nursing home activities and trips into the community for my relation

[tinkytoes]

Ok so I posted on here the other day about my relation being taken out once every week from the care home and into the community. Having spoken to staff, it appears there aren't enough on shift at any one time to allow for this. She is very settled in this particular care home and moving her elsewhere is therefore not a viable option.
Am I within my rights to insist she's taken out or do I need to approach companies who charge for this service (£20-23 an hour are the figures I've been quoted)
You may be thinking whats wrong with me taking her out - I have work, family commitments and ongoing health issues therefore I can't really do this. I do visit for at least an hour 2/3 times a week but taking her out is very difficult.
Any suggestions would be appreciated

 

[mab]

Rather a lot of unanswered questions here.
Is your relative self funding? Did you enter into a contract with the home that stated outings were part of the deal? Do you have POA/are you next of kin?
Are other residents enjoying regular outings?

 

[Beate]

Why would weekly outings be in the remit of a care home? Unless they advertise it or it's a group outing, no, you cannot insist. You'd be taking at least one staff member off their regular jobs for some hours - I doubt the other residents would appreciate that. Care homes do not have the staff to give someone 1:1 attention for that long, even if that would be very nice.

Can I ask why she needs to be taken out every week? Most people with dementia prefer their routine, and at a certain time in their illness patients do not actually gain that much anymore from outings - they could even make her anxious or remind her what she is missing out on the rest of the time.

 

[SnowWhite]

I look forward to a definitive answer to this

As I've said in other threads my Mums care home told us they organise outings in the summer months, do a range of activities and the residents use the garden a lot. On this basis we agreed it sounded the right place for Mum.

None of this happens though. I've asked the question on here whether people have any comeback in this situation but had no answer. In any other field if you don't get what you're promised you have some comeback but not it seems with care homes.

 

[AlsoConfused]

I think "disappointed expectations" and reduction in activities are becoming an increasing problem for many of us. Sadly, though, there doesn't seem to be much one can practically do to improve matters.

Nursing homes and care homes seem to be cutting the hours and jobs of activities staff in their relentless pursuit of cost-cutting. The quality of the residential care suffers but not perhaps as directly as it would if the numbers of the general purpose car staff were cut any further.

I'm not happy about the loss of a whole team of activities co-ordinators at my Mum's home, for example. Apart from complaining - a lost cause - there's nowt much we can do to remedy the situation. This home has gone downhill after losing a very good manager and having her replaced initially by a less good manager, then by a manager who quit instantly when the promises made to him weren't honoured. The home's now struggling on without a manager and with a CQC rating of "needs improvement".

I can't see matters improving while there are too few residential nursing and care homes for the quickly rising numbers of people who need them and there isn't any effective control of quality and few sanctions for poor quality care. The home my Mum is in is the best of those available ... but it has gone downhill and I can't see how we can change things for the better.

 

[Saffie]

I think you are expecting far too much of a care home in expecting a member of staff to take your mother out. As it seems important to you why not pay someone from outside the home to do this for you? It seems to be the only way it could happen. However I wonder how important it is to your mother if she is settled and happy in the home. That is surely what is is really important in the whole scheme of things.

 

[SnowWhite]

I think you are expecting far too much of a care home in expecting a member of staff to take your mother out. As it seems important to you why not pay someone from outside the home to do this for you? It seems to be the only way it could happen. However I wonder how important it is to your mother if she is settled and happy in the home. That is surely what is is really important in the whole scheme of things.

It's interesting how we all think differently because personally I don't think Tinkytoes IS asking too much. All of the care homes I've visited produce brochures and they all say that residents are to treat the care home as their own home and will encourage and support residents to live life the way they're choose. If they don't mean that then they shouldn't be allowed to say it.

It strikes me that a lot of care homes want top dollar but do not do more than they have to and certainly do not live up to their promises. I am lucky that I live just a few miles from Mums care home and am able to visit and also to bring her back to my home but a lot of people in there don't have family living nearby so their families are probably not as aware as I am of the lack of activities and stimulation.

 

[Beate]

But the OP hasn't even mentioned the activities in the home. They have talked about a weekly 1:1 outing with care staff, which, let's face it, is pie in the sky for most homes as they simply can't spare the manpower to entertain just one person outside of the home. I have no idea how this turned into a discussion about activities or lack thereof inside a care home.

 

[Saffie]

It's interesting how we all think differently because personally I don't think Tinkytoes IS asking too much. All of the care homes I've visited produce brochures and they all say that residents are to treat the care home as their own home and will encourage and support residents to live life the way they're choose. If they don't mean that then they shouldn't be allowed to say it.

It strikes me that a lot of care homes want top dollar but do not do more than they have to and certainly do not live up to their promises. I am lucky that I live just a few miles from Mums care home and am able to visit and also to bring her back to my home but a lot of people in there don't have family living nearby so their families are probably not as aware as I am of the lack of activities and stimulation.

I agree with Beate. There is another thread here about activities in a care home and yes, that is quite a different matter. There were lots of activities in my husband's nursing home but sadly he was unable to take advantage of most of them.
Taking someone out from a care home individually is really not something most homes could accommodate.

 

[SnowWhite]

But the OP hasn't even mentioned the activities in the home. They have talked about a weekly 1:1 outing with care staff, which, let's face it, is pie in the sky for most homes as they simply can't spare the manpower to entertain just one person outside of the home. I have no idea how this turned into a discussion about activities or lack thereof inside a care home.

I'm sorry I mentioned Activities. My point was supposed to be about care homes promising things that don't materialise.

I have had two weeks of emptying my Mums house now it's sold and am shattered and Brain is like mush. Sorry again.

 

[tinkytoes]

There is a shortage of staff in the care home which, is the case with most of these establishments.
There are various activities available which rarely means any of the residents being taken out. I have now made arrangements for her to be taken out every week. She isn’t advanced to the stage where she has no understanding and remains fully aware of the places she’s visiting whether a particular park, museum etc.
Thanks for your replies anyway

 

[SnowWhite]

There is a shortage of staff in the care home which, is the case with most of these establishments.
There are various activities available which rarely means any of the residents being taken out. I have now made arrangements for her to be taken out every week. She isn’t advanced to the stage where she has no understanding and remains fully aware of the places she’s visiting whether a particular park, museum etc.
Thanks for your replies anyway

That's great Tinkytoes. Mum was SO happy to go out from her care home. Used to take her out to a dementia support group and she loved it. I also used to take her out for a drive and to get fish and chips! She also used to come to mine for days.

If people have been used to having a fairly good social life then it must be hell to sit in a TV lounge with dozing residents. My friends Mum also has dementia and is in a home and she regularly takes her to her house for lunch or to a garden centre or cafe and they both look forward to it.

 

[tinkytoes]

That's great Tinkytoes. Mum was SO happy to go out from her care home. Used to take her out to a dementia support group and she loved it. I also used to take her out for a drive and to get fish and chips! She also use drugs to come to mine for days.

If people have been used to having a fairly good social life then it must be hell to sit in a TV lounge with dozing residents. My friends Mum also has dementia and is in a home and she regularly takes her to her house for lunch or to a garden centre or cafe and they both look forward to it.

 

[tinkytoes]

Her social life pre dementia was always busy and she had previously been very active partaking in numerous organisations. She enjoys being taken out and although within a short period of time forgets what she’s actually done, is beneficial at the time when the activity is taking place. I know in time she will deteriorate as she has during the last 12 months, but as long as she’s seen as enjoying these outings, they will continue.

 

[SnowWhite]

I think it's important to carry on as you are Tinkytoes because there may come a day when you can't! It was very hard work taking Mum out as I had a torn meniscus and had to push Mum in a wheelchair but we managed and had some great times and I am so glad we carried on.

You may notice I have edited my post as predictive text made it sound like my mother was on drugs!!