Carers are useless - should they have told us?

[babystar]

Mum has carers come in 3x a day. The care company (not the carers themselves) is beyond useless. It's one of these big ones that absorb the smaller companies that actually do a decent job and make them all rubbish.

We have struggled with getting them to come at the correct times, only recently getting a consistent early evening visit as opposed to a late afternoon (why is Mum going to want to get ready for bed at 5pm?!) We tell them when we don't need a visit and they still turn up. We tell them we do not want male carers and they still turn up. We leave messages about meals and they don't follow it, sometimes Mum gets two hot meals a day and then they leave us a message to say Mum has run out of food. They won't give Mum a shower as they say her shower seat (to help her in and out of the bath as it's an over-bath shower) hasn't been tested, even though they saw it when they first visited for assessment, and they don't come and sign it off (as it's probably too much trouble) meaning Mum only ever gets a strip wash. We've had issues with them giving new meds as they weren't on the sheet, even though they've clearly been prescribed by the GP.

Anyway, rant over and I'll get to my question!

There is a folder kept at Mum's where the carers record details of their visit; how Mum was, what she ate, what they did washing wise, any strange behaviour etc. The other day there was a note in there to say they'd arrived and Mum was in the back garden in her undies. She didn't want to come in, or get dressed, and didn't seem to know what time of day it was etc etc. It said the office had been notified.

What I want to know is, in theory, should one of us children have been contacted about this? Considering they put a call in to the office they obviously felt the behaviour was important enough to report. But we heard nothing. And if we hadn't happened to read it we wouldn't have known. There have been previous notes of the office being notified of things and we have never heard. I know in the grand scheme of things there's nothing we can do about it, but I just feel this is yet another example of poor communication and service...

 

[Oxy]

Yes in my view you should most definitely have been notified. Clearly your mum is at risk. In the light of this are you sure that 3 x 15/30 minutes per day suffice? It may well be time to look for more substantial care whether at home or in CH. Carers are so hit and miss. Start looking for another agency but don't dump that one until you have bagged an alternative as you could end up high and dry!

 

[babystar]

This is what has been put in place by SS.

We originally had one visit a day to make sure she had a meal which we funded with the Attendance Allowance. After Mum's condition worsened we reapplied to SS for help, which they agreed to fund, and after Mum had a bad episode this was put in on emergency status, which is where I think the problems with turning up at the right times came from.

We recently had a visit from the mental health GP who advised Mum was now in the advanced stages and we should be looking towards securing a care home for her. But when we went to SS with this information they said it was all very well for the GP to say this but they had to follow procedure and would come for a visit and install a pressure pad to monitor her comings and goings. I think they did visit but no pressure pad has appeared.

I would prefer Mum to be in a care home now. I feel she is lonely, she gets upset sometimes when I drop her home. She sits in front of the telly all day and doesn't see anyone apart from the carers and us when we visit. I think being around other people would do her the world of good. She can't communicate her needs any longer; all she says the majority of the time is "yeah". But SS's opinion seems to be that whilst she's still mobile, and hasn't fallen, she should stay at home. Never mind if there was a fire or something she wouldn't have a cat in hell's chance of getting out alive. Although the back door is (or should be) locked after the carers leave she has been seen out wandering in the street, and the neighbour says she often comes out to see them. Assuming the door is kept locked (which I also feel bad about as it makes her home a prison) we have no clue where the key is that she's using to open the door.

I think we can apply for direct funding from SS and choose our own company, which may be the next step considering SS have vetoed a care home, and no matter how many times we call and complain to the care company we don't seem to get taken seriously and nothing changes.

It's frustrating as SS seem to be basing the need for a care home placement on physical problems; obviously mental problems count for nothing?

 

[SueShell]

Yes they are rubbish, but if you pay peanuts, etc.etc. I need carers to come in just to give me a break being Mum's sole carer, but as I only live next door and they are always knocking at my door, Mum's refused a sandwich, Mum's lying on the bed, etc.etc. and I have to go in. I always say to them exactly what would you do if I lived 60 miles away and I didn't live next door. They are more trouble than they are worth sometimes, as if us carers haven't got enough on our plates already!

 

[DIANE69]

Hi
Yes we have the same problems with carers.We have 2 visits a day to get my husband up and into bed.Its supposed to be 2 carers but often just one and the times vary by 2 hours.Last week we had 17 different carers many of them had never met Tony and didn't have a clue what they were supposed to be doing.This despite my repeated requests that we have regular carers who Tony can get used too.Social Services have told me we can not change agency's.I do give myself treats when I cancel the carers for a day and do everything myself its such a relief when they are not coming.I applied for a personal budget back in June and it was fully approved by SS back in August.Our council have contracted personal budget implementation and management to a private company and I am still waiting for them to process the completed paperwork and give me a start date despite been assured it would all be up and running by 1st October.I have a meeting on Wednesday so hoping all will be sorted then and I fully intend to throw a sack the agency party.Its not the carers themselves who do seem to do their best its the agency I asked one carer how much training they had re dementia and was told none.

 

[Pottingshed50]

Well it doesnt take a brain surgeon to work out that if this had been the middle of winter , sorry but your Mum would have died of hyperthermia. Your poor Mum. Yes you are correct you should have been informed immediately and also Social Services. Poor Mum definitely needs looking after bless her. I think you have every right to rant.

 

[babystar]

What annoys me is that when SS first came to visit it they discussed pressure pads to monitor comings and goings as well as the alarms that they can wear around their neck for emergencies and someone speaks to you through a speaker if you press it (sorry, I can't remember what they're called) and both were deemed of no use. Mum wouldn't have the capacity to understand the alarm and would either be pressing it for no reason or on the floor not pressing it. And if the pressure pad detects she's left the house what are we meant to do about it? It's not a way of stopping her from leaving. And it doesn't remove the risk of her getting hit by a car on her travels which is more and more likely as she has absolutely no road sense and just walks out in the road. It appears something has to happen to her physically before SS will accept she needs to go to a care home. The reason we want her to go is for her own safety, we want to prevent her from being hurt or becoming ill. As I said I believe it will improve her quality of life as well but all this seems unimportant. Why are the risks of mental illness not dealt with the same as physical illness? It's not fair.

 

[pippop1]

The notes in the book (such as the one about her being outside in her undies) are excellent evidence for you to ask for more care, or a care home. Photocopy them so that they don't disappear.

 

[ancient&modern]

how about asking for a live-on carer? that;s cheaper than a care home, so the SS might consider it.
think you need to marshall local support groups who know how to present evidence and make SS justify on record what they are doing and why.
Seems she is a a person at risk. put that in writing or email to them and ask for their written response within a specified time, otherwise you will have to take matters further. if they feel you mean business, will hold them to account. they are more likely to act, to cover their backs. nothing gets done if doing nothing is easier for them.
good luck.

 

[halojones]

S.s

The dreaded s.s.! Why do they make it all so extra difficult?It seems that they will do anything to not help us, and of course all the cuts are not helping matters.. Your poor mum, and all the worry for you..I agree that your mum would be better with a c.h..,but it does seem as they will only act when there is a really nasty crisis...!You have had some good advice, which I have noted for when it is my turn with mum So ,you are going to have to fight and push for it, no let up...!It should not be like this, but sadly this our reality!I hope you can get your mum the care she needs x

 

[Isabella]

I used to have the same problems with my mum's carers. Not only did they not tell me about potentially serious problems, they didn't tell SS either. And SS don't do reviews unless you ask them (well, that's my experience). Even worse, sometimes when I spoke to them they'd tell me about even worse problems they'd never even bothered to write down.

I'd copy the file and use it as evidence to support your case for more care.