What should a care home tell you as next of kin etc?

[Kikki21]

My mum has been in a care home since the end of March this year. It is rated as good on the CQC rating.
There has been more than one occasion where they haven’t informed me of issues that have arisen & I find out when I get there. Is this normal?
I know they have lots to do but should I be concerned?
A few months ago, my mum developed quite a large bruise on her arm. Nobody knew what had happened. My mum seemed to think that someone had man handled her but couldn’t say who it was or if it had actually happened with anyone doing it or not? Don’t get me wrong, the care home were concerned but I only found out when I went to visit her.

The other day, I found out that she was on antibiotics for her legs, she had recurring cellulitis, actually it rarely goes away. It just so happened that I was there at dinner & the nurse gave her the antibiotic & I asked what it was for & she apologised & said someone should have told me.

Today I did actually get a phone call to say that my mum had ended up on the buzz mat last night in her room but seemed to be unharmed which is what they should do.

While I am there, all the carers seem to be caring & I don’t question that but they don’t seem to be 100%. I have never had a review meeting with them about my mum. I missed her original one as I was on holiday at the time but I never got any notes or heard anything about it.

It’s the first time that a family member has been in a care home so I haven’t got a comparison. I’d be grateful for your thoughts.

 

[Moggymad]

Hi @Kikki21 this happens to me too. At first I was informed if mum was not well, seen doc, on antibiotics etc but as time went on I too noticed that I would go to visit only to hear that she was in bed, been sick etc. Sometimes I feel a bit apprehensive at what I might hear when I go. I have told them several times that I want to know when mum is not well. I usually get a brief update when I arrive. I think it's because they are dealing with these issues all the time with the residents so to them it's not unusual but I share your frustration at not being kept in the loop.

 

[Beate]

I don't think it has anything to do with being next of kin or not, but people are either overworked, forget or can't see the significance in keeping loved ones updated. If you have health & welfare LPA, that carries a bit more clout and you can wave it in faces but at the end of the day, people make mistakes and forget. I guess some care homes are better than others with this but I have found that if you want information at all times, you need to be proactive and insistent, which is another way of saying make a nuisance of yourself.

 

[Kikki21]

Thank you for the replies! I don’t want to be a pain to them but I would like to know when there has been an incident before I visit but appreciate that it may not always be possible.

 

[Bunpoots]

My dad has been in a Carehome for almost 4 weeks now and I usually get informed of any incidents when I arrive at the home (rated good by CQC and council).

I would hope they'd phone me if anything serious happened but I know I'm not told of his every misdemeanour.

I'm fine with this. They are very busy and it stresses me out to see the Carehome name on my phone - I always expect the worst!

 

[Jessbow]

if you are the relative that pops in frequently then telling you of minor things on arrival seems okay to me. Problem is, where do you draw the line about who needs telling what? What constitutes the need for a call?

Time calling relatives is time away from the coal face. Just 5 mins on the phone to a relative X however many rellies need calling = 2 people dont get showers.

They will have a ''need to inform relatives' scale. As long as things are recorded and correctly monitored i'd not worry about small things. When it was something bigger ( she ended up on the floor) they did.

 

[Fullticket]

Mum never went into a care home full time but the respite care home she went to (also for day care) had to keep a record just like they do in hospitals - though I don't think it went on to any electronic system. Shows my ignorance in this; I thought it was mandatory to write up notes. I can see that time limitations would probably prevent this - even though mum is no longer here I am still learning!

 

[Grannie G]

A good care home would have up to date records of care and incidents. The next of kin can ask to read these records on each visit.

 

[Louise7]

A good care home would have up to date records of care and incidents. The next of kin can ask to read these records on each visit.

That's what I thought, but Mum has recently moved to a nursing home and everything seems to be kept electronically. I asked a nurse if I could see Mum's care plan/notes and was told that I couldn't 'as they are on the system'. They do ring me when there are any specific health problems or when appointment letters arrive but it seems odd that I can't get easy access to the care notes. It was suggested that I should take this up with the manager so I will do next time I see him.

 

[stanleypj]

That's what I thought, but Mum has recently moved to a nursing home and everything seems to be kept electronically. I asked a nurse if I could see Mum's care plan/notes and was told that I couldn't 'as they are on the system'.

It seems that paper records are on their way out.

 

[Grannie G]

If paper records are on their way out the next of kin should ask for a print out. I hate to be negative but electronic records can be so easily edited.

 

[Elle3]

I can kind of answer this from two points of view. The first care home my dad went into (April this year), I was getting phone calls constantly, he'd done this, he'd done that, can he get his hair cut, nails cut, we've called the Dr, he's unsettled, can you come down etc etc. I was beginning to dread their calls. I was also at this point visiting my dad every other day.

When dad moved into a different care home (from May this year), which was more able to cope with him, I occasionally got a phone call at the beginning to ask about things or to tell me about incidents, but as they have realised I visit often they tend to wait until I arrive, which I'm quite happy about. They have told me though that if something major happened then of course they would call me straight away. Minor incidents or a need for meds/review they just advise me when I visit. Any bruising etc should be recorded on a body chart with a reason for it, but admittedly they can not always know when or how something occurred as older people do bruise so easily.

My dad's care home has also moved to an electronic system and I agree it isn't the best, I used to be able to look in his folder for incidents, ABC charts, Body charts etc, but since moving onto this system I have to ask. Problem is one of the nurses is a real technophobe so if you ask him for anything he's useless.

 

[Witzend]

Because I lived closest, I was the first contact for the care home. If they couldn't contact me, my brother, who,lived further away, was next.
They always informed me of every little bruise or scrape and of any medical concerns.
They would phone me asap if my mother had to be taken to A & E (more than once after falls). Because I live close to both hospital and care home, would usually go and stay with her, so the carer could go back - more often than not run back by dh.

Once a year there would be a meeting of about half an hour to discuss my mother's care/condition, and for me to raise any concerns.

I think your care home should certainly inform you of any injuries, however slight, and certainly keep you informed about any medical,issues. Maybe you need to raise it with them, and make sure they have your correct contact details.

 

[Primrose19]

Mum has been in two homes now- both ring if she has a fall or if there have been (occasional) safeguarding incidents with other residents. The first showed me her care plan on the computer when I asked but didn’t invite me to or tell me about any reviews. The second practically ordered me to attend, paper folder with everything in. If I ring and ask, they would both read from notes and tell me how she had been.