My feeling is that most of the posters on this thread are in no way indifferent but in fact realistic. They have experience with dealing with people with dementia and know the problems that dementia can cause.
Spectacles and Teeth loss of, by whom?
- Thread starter Chris Edgerton
- Start date
Chris, I hope you don't mean to sound as insulting as you come across. I am not indifferent to my mother and her care, as I think the vast majority of all the members here are not indifferent. In fact, the vast majority, and I include myself, are passionate about the care our loved ones receive and we do our best to get the best possible care we can. Do mistakes happen? Yes. Do spectacles and teeth get lost? Yes. Do clothes go missing? Yes. Why? Because, as Hollycat so eloquently said:
Chris, you obviously have some issues with care homes. (or at least, the one you took the picture at) Where would you rather , residents spectacles were kept? The picture you have taken, shows them on a mantelpiece. Safe where they can't possibly fall, or get lost. You give no indication as to what time or under what circumstances the picture was taken. Do the three pairs of glasses belong to three residents or just to one resident? Where were the residents when the picture was taken? Asleep? Sitting quietly? Wandering about? Perhaps even on a hospital appointment? Do the residents have to wear their glasses every waking hour, or just for reading? Draw your own conclusion from what I'm getting at.
In our care home, prescription glasses are provided from a national company, who supply the finished article with each residents name clearly inscribed on the glasses. If these are misplaced by residents, then when they are found the resident and his/her glasses are reunited.
All our residents clothes are labelled with specially made indelible labels and laundry staff are careful to make sure freshly laundered clothes are returned to the correct residents room.
I don't believe any of us on this forum are indifferent to the care of dementia sufferers. As others have pointed out, we are only human. I'd just point out that carers do what they do, because they genuinely CARE about the people in their charge.
What do you want the staff in the care home you took these photo's in to do? Spend all day ensuring that the residents glasses/ dentures/ clothes etc are all in their proper place? Or spend the day looking after the residents? I know what I'd hope the staff were spending their time doing.
In our care home, prescription glasses are provided from a national company, who supply the finished article with each residents name clearly inscribed on the glasses. If these are misplaced by residents, then when they are found the resident and his/her glasses are reunited.
All our residents clothes are labelled with specially made indelible labels and laundry staff are careful to make sure freshly laundered clothes are returned to the correct residents room.
I don't believe any of us on this forum are indifferent to the care of dementia sufferers. As others have pointed out, we are only human. I'd just point out that carers do what they do, because they genuinely CARE about the people in their charge.
What do you want the staff in the care home you took these photo's in to do? Spend all day ensuring that the residents glasses/ dentures/ clothes etc are all in their proper place? Or spend the day looking after the residents? I know what I'd hope the staff were spending their time doing.
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Indeed you are fortunate Handyjack to have found a home that do actually reunite the resident's clothes with their owners.
My mother was rarely seen in her own clothes, despite them being clearly marked. Four brand new pairs of trousers disappeared completely, never to be seen again. When she died the domestic staff packed up all her clothes to be taken home by me and I only recognised one garment in the case, which was one half of a twin set. I had kept a check list and had a row with the Home over this issue, but nothing changed. Most of the clothes brought home were clearly marked with other residents' names, most of whom had died previously.
Her teeth and glasses disappeared in the first week. Again I enquired about it at the time, but was shrugged off and felt that replacing them would be futile, due to the casual attitude regarding lost property.
I am not stupid, I do realise the residents wander and pick up other people's things, but what is the point of labelling everything if the items are never reunited with their owners?
The carers in my mother's Home did not do the laundry nor deal with returning the items to each bedroom. That was the job of the domestic staff, whose supervision obviously was lacking.
My mother was rarely seen in her own clothes, despite them being clearly marked. Four brand new pairs of trousers disappeared completely, never to be seen again. When she died the domestic staff packed up all her clothes to be taken home by me and I only recognised one garment in the case, which was one half of a twin set. I had kept a check list and had a row with the Home over this issue, but nothing changed. Most of the clothes brought home were clearly marked with other residents' names, most of whom had died previously.
Her teeth and glasses disappeared in the first week. Again I enquired about it at the time, but was shrugged off and felt that replacing them would be futile, due to the casual attitude regarding lost property.
I am not stupid, I do realise the residents wander and pick up other people's things, but what is the point of labelling everything if the items are never reunited with their owners?
The carers in my mother's Home did not do the laundry nor deal with returning the items to each bedroom. That was the job of the domestic staff, whose supervision obviously was lacking.
Spectacles and teeth/dentures, is there enough care for these prosthetics in care hom
Noted the high number of visits v replies, so added poll ... what will be the result after 7 days?
Noted the high number of visits v replies, so added poll ... what will be the result after 7 days?
Don't you think living with a loved one can sometimes make you feel as though you have dementia too ?? Now I know I am always losing my glasses, all I can say is so far Thank God I have my own teeth ! lol 
I find the tone of this upsetting as a family we CARE about our Mother and also believe where she lives the staff also care about her and all the residents. Others have said already better than I can that to be human is to err........not everyone is uncaring, just sometimes very busy and perfection is hard.
My husband is not in a care home, he is at home with me. I seem to spend half of my life looking for his dentures. I think it's fair to say I am obsessed with them. I work full time. When I leave the house in the morning I leave a note in the diary for the carers to tell them where the denture is. The morning carer leaves a note as to where they are when she leaves and likewise the afternoon carer. They can go missing in the wink of an eye. They go in the bin with a banana skin, they end up down the loo, they are behind the toaster - you name it they have probably been there. This is not for the want of myself and the carers being mega vigilant about their whereabouts. My husband has dementia - the denture annoys him - he takes it out - end of story - or beginning of my search.
I care, my carers care - the teeth still go missing.
I care, my carers care - the teeth still go missing.
I think you've summed it up very well Izzy
"My husband has dementia - the denture annoys him - he takes it out - end of story - or beginning of my search."
As jeany123 points out, I'm not sure why a poll is necessary.
"My husband has dementia - the denture annoys him - he takes it out - end of story - or beginning of my search."
As jeany123 points out, I'm not sure why a poll is necessary.
The hospital where my husband is have still not found his glasses. He didn't have a spare pair as he thought it was a waste of money. Fortunately the opticians had a record of his old frames and I have ordered two more pairs which should be ready by next Thursday.
I will put his name on the new ones but that is still no guarantee that they won't get lost again. He will probably try to take the name tag off and he will continue to take off his glasses when he is "reading". Then he is likely to wander off and leave them and then anyone could pick them up. I went one day and he was wearing someone else's but had his own pair on the table in front of him. I don't know if the owner of the glasses was found.
I really don't see how anyone can be blamed for this happening. I think that we just have to accept it as another consequence of the illness.
I will put his name on the new ones but that is still no guarantee that they won't get lost again. He will probably try to take the name tag off and he will continue to take off his glasses when he is "reading". Then he is likely to wander off and leave them and then anyone could pick them up. I went one day and he was wearing someone else's but had his own pair on the table in front of him. I don't know if the owner of the glasses was found.
I really don't see how anyone can be blamed for this happening. I think that we just have to accept it as another consequence of the illness.
In an ideal world.........................
......no one would have to go into care, teeth/glasses etc would not get lost. Carers in homes would be highly trained in dementia, operate on a 1 to 1 basis so no one would be left wanting and all kinds of dementia would be treatable and be curable.
However we do not live in an ideal world so we all have to try our best
......no one would have to go into care, teeth/glasses etc would not get lost. Carers in homes would be highly trained in dementia, operate on a 1 to 1 basis so no one would be left wanting and all kinds of dementia would be treatable and be curable.
However we do not live in an ideal world so we all have to try our best
spectacles NOT sceptical
OH, the word on the Poll should be spectacles NOT sceptical
Moderator note: I have edited the Poll Title - SerenaS
OH, the word on the Poll should be spectacles NOT sceptical
Moderator note: I have edited the Poll Title - SerenaS
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The 'Carers' in my MIL's Nursing Home wrapped her teeth in tissue paper and placed them on the table in front of her because it was too difficult for them to put them back in her mouth! Another Carer then came along picked up the 'tissue paper' and threw it in the bin... They then spent a week telling us that my husband Martin had brought them home to clean them... a whopper if I've ever heard one.. It was only when a carer (called Martin) returned from leave and said it was him who was cleaning them and he wrapped them up in tissue paper and left them on the table...
Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that if you do this the chances of the teeth getting lost is HIGH!
When we eventually got another set, the nursing home couldn't be bothered putting them in - when we queried this they said she won't accept them - i asked them to get the teeth - I have never put false teeth in anyones mouth before but with a bit of patience and very clear slow instructions.... such as "Open Wide" and allowing my MIL a bit of time for the words to sink in - I popped them in her mouth with no problem...
The problem seems to be the Carers either can't be bothered or haven't got the time.. well when you are paying over £500.00 per week for this service I think they SHOULD be bothered...
Glassess... don't get me started, they'd put my MIL's reading glassess on her and wonder why she couldn't see someone across the room.
Now it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out that if you do this the chances of the teeth getting lost is HIGH!
When we eventually got another set, the nursing home couldn't be bothered putting them in - when we queried this they said she won't accept them - i asked them to get the teeth - I have never put false teeth in anyones mouth before but with a bit of patience and very clear slow instructions.... such as "Open Wide" and allowing my MIL a bit of time for the words to sink in - I popped them in her mouth with no problem...
The problem seems to be the Carers either can't be bothered or haven't got the time.. well when you are paying over £500.00 per week for this service I think they SHOULD be bothered...
Glassess... don't get me started, they'd put my MIL's reading glassess on her and wonder why she couldn't see someone across the room.
Whilst I appreciate that spectacles, dentures and other belongings can go missing as a result of residents who wander and pick up items at random or indeed by their owners who wander and forget where they have put them, in my mother's case there were no wanderers on her floor and she herself was bed bound or chair bound.
A scenario very similar to JanD's occurred with my mother's dentures and I have to say I am deeply in sympathy. I know there were excellent carers in my mother's home but I also know they were, by and large, too busy to care for her on anything like a one to one basis and, as Jan D has pointed out, to encourage my mother to replace her dentures. I too was able on many occasions to get her to eat comfortably using her dentures with only minimal encouragement and by moistening the dentures first.
I sympathise with carers who are, in many instances rushed off their feet, but I also know perfectly well that more care could be taken over items such as dentures and spectacles. I think these can be 'the straw that breaks the camel's back' when, as a concerned relative you have been putting in much time and energy to watch out for your loved one's interests across a range of issues.
I think that care for people with dementia has a long way to go before it is of a high standard everywhere and yes, training is paramount but so are adequate staffing levels and better pay. Just my personal opinion but based on a lot of experience with different care homes in various ways.
A scenario very similar to JanD's occurred with my mother's dentures and I have to say I am deeply in sympathy. I know there were excellent carers in my mother's home but I also know they were, by and large, too busy to care for her on anything like a one to one basis and, as Jan D has pointed out, to encourage my mother to replace her dentures. I too was able on many occasions to get her to eat comfortably using her dentures with only minimal encouragement and by moistening the dentures first.
I sympathise with carers who are, in many instances rushed off their feet, but I also know perfectly well that more care could be taken over items such as dentures and spectacles. I think these can be 'the straw that breaks the camel's back' when, as a concerned relative you have been putting in much time and energy to watch out for your loved one's interests across a range of issues.
I think that care for people with dementia has a long way to go before it is of a high standard everywhere and yes, training is paramount but so are adequate staffing levels and better pay. Just my personal opinion but based on a lot of experience with different care homes in various ways.
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Years ago when my FIL was in respite before going into care full time he lost slippers, and glasses none of which were never found.
We did however find out that either he or someone else was flushing items down the loo!!
Enough said I think!
We did however find out that either he or someone else was flushing items down the loo!!
Enough said I think!
This brings back memories for me which have been blocked off for some time now. When my elderly friend was taken into respite as I could no longer cope, the care home didn't treat her like an individual, they ordered glasses for her (it was done for everyone - why? - a nice contact for an optician to supply and fit 2 pairs of glasses for each resident upon entering a home) if they had asked they would have known she had had a new pair made only a few months before she went into care - her own. She also had a second pair of new dentures made before she went into care, these proved too difficult for her to wear and get used to because of her failing health. She was sent on a visit to hospital with her older teeth, the hospital lost the top set claiming she never arrived with them - this was not true. When I asked at the care home, when she was rapidly losing weight where her bottom set were I was told by the trained nurse that she the nurse, had thrown them away - she didn't understand why I was at a loss of what to say to her, even half a denture gives shape and support to the mouth when drinking. She did not have dementia but was unable to communicate because of all that was happening to her. What she went through still affects me greatly and my failings and inadequacies to be unable to have continued keeping her at home.
There are good and bad experiences in any institution/ home sadly the bad experiences can be so bad at times that it is difficult to see and encourage the good. Some of the carers in my friend's home were lovely, paid the minimum wage and were inexperienced but their caring came across and that is what makes the difference. Others evidently did not care in the same way, they didn't know how to but they can learn to do it a better way given understanding and support and a commitment from those that are responsible for the running of the homes.
- she didn't understand why I was at a loss of what to say to her, even half a denture gives shape and support to the mouth when drinking. She did not have dementia but was unable to communicate because of all that was happening to her. What she went through still affects me greatly and my failings and inadequacies to be unable to have continued keeping her at home.There are good and bad experiences in any institution/ home sadly the bad experiences can be so bad at times that it is difficult to see and encourage the good. Some of the carers in my friend's home were lovely, paid the minimum wage and were inexperienced but their caring came across and that is what makes the difference. Others evidently did not care in the same way, they didn't know how to but they can learn to do it a better way given understanding and support and a commitment from those that are responsible for the running of the homes.
