Care home lockdown

spandit

Registered User
Feb 11, 2020
348
0
Still coming to terms with the guilt of putting my father into care just before Christmas. Haven't visited him since the 23rd as have been unwell with a nasty stomach bug (possible food poisoning from a family party!). Just received this from the home:

Unfortunately following a second member of staff returning a positive Covid test in the last few days I write to inform you that <the care home> is now classed by Public Health England (PHE), as being in an outbreak status. As a result of this disappointing news all visits and admission to the Home will be suspended with immediate effect.

They were in the process of upgrading their WiFi but the contractors have succumbed to the virus too... guess I'll have to write him a letter.
I know this isn't new to many of you but it's the first time for me.

Keep safe everybody!
 

Caroline T

Registered User
Mar 22, 2021
27
0
Hi @spandit, my Mum's care home is also in closed to visitors due to a Covid Outbreak.

However, I have Essential Care Giver Status and I am still allowed to visit even during an outbreak. So, long as Mum and myself test negative, I can still see her in her room.

Essential Care Givers can help with care or give emotional support to a resident, each resident can nominate one Essential Care Giver. You could perhaps to be your Dad's Essential Care Giver to visit him and support him mentally.
 

nae sporran

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
9,213
0
Bristol
Sorry @spandit. I was told a separate unit in my partner's home has been closed and am hoping essential care giver status will cover me if it spreads. Worrying times for you though, I hope you will be better soon and your father will be ok.
 

JanBWiltshire

Registered User
Jun 23, 2020
217
0
Gloucestershire
The care home my mother is in has also closed to visitors. I’m not sure what constitutes essential care giver - my husband seems to think I wouldn’t be eligible.

It is a shame Covid restrictions are making a difficult situation even worse.
 

nitram

Registered User
Apr 6, 2011
30,072
0
Bury
I’m not sure what constitutes essential care giver - my husband seems to think I wouldn’t be eligible.
Yes, you would

1.1 Essential care givers

Key message

All residents should be enabled to have an essential care giver, who should be able to visit more often. Essential care givers will need to be supported to follow the same testing arrangements as care home staff. When essential care givers are providing direct personal care, they should follow the same PPE and infection control arrangements as care home staff.
......
......

https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...icies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes .
 

Lynmax

Registered User
Nov 1, 2016
1,045
0
My mums home has just locked down as five carers and two residents have tested positive ( not mum fortunately as she refused both the first two vaccinations and only had one recently when boosters were done). I applied for ECG just before Christmas and heard today that it should be sorted in a week or so, it seems like the managers are trying to process a few applications quickly so that some visits can continue. Fingers crossed.
 

Bearz77

Registered User
Jan 18, 2020
100
0
My mums home has just locked down as five carers and two residents have tested positive ( not mum fortunately as she refused both the first two vaccinations and only had one recently when boosters were done). I applied for ECG just before Christmas and heard today that it should be sorted in a week or so, it seems like the managers are trying to process a few applications quickly so that some visits can continue. Fingers crossed.
My mum’s home has also had lockdown imposed (7 residents and at least 1 staff). I didn’t realise you could apply for ECG - was that via the home itself? We haven’t been given any information by the home about this.
 

Lynmax

Registered User
Nov 1, 2016
1,045
0
Yes, you have to ask the home if you can be your mums ECG. The government made this a requirement some time ago but most homes are not proactive in giving the status to families.

There is a Facebook group, Rights for Residents, which has files with template letters to write to the care home manager. I used these templates, emailed the home ( twice due to staff changes) but once acknowledged, the process was completed very quickly.

Basically I am treated as a member of staff to support my mum, I have to go to the home on the days their staff have the weekly PCR tests so my test gets sent off with their and I also do an LFT every time I visit. I will wear the same PPE as the carers and can go in mums room and possibly other areas - not actually had my first PCR yet so it is all new to me. The only training I’ve had to do is watch YouTube videos on how to put on PPE and wash my hands.
 

MKW

Registered User
Jan 5, 2022
11
0
Hi Everyone i am really sorry to hear so many people are suffering in different ways with relatives with dementia
I am new to this talking forum and I apologise if I have not connected properly I am not technically minded
My Mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia 12 months ago she is in a care home , more recently on our visits she has become really aggressive asking why she is in the care home and why can’t she go home ? We try to explain but she doesn’t accept what we say she tells us she wants to die and her life is over yesterday she was crying hysterically and tried to strangle herself in front of my Dad and sister ! It’s strange how she seems to have the capacity to realise she is in a care home and demands to come home although when she was at home she constantly wanted to go home and that where she actually lived and had done so for over 60 years was not her home, I have cut a really long story short , please can someone help us my Dad is 87 years old really distraught and me and my sister support him as much as we can , could anyone please give us some advice
 

nae sporran

Registered User
Oct 29, 2014
9,213
0
Bristol
Welcome to Talking Point, @MKW. Sadly that confusion about home and longing for somewhere familiar is common with dementia. Telling your mum she is there temporarily while the house is being redecorated or her doctor has asked that she is there while tests are being done, or something like that may help to buy time. https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/compassionate-communication-with-the-memory-impaired.30801/ will give you more inspiration and ideas for how to defuse her frustration and confusion. Did you report the aggression and upset to your mum's care manager or GP. there may be something else happening like a UTI. I hope that helps,
I'm still adjusting to my partner being in a nursing home.
 

Midge155

Registered User
Jul 14, 2021
20
0
Hi Everyone i am really sorry to hear so many people are suffering in different ways with relatives with dementia
I am new to this talking forum and I apologise if I have not connected properly I am not technically minded
My Mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia 12 months ago she is in a care home , more recently on our visits she has become really aggressive asking why she is in the care home and why can’t she go home ? We try to explain but she doesn’t accept what we say she tells us she wants to die and her life is over yesterday she was crying hysterically and tried to strangle herself in front of my Dad and sister ! It’s strange how she seems to have the capacity to realise she is in a care home and demands to come home although when she was at home she constantly wanted to go home and that where she actually lived and had done so for over 60 years was not her home, I have cut a really long story short , please can someone help us my Dad is 87 years old really distraught and me and my sister support him as much as we can , could anyone please give us some advice
Hi @MKW I’m sorry to hear you and your family are going through a hard time. My mam went into a nursing home at the beginning of august last year having been diagnosed in September 2020 but probably had been showing subtle signs for a couple of years previous to that. She was still quite physically fit but her dementia meant she needed 24 hour care due to her constant anxiety/paranoia/delusions was extremely hard to deal with and she was on the maximum meds she could be on as she lived alone and would be classed as a falls risk. She was exactly like you describe your mam, doesn’t know why she’s there and doesn’t think anything is wrong with her but couldn’t stay at home on her own either. She was extremely aggressive and agitated during visits saying she was going to kill h herself, jump out the window etc and constantly phoning us on her mobile leaving horrific messages. I managed to sort the phone and after a particularly difficult spell where we didn’t visit due to her agitation, a medication review appears to have made her a lot calmer. I won’t lie the guilt kills me every day but I know I couldn’t have gone on the way we had for 2 years. She had lost all insight and empathy and never realised the lengths I had gone to for her and the effect it had on my own young family. I’m hoping that she is finally starting to settle in the home, the staff tell me she is and she is definitely calmer and visits are easier in some ways. I really wish you all the best - please be kind to yourselves and know that you have done your best. Take care.
 

JanBWiltshire

Registered User
Jun 23, 2020
217
0
Gloucestershire
Hi Everyone i am really sorry to hear so many people are suffering in different ways with relatives with dementia
I am new to this talking forum and I apologise if I have not connected properly I am not technically minded
My Mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia 12 months ago she is in a care home , more recently on our visits she has become really aggressive asking why she is in the care home and why can’t she go home ? We try to explain but she doesn’t accept what we say she tells us she wants to die and her life is over yesterday she was crying hysterically and tried to strangle herself in front of my Dad and sister ! It’s strange how she seems to have the capacity to realise she is in a care home and demands to come home although when she was at home she constantly wanted to go home and that where she actually lived and had done so for over 60 years was not her home, I have cut a really long story short , please can someone help us my Dad is 87 years old really distraught and me and my sister support him as much as we can , could anyone please give us some advice
Hello! I’m in exactly the same situation and my father is anxious about my mother as she keeps saying she wants to come home. I just keep reminding him that the doctor is now in charge of her care and that we must just be thankful my mother is safe and being cared for in a way we couldn’t possibly offer her at home. Like your mother, she kept wanting to “go home” when she was living in her home of 30 years” so I remind my father of this. Sadly, it is a question of repeating this advice every time as my father keeps forgetting.….I just know if she came home, things would be a million times worse than her saying “I want to go home”. A tough one, all the same.
 

Bearz77

Registered User
Jan 18, 2020
100
0
Yes, you have to ask the home if you can be your mums ECG. The government made this a requirement some time ago but most homes are not proactive in giving the status to families.

There is a Facebook group, Rights for Residents, which has files with template letters to write to the care home manager. I used these templates, emailed the home ( twice due to staff changes) but once acknowledged, the process was completed very quickly.

Basically I am treated as a member of staff to support my mum, I have to go to the home on the days their staff have the weekly PCR tests so my test gets sent off with their and I also do an LFT every time I visit. I will wear the same PPE as the carers and can go in mums room and possibly other areas - not actually had my first PCR yet so it is all new to me. The only training I’ve had to do is watch YouTube videos on how to put on PPE and wash my hands.
Ah, great advice thank you. I’ll join that Facebook page.
 

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