OK - can I put this past you....
I am his partner, we live together - does that mean I have a duty of care towards him, putting apart any emotions??
I ask because he lost his driving license over 3 years ago because of the dementia - he is now 74 yrs old.
He won some money and bought a pedal bike. He would not have it that he might not be that safe on the roads....
I insisted that he wore hi viz and a helmet, had his phone with him at all times, and carried a card saying who he was where he lived etc and my phone number.
I worked out a circular route round our village, that was relatively free of traffic.
He has now got bored with that, and keeps venturing further and further afield. He was out two and a half hours today - I had a rough idea where he might be, but this is no comfort because we no longer have a car - so I cannot go and look for him.
I mentioned his bike ride this evening, and tried to ascertain which way he went - but he was unable to tell me and got rather cross. He just knew which village he had ended up in. Even the carer had expressed concern that he was going on busy but narrow roads, as they are in this area.
Should he be out on his bike like this? I cannot stop him. He could well have an accident in which he might hurt someone else.
Is it neglectful of me not to try and stop him going out on his own for 2-3 hours like this - when I don't know where he is?
I just don't know any more.
There was a conversation initiated by the care agency a few weeks ago, when the social worker mentioned safety concerns - I think I need to speak to the social worker again.....
But my main question to you all, is how do we, the carers, work out what our responsibilities are - will I get blamed if there is an accident, because I have been reckless with his safety??
What do you think?
I am his partner, we live together - does that mean I have a duty of care towards him, putting apart any emotions??
I ask because he lost his driving license over 3 years ago because of the dementia - he is now 74 yrs old.
He won some money and bought a pedal bike. He would not have it that he might not be that safe on the roads....
I insisted that he wore hi viz and a helmet, had his phone with him at all times, and carried a card saying who he was where he lived etc and my phone number.
I worked out a circular route round our village, that was relatively free of traffic.
He has now got bored with that, and keeps venturing further and further afield. He was out two and a half hours today - I had a rough idea where he might be, but this is no comfort because we no longer have a car - so I cannot go and look for him.
I mentioned his bike ride this evening, and tried to ascertain which way he went - but he was unable to tell me and got rather cross. He just knew which village he had ended up in. Even the carer had expressed concern that he was going on busy but narrow roads, as they are in this area.
Should he be out on his bike like this? I cannot stop him. He could well have an accident in which he might hurt someone else.
Is it neglectful of me not to try and stop him going out on his own for 2-3 hours like this - when I don't know where he is?
I just don't know any more.
There was a conversation initiated by the care agency a few weeks ago, when the social worker mentioned safety concerns - I think I need to speak to the social worker again.....
But my main question to you all, is how do we, the carers, work out what our responsibilities are - will I get blamed if there is an accident, because I have been reckless with his safety??
What do you think?