Advice Please - Nursing home

MollyMae23

Registered User
Jan 7, 2012
40
0
Hi

My mum has recently been moved from hospital into a nursing home because her physical needs could not be met at home.

Since she has arrived there she has been very sleepy so the staff have left her to 'settle in' which is fine and luckily I live really near so can drop in several times a day. However, I was hoping that after the settle in period she would be able to get out of her room into the day room for social,contact. Speaking with the nurse today I realised that because of her hip,injury they are very frightened of letting her sit in a chair because she might fall out and as all the reclining chairs are already allocated she will need to stay in her room.

Now I have had no experience of nursing homes so I do not know how their activities work so could anyone advice me whether activities are restricted to groups,or is there provision for bedridden patients. The carers are very good but can't spend much time with mum and I can't be there all the time so I can see the rest of her life being stuck in front of a TV in her room unless the family buy her a reclining chair to sit in in the day room. I hasten to add that so far I haven't seen any activities taking place but I am reliably informed that they do take place.

I'm finding it hard coming to terms with mum being in a home because I was caring for her at home so,I am trying to keep objective but I can't help feeling I am committing her to a lonely time if she can't get any social contact.
 

starryuk

Registered User
Nov 8, 2012
1,323
0
Mollymae,

Sorry, I can't really advise you, but I would have been unhappy if my mum had been left in her room all day in her CH. (She has died now).

I would be asking why they can't find a suitable chair for your mum. If she is alone in her room all day, surely she might be just as likely to fall there. She would certainly get more supervision down in the day room I would have thought.

Hopefully someone with more experience can advise you in a while.
 

Pickles53

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
2,474
0
Radcliffe on Trent
All homes seem to do activities differently, but the one my mum is in has some 'one to one' sessions where the lady in charge of activities spends time with residents who are bedridden or otherwise can't leave their rooms. She is very good at getting conversation going and has made use of things I have taken in like books showing mum's home town as it used to be.

You might ask to see whoever organises the activities and see what they could do.

I would also add that although my mother is wheelchair bound and pretty apathetic about joining in the staff have always encouraged her to spend time in the lounge/sitting room areas. At least then she has some social contact as the carers stop to chat to her while doing other things.
 

Debbie Reads

Registered User
Jul 27, 2014
10
0
Hi

My mum has recently been moved from hospital into a nursing home because her physical needs could not be met at home.

Since she has arrived there she has been very sleepy so the staff have left her to 'settle in' which is fine and luckily I live really near so can drop in several times a day. However, I was hoping that after the settle in period she would be able to get out of her room into the day room for social,contact. Speaking with the nurse today I realised that because of her hip,injury they are very frightened of letting her sit in a chair because she might fall out and as all the reclining chairs are already allocated she will need to stay in her room.

Now I have had no experience of nursing homes so I do not know how their activities work so could anyone advice me whether activities are restricted to groups,or is there provision for bedridden patients. The carers are very good but can't spend much time with mum and I can't be there all the time so I can see the rest of her life being stuck in front of a TV in her room unless the family buy her a reclining chair to sit in in the day room. I hasten to add that so far I haven't seen any activities taking place but I am reliably informed that they do take place.

I'm finding it hard coming to terms with mum being in a home because I was caring for her at home so,I am trying to keep objective but I can't help feeling I am committing her to a lonely time if she can't get any social contact.

Is your Mum self-funding? If not, I would have thought she should be provided with all she needs to be able to take a full part in the life of the CH. I can't believe the staff don't know how to handle and move your Mum. Is she receiving nursing care? I'd also ask to see a timetable of activities and, if you can, drop in when they're supposed to be happening.
Maybe I'm just being overly suspicious, but it doesn't quite hang together.
 

Saffie

Registered User
Mar 26, 2011
22,513
0
Near Southampton
Now I have had no experience of nursing homes so I do not know how their activities work so could anyone advice me whether activities are restricted to groups,or is there provision for bedridden patients. The carers are very good but can't spend much time with mum and I can't be there all the time so I can see the rest of her life being stuck in front of a TV in her room unless the family buy her a reclining chair to sit in in the day room. I hasten to add that so far I haven't seen any activities taking place but I am reliably informed that they do take place.
Most activities in my husband's home took place in one of the lounges, residents of the other 3 wings being taken there in their wheel chairs or special electronic chairs.
If there was a special celebration or a visiting musician and if time permitted, then visits would be made to those who were bed bound in their rooms.
However, this wasn't often possible.
The only activity my husband was able to really join in was when a singer or musician came and I asked that he could always be taken to these and the Activities organisers always did so up until the time when he was too ill and sleepy to attend.

I have to say that I often visited when these singers were there and most of the reisdent were asleep.
 

annie h

Registered User
Jun 1, 2013
148
0
Hi Molly,
This sounds like nonsense to me. My mother was always taken into the communal lounge both when she was settling in after a massive stroke and later after she'd broken a hip as soon as she was up to getting out of bed. Most of the less independent residents were encouraged into the communal lounge as much as possible, and not just when activities were on. The activities coordinator did visit those who couldn't get up when they were in their rooms but it's obviously not an ideal longterm solution. It just sounds like an excuse to me. Socialising with other residents is very important as it can help with so many different things, encourage eating/drinking, provide stimulation and thereby help slow down mental decline etc. I wouldn't have put up with this as my mum was always worse when she wasn't mixing with other people. I think you should make your views known and unless they come up with a proper reason why it's not appropriate at the moment start looking for somewhere else.
 

Pickles53

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
2,474
0
Radcliffe on Trent
Is your Mum self-funding? If not, I would have thought she should be provided with all she needs to be able to take a full part in the life of the CH. I can't believe the staff don't know how to handle and move your Mum. Is she receiving nursing care? I'd also ask to see a timetable of activities and, if you can, drop in when they're supposed to be happening.
Maybe I'm just being overly suspicious, but it doesn't quite hang together.

I don't think so either, but I wonder why you think that a self-funded resident would not also be provided with the same facilities/equipment etc? Or have I misunderstood what you were saying? It is often the case that a self-funded resident is actually paying more per week than LA-funded resident in the same care home, as has often been mentioned in other threads.
 

MollyMae23

Registered User
Jan 7, 2012
40
0
This is what I needed thank you. I have found over the last few months that whenever I voice my opinion to hospital staff, social workers and now nursing home staff that they think I am in denial. All I want is for my mm to have the best quality of life she can. Your comments have confirmed that I am not asking for miracles which has given me more determination to get this sorted out. Many thanks.
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,680
0
Midlands
Presumably the nursing home took her from the hospital because they told you they could meet her needs. Clearly they cant.

If she needs a reclining chair, they are supposed to meet that need.
Would occ therapy be able to provide anything do you think? You might well have to do the contacting and chasing though. You really shouldn't have to buy one.

I would query that ''all reclining chairs are allocated'' unless they are owned by indviduals, surely they should be shared?
 

annie h

Registered User
Jun 1, 2013
148
0
I think the position on equipment may be more difficult - unless there is some assessment saying it's necessary it's possible nobody (as between NHS and home) will consider it's their duty to fund it.