You know that shuffling thread...

Ann Mac

Registered User
Oct 17, 2013
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Hi Lizzy - I'm sorry its proving to be this hard for you and your Mum at the moment. Do you think Fiona's suggestion of a sling with clothes over might help? Mind you, if she is getting dressed before the carers arrive, I guess that's going to be almost impossible to arrange anyway :(

The times carers arrive is really ridiculous, I know:( It was something I used to get complaints about, over and over , when I worked home care, and I don't know a way round it. Most of the clients wanted to get up and go to bed within the same 1 - 2 hour time slot. So you have say 150 people on your books, to get them all up/to bed at the same time, saying a 30 minute call for each, how many staff do you need on duty to accommodate them all at the time that they want? And that's before you factor in calls where two staff are needed. And if the agency did that, then it would cut down on the number of hours of available work, and staff would find that they were limited in what they could earn. Its a nightmare - and results in some poor clients either languishing in bed till mid morning, or having to go to bed at stupid times like 7pm. I just don't know how it can be solved.

I'm glad you have another agency who have a time slot free to suit your Mum - fingers crossed you can switch to using them xxxx
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
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Lancashire
Hi Ann Mac, I wasn't for one second criticising the carers, I understand the constraints & it was an emergency 72 hour package, so I was just grateful for them. according to MIL they've never been anyway! lol With the agency I've been using (just mornings so far) doesn't mean that she is going to get times to suit her anyway, as you say it depends on timeslots they have available.
 

Ann Mac

Registered User
Oct 17, 2013
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Hi Ann Mac, I wasn't for one second criticising the carers, I understand the constraints & it was an emergency 72 hour package, so I was just grateful for them. according to MIL they've never been anyway! lol With the agency I've been using (just mornings so far) doesn't mean that she is going to get times to suit her anyway, as you say it depends on timeslots they have available.

Lol, Lizzy - I didn't think you were criticising, hun - I was just agreeing with the frustration of limited timeslots and how often it more or less renders the 'care' as not much use, in some instances. I wish I could think of a way round it - but I honestly can't :(

I just hope that the different agency can give your Mum a regular timeslot, at the time that suits xxxx
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
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Lancashire
MIL didn't have a good day y'day. She rang me at 9pm worried about her hand so I went down for a look. It is more swollen again! It is beginning to resemble a football. It is obviously painful. I was in a real quandary, do I take her to A&E again or do I just reassure her & see how it is today. She can still make a fist (albeit a loose one), straighten her fingers & she had a good pulse in her wrist. They were the only things the Dr in A&E was bothered about on Saturday night.
The poor lady is just very frightened, she asked me on Sunday whether I thought she would have a heart attack, last night she thought she may lose her hand. She just doesn't know that it stems from the broken bone mainly cos she doesn't know she has broken a bone!
I gave her, her meds, settled her with the ubiquitous cup of tea, then I got her ready for bed. Of course now I'm wondering if I did the right thing? I couldn't face the thought of sitting in the hospital for 2/3/4 hours just to be told the same as Saturday night.
We have a fracture clinic appointment on Friday morning, I shall ring them today to see if it can be brought forward a bit.
 

Ann Mac

Registered User
Oct 17, 2013
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I hope they will bring the appointment forward for you Lizzy - it sounds so painful, and you must be so worried:( xxx
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
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Cotswolds
Hi lizzybean :)

Oh dear....fracture clinic not v helpful then :(

Have you tried getting an emergency GP appointment? ( if such a thing exists where you are) ?

All the best

Lindy xx
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
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Lancashire
Thanks Lindy, I am going straight after work, will be there for 1.30 ish, will assess it then. Luckily for me one of my best friends is a receptionist at the GPs so she will get us in if needs be.
 

FifiMo

Registered User
Feb 10, 2010
4,703
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Wiltshire
This was one of the reasons they resorted to an old style sling with my mother so that her hand was effectively resting on her opposite shoulder and this stopped gravity dropping everything into her hand and her fingers etc. It is so hard when someone doesn't remember that something is broken isn't it. My mum's shoulder eventually healed just fine but we always wondered if it would have healed a lot quicker if she had been able to comply with the advice that was being given.

You're doing everything right and you will know yourself if things have changed significantly enough to warrant a visit to A&E. Would be better still if the DNs could add her to their list for a couple of weeks just to give you reassurance that everything is fine.

Fiona
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
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Lancashire
Thanks Fiona, will phone GP first thing as your suggestion is a good one. The swelling is not as bad as last night & no worse that this morning. The colour is definitely lightening as well. The carers rang me just before I left to go down cos she had concerns over the collar & cuff. She has broken it somehow. Took some tape & mended it. I could do with a glass of wine! lol
 

Lindy50

Registered User
Dec 11, 2013
5,242
0
Cotswolds
Hi again lizzybean :)

Just a thought....could you write a short note explaining MIL's difficulties, to give in a the fracture clinic, so that they will know the difficulties?.......
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
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Lancashire
Lindy, great idea. You do forget when your there under normal circs don't you & when you can't speak candidly as well...
Thanks for that.
 

Pickle20

Registered User
Feb 19, 2014
21
0
Tip for the swelling place a pillow underneath her arm, (collar and cuff off) and make sure the hand is higher than the elbow. Do a gentle massage on her hand gently pushing the ode a towards the elbow this should help with the swelling.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Arm-Sling-for-protecting-fracture-arm_337510765.html this type of sling may be better which holds the forearm and hand in a better position.

Presumably she has this at the moment http://www.wms.co.uk/Dressings_and_Woundcare/Bandages/Collar_and_Cuff.

Hope she gets on ok x
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
1,366
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Lancashire
Thanks Pickle, yes you are correct in your assumptions, didn't think about massaging away from the fingers, might be a bit painful for her at the mo tho.
 

Pickle20

Registered User
Feb 19, 2014
21
0
Her fingers should not be sore from the fracture in her shoulder so gentle pressure should be ok the bruising is not from the site just the blood is trying to find its way towards gravity. Ideally use your thumbs to push the fluid away I've done it many a time on fractured, shoulders, arms and wrists.
 

FifiMo

Registered User
Feb 10, 2010
4,703
0
Wiltshire
I looked at your links Pickle and the one they ended up using for my mother was way more "old fashioned" than that. LOL It was the second one on this video/site where it went round her back and up over her shoulder and kept her arm close to her body. Quite difficult for her to get out of especially when they put it on under her jumper. I am guessing also that once the arm was properly supported that the pain also subsided as so it wasn't a constant reminder for her to meddle with things. http://firstaidcoursesperth.net/first-aid/how-to-tie-a-triangular-bandage

The idea of the massage is good. Maybe show her how to gently stroke her fingers upwards herself.

There is always an extra dimension to any injury when there is dementia involved insn't there. I am sure that there is some NVQ that coud automatically be awarded to anyone who has acted as a carer!

Fiona
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
1,366
0
Lancashire
You are right Fiona, about the NVQ. I'm sure we could teach the "professionals" a thing or two. If someone could garner all our experiences & knowledge together & somehow infuse all people who come into contact with our carees wouldn't life be easier?
 

Ann Mac

Registered User
Oct 17, 2013
3,693
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Lol - I have the NVQ level 3 in care - apparently counts as an A level! I've done other A levels - the NVQ doesn't come close. I passed mine in 9 weeks, and the assessor praised me to the skies about my 'knowledge and approach' to care. A few weeks of living with Mil, a few years later, and the main thing I've learnt is how LITTLE I knew, and that I still have so much more to learn. I suspect for a lot of people on this site, their knowledge, however, is equal to a degree, at the very least.

I wish that any course for carers, working with those affected by dementia, involved a compulsory section making them read and digest the posts on this site - so much I've learnt, and they could learn too!

Lizzy, hope your Mum is OK this morning xxx
 

lizzybean

Registered User
Feb 3, 2014
1,366
0
Lancashire
MIL is OK today, she was very bright y'day & looking forward to a day out today. However she said she was not up for it (which is a pity cos we are on a course & I really wanted to go but that is for my benefit, so I was a bit disappointed but would not have pressurised her into going)
I went into town to do a bit of shopping, finally got round to Job Centre to get them to copy the power of attorney, couldn't get bank to do the same. I need an appointment, which I just can't do at the mo, no rush for it anyway.
On the way back I passed a coffee shop with tables outside & thought I wish I could go & get a coffee. Then I thought why can't I? So I got myself a coffee & cake & sat out. I really enjoyed that 20mins, felt really peaceful.
Went to MILs, put her shopping away, made a cuppa & we sat chatting for ages. Weird cos there was very little repetitiveness, if I didn't know better I would have said she didn't have AD. Left her all calm.
I have a real sense of although it is hard work, I am doing a good thing. I'm not patting myself on the back, at all, just that I knew if she had to be admitted to hospital that she would have been frightened & probably would have gone down hill.
Sorry it's so long.
 
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