not deprived of his liberty and everything is done in accordance with his needs.

The reason for the assessments are to make sure he is not deprived and definitely not to deprive him. It is to safeguard him against any attempts made to deprive him of his liberty. Sadly now he is well passed anyone trying to deprive him but they are still watching over him which is great.

i think it keeps care homes on their toes and stops any actions that they may think is necessary to make caring easier for them.

 

[looviloo]

I think I would have been asking this social worker if she already had this then why on earth was he found outside on a road in his pyjamas or if she didn't already have this why on earth not as he was obviously at risk!
(Just because waving stuff in your face like that is so antagonistic and unnecessary)

Thanks susy . Unfortunately we were quite naive at the time, and had never really spoken to the social worker until that very day - so had no clue what a DOL was. Everything happened very quickly. To make things worse, they had been threatening to discharge my dad from hospital, and it was only because we fought his corner that he was kept in a night for observation... and that's when he wandered.

The ward/staff weren't equipped to deal with (or recognise) a person with my dad's complex issues. The DOL wasn't implemented in the end, although I know that they locked the door on the first night.