Taking the P**

[Iainwh]

Hi Guys,

Not a happy bunny at the mo.

I've been a registered Carer for my Mum since the beginning of 04 when I was 25. My Dad retired to help look after her. Over the past few years she has obviously declined. About 4 weeks ago she had what I would describe as an epileptic fit {she isn't epileptic}. she was shaking and screaming and her legs were all over the place. It was like watching a video of a cow with BSE if you remember that from the early 90's. The mental health Nurse came round a couple of days later and said we should put the bed from the spare room into the dinning room and that's were she has been sleeping ever since. The Nurse gave us a cumode and and incontinence pads as well as some things to wash her with. over the past couple of weeks we have been struggling to put her on the downstairs toilet. Over the past couple of days she has had to go on the cumode because she can't get into the downstairs toilet any more.

The past two weekends we have had a carer come in and sit with her for a few hours so me and my dad can go out for a a couple of beers on a Saturaday afternoon.

here's a quick run down of my Mum's symptoms
diagnosed middle of 03 age 54
able to stand and walk unaided: no
able to speak coherently: no
able to wash dress and feed herself unaided: no
able to sit up unaided: no
visual hallucinations: yes {two years}
amount of respite: 6 hours over the past couple of weekends

What has really wound me up this week is one of My friends Dad's got diagnosed a couple of years ago. and over the past few months he has been hallucinating and last week he went on a walk about till 3ish in the morning. Up shot is he is now in hospital because he he is a danger to himself and could possibly be getting sectioned long term.

I'm not being funny but I dream about my mum being looked after 24/7 in a hospital indefinitely.

Rant over

 

[jenniferpa]

I understand where you are coming from: it does seem that the more mobile a person is, the more likely they are to be considered a danger to themselves and others. A person who can move, because they are at a later stage or because of other illnesses is considered easier to manage even though their immobility may be the very thing that makes care at home so difficult.

I am wondering, have you ever considered applying for NHS continuing care? And have either of you ever had a carer's assessment - whatever the situation you should be getting more respite than to appear to be getting.

 

[Kate P]

I would agree in looking into continuing health care funding - you need to speak to your social worker about it.

My mum was in a similar condition to your mum by the sound of it and we received full funding despite not qualifying for financial help from social services.

Unfortunately, I found that we had to push for these things - they were never offered really.

 

[Vonny]

Hi, I agree with Jennifer. You should certainly ask for an assessment for Continuing Care. If successful, the care plan can be accommodated either in hospital, a care home or the person's own home.

Your mum's symptoms sound very similar to my mum's except that my mum is significantly older at 80, and her hallucinations have stopped.

We have just applied for CC - the district nurse has faxed the application and her findings through to Social Services and she added that our case was urgent to try and hurry them along a little.

Sometimes you have to push things. I got the assessment started by going through PALS (Patient and Liaison Services), and I got their email address from the PCT (Primary Care Trust) website. They passed the email onto the correct department and they started the assessment within a week.

Obviously all PCTs vary and I don't even know if our application has been successful, but it is well worth trying.

If you do, please let us know how you get on

Vonny xx

 

[Iainwh]

If successful!!!/QUOTE]

if not?

Bob Marley "War"

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