The care home wants to move my Dad into a shared room when he has been in his own room for over a year because "the room is brighter and his eyesight is getting weaker"...hmm...suspect this is not the real reason but an opportunity to get more £ for his room. V worried as his potential room companion is not able to walk unaided and does not talk which Dad will not understand, and often watches Tv in the room with his wife which Dad can no longer tolerate. Any advice on how to battle this would be much appreciated.
Care home woes
- Thread starter carex
- Start date
Sounds a bit iffy to me and I would be inclined to think it was more to do with some means of them increasing their income. I'd like to bet they have someone who wants to come into the home but refuses for whatever reason to share a room. Their arguments for such a move don't seem to stack up either. If my eyesight was deteriorating and I had dementia, the last thing on this earth that i'd be needing is a change to a new unfamiliar environment. So, maybe the answer is, thanks but no thanks, we'll keep the current room.
Fiona
Fiona
No thanks
I agree with FifiMo. I would tell them the reasons for your concerns and say that you do not want your father moving, thank you. I would do it by writing a letter to the Manager (keep a copy). You don't need a face to face conversation then, and they cannot ignore something in writing.
I agree with FifiMo. I would tell them the reasons for your concerns and say that you do not want your father moving, thank you. I would do it by writing a letter to the Manager (keep a copy). You don't need a face to face conversation then, and they cannot ignore something in writing.
Great idea re. writing a letter
Yes, that's a good idea. I do think they will try to move Dad over the weekend, so they can say it's happened before I can get social services to respond and then they can gang up and say "we know best". Hah. Eyesight was good enough to read a word to me last week out of the blue, and he never fails to see and reach for his beloved cherry bakewells. Of course, if they think Dad's room is dark there are such things as brighter lightbulbs!
Yes, that's a good idea. I do think they will try to move Dad over the weekend, so they can say it's happened before I can get social services to respond and then they can gang up and say "we know best". Hah. Eyesight was good enough to read a word to me last week out of the blue, and he never fails to see and reach for his beloved cherry bakewells. Of course, if they think Dad's room is dark there are such things as brighter lightbulbs!
I would get in there and tell them under no circumstances is he to be moved, not today, not tomorrow and not ever. Say that you have considered it as a family and the answer is NO. You are paying for that room and the very thing that is recommended for someone with dementia, (even setting aside the eyesight issues) is continuity. Tell them that he is used to that room and if his eyesight is bad then it is the fundamental reason that he should not be moved. Even moving him to another room that he is not familiar with can set someone back big time. A change is a change to a dementia person. It would be no less confusing than moving him to another care home altogether quite frankly.
Someone might come along with more official information, but I thought that shared rooms were not the norm and could only be introduced IF everyone was in agreement. That is the line that I would take with them quite frankly. Tell them to ask all the other clients to move into the shared room - ask why your father should be the one that is moved rather than someone else. Tell them that you are going to speak to other relatives now and see if they are being co-erced to move their loved ones into shared rooms.
Stick to your guns and we'll be here to support you ...
Fiona
Someone might come along with more official information, but I thought that shared rooms were not the norm and could only be introduced IF everyone was in agreement. That is the line that I would take with them quite frankly. Tell them to ask all the other clients to move into the shared room - ask why your father should be the one that is moved rather than someone else. Tell them that you are going to speak to other relatives now and see if they are being co-erced to move their loved ones into shared rooms.
Stick to your guns and we'll be here to support you ...
Fiona
That's outrageous. I'd say no. I believe shared rooms were got rid of a few years back apart from for married couples so do say no.
X
X
Stand firm, Carex, and insist that your Dad remains in a single room.
If the care home disagrees with your decision, remind them that the CQC (Care Quality Commission) 'Essential Standards of Quality and Safety' makes it quite clear that the only people who should share a room are those who have BOTH made a positive choice to share.
Essential Standard - 10L - page 116:
http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default..._of_quality_and_safety_march_2010_final_0.pdf
People who use the service have bedrooms that:
●● Are single occupancy except where two people have made a positive choice
to share.
So, the Care Home cannot force anyone to share a room.
Hope that helps you.
If the care home disagrees with your decision, remind them that the CQC (Care Quality Commission) 'Essential Standards of Quality and Safety' makes it quite clear that the only people who should share a room are those who have BOTH made a positive choice to share.
Essential Standard - 10L - page 116:
http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default..._of_quality_and_safety_march_2010_final_0.pdf
People who use the service have bedrooms that:
●● Are single occupancy except where two people have made a positive choice
to share.
So, the Care Home cannot force anyone to share a room.
Hope that helps you.
Ask / Find Out The offical Veiw Point ! !
Hello & so sorry to read about your Dad's problems moving into a shared Room & the worry for you etc. Just say NO , NO & ACT QUICKLY before the Mangement can " Move " your Dad !
The best idea ( if you are able to ) is find out what the Offical take on this from C Q C etc or some thing like them ? That way you will have the "Rules & Regs " on your side & agree with what Fiona said about it unsettleing etc for your Dad having to move .
I work in the Kitchen at a N Home & nobody has to share & think it has been stoped in line with the new Rules etc !
Good Luck & hope it has a postive ending
Love & Hugs
Love Grove x x
Hello & so sorry to read about your Dad's problems moving into a shared Room & the worry for you etc. Just say NO , NO & ACT QUICKLY before the Mangement can " Move " your Dad !
The best idea ( if you are able to ) is find out what the Offical take on this from C Q C etc or some thing like them ? That way you will have the "Rules & Regs " on your side & agree with what Fiona said about it unsettleing etc for your Dad having to move .
I work in the Kitchen at a N Home & nobody has to share & think it has been stoped in line with the new Rules etc !
Good Luck & hope it has a postive ending
Love & Hugs
Love Grove x x
You were lucky to be so informed. My mother was moved three times, all without reference beforehand.
She started off in her own room, then was moved to a double, then moved to a horrible room where the window was bricked up whilst renovations to the property were carried out. I did complain, as mother was a self-funder and bed-bound, but the manager was so horrible, he just said 'What do you expect me to do about it, she will have to stay there for at least three months'. I always felt intimidated by him, as I feared for my mother's welfare. Finally, she was moved to one of the newly built rooms, with an en-suite. Every move was carried out without reference to me and mother certainly was not in a position to object.
Thankfully, she had the pleasant room for at least three years until her death.
She started off in her own room, then was moved to a double, then moved to a horrible room where the window was bricked up whilst renovations to the property were carried out. I did complain, as mother was a self-funder and bed-bound, but the manager was so horrible, he just said 'What do you expect me to do about it, she will have to stay there for at least three months'. I always felt intimidated by him, as I feared for my mother's welfare. Finally, she was moved to one of the newly built rooms, with an en-suite. Every move was carried out without reference to me and mother certainly was not in a position to object.
Thankfully, she had the pleasant room for at least three years until her death.
I would get on the phone NOW if you can't go and see them. If you can take a letter with you, complete with a bit at the bottom that a copy is going to SW and slap that on the desk. If not then email/fax it to the manager and ring to see if they have got it.
Agree with others, tell them no very firmly - you will not accept he should be moved unless specifically designated by his GP or an ophthalmologist.
It sounds like a load of rubbish to me - they could get him a brighter light!! I suspect they have another potential resident who only wants a single room and won't accept a shared, so they are moving him for purely financial reasons.
Not acceptable......
It sounds like a load of rubbish to me - they could get him a brighter light!! I suspect they have another potential resident who only wants a single room and won't accept a shared, so they are moving him for purely financial reasons.
Not acceptable......
Result
Thank you everyone for your support and ideas. Mum and I are very grateful and much fortified as a result.
Dad is not moving! Yippee.
Social services accidently rung me instead of the home this afternoon and revealed that they were told that Mum had agreed to the move (oh no she did not), so they went into battle....and 5 mins later I was called to say he wasn't moving. I also added the Social Services reference to our "under no circumstances" letter that I dropped off this morning.
Fingers-crossed there will be no repercussions.
Much relieved and delighted to report that Dad was in excellent form this afternoon.
Thank you everyone for your support and ideas. Mum and I are very grateful and much fortified as a result.
Dad is not moving! Yippee.
Social services accidently rung me instead of the home this afternoon and revealed that they were told that Mum had agreed to the move (oh no she did not), so they went into battle....and 5 mins later I was called to say he wasn't moving. I also added the Social Services reference to our "under no circumstances" letter that I dropped off this morning.
Fingers-crossed there will be no repercussions.
Much relieved and delighted to report that Dad was in excellent form this afternoon.
That's good to hear Carex. When we started looking for a home for mum 5 years ago, the first home we visited only had a bed in a shared room. The other occupant was 100, bedbound, and clearly in the last stages of life. The manager saw no reason why that would bother my mum!!! Er, sorry, I don't want mum waking up in the night to hear death throes in her bedroom.
The care home we finally chose did have one double room - and mum got it and single rate plus £10 a month! Perfect. The alternative was a single basement room with a dingy aspect. I made it clear that a bright airy room was important. Fortunately she remained in her double room till the day she died.
Always stick out for what is right for your rellies. It can be embarassing and make you feel awkward. But do it in whatever way you can.
Love
Margaret
The care home we finally chose did have one double room - and mum got it and single rate plus £10 a month! Perfect. The alternative was a single basement room with a dingy aspect. I made it clear that a bright airy room was important. Fortunately she remained in her double room till the day she died.
Always stick out for what is right for your rellies. It can be embarassing and make you feel awkward. But do it in whatever way you can.
Love
Margaret
I had no idea that some care home had shared rooms except for married couples. This is not right because it is like their 'home' and they should have privacy. Usually in care home you can make it as much like your own home as you can by bringing your own furniture etc. How can you di that if you share?
