Care commission re check at home.

Sianey

Registered User
Mar 23, 2015
103
0
Yorkshire
Hi,

The care home Mam is in was failing due to certain things and Friday they did a re check. The lady wanted to have a word with me. She had concerns about the one lounge area and the lack of activitities, sadly those are my concerns as well. Thing is the act the staff put on was stomach churning which when I got home made me very angry and sad. The menu board never has a menu on it but Fridat did have the meal, a picture and ENJOY when I visited yesterday it as half scrubbed out and no weekend menu had taken its place. It was awful how the staff were offering magazines to the residents, extra tea and biscuits and generally acting false. There are plus points they do keep Mam as dry as possible.

I know a lot of homes have one lounge but the residents seem to bicker a lot and Mam has pointed out how stressful it is in there. I would love an extra small lounge with table of games and quiet music, it's frustrating how you can see the changes that should be made but know when the committee visits they put an act on. Do you think the lady will have seen through the act?

I placed a dementia day clock in the room and an ordinary clock I forgot to tell the lady I did this not them. So frustrating but it was such a rush to place Mam I visited two homes both wonderful but no vacancies and a list of 47 waiting for the good one.

The staff are pleasant and greet me it's just hard when heart on heart I wish Mam was nearer me and in a different one but I know I can't move her. When I go she just seems lolled in a chair asleep.

Rant over

Sianey
 

Quilty

Registered User
Aug 28, 2014
1,050
0
GLASGOW
If you feel like this you should think about moving her. It would be hard but maybe better in the long run. Why not get on the waiting lists ans see what happens.
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
Hi there I agree with Quilty and I would be looking for another home if I felt the way that you do. You can phone the CQC anytime and put in a full complaint and it will be investigated, if you need a quicker response you phone adult social services in your area and tell them there is a safeguarding issue and they have to investigate. If you do both then that hits it from all angles and it will help the others in the home too
This is the info for the Care Quality Commission
03000 61 61 61, enquiries@cqc.org.uk

The only way we will improve services is by complaining :)
 

Sianey

Registered User
Mar 23, 2015
103
0
Yorkshire
Hi there I agree with Quilty and I would be looking for another home if I felt the way that you do. You can phone the CQC anytime and put in a full complaint and it will be investigated, if you need a quicker response you phone adult social services in your area and tell them there is a safeguarding issue and they have to investigate. If you do both then that hits it from all angles and it will help the others in the home too
This is the info for the Care Quality Commission
03000 61 61 61, enquiries@cqc.org.uk

The only way we will improve services is by complaining :)

Hi,

Thank you, I will email them. A lot of the residents don't get visitors, if they do they don't go as frequent but they are older than my Mam. Its hard to wonder if Mam would of been the same in a home with more going on and with more places to sit or just the same as she is there, I guess I will never know that. She has really gone down hill since going in in April, I have no experience as to whether this is normal or not plus Mam has bladder cancer now as well. I know boredom is no good for any of us but I don't know much about dementia and the consequences of less activitities.

Sianey
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
Bladder cancer is rough and can be very painful - do keep an eye and make sure they are sorting out the right meds and calling in nurses for pain control etc

Activities are really important - sometimes people don't want to join in or don't have much energy but just the stimulation of watching others or sitting at a table doing something a bit different, or having nails painted or a hand massage or dibbing around with a paintbrush or having a sing song or a conversation makes the time go more quickly, distracts from pain or worry and generally cheers up the place and the people. That is how important I think they are anyway.
At least if she was nearer to you, you would be able to pop in and out and be less stressed - I should have a look and check out the Care Quality Commission reports for those closer to you. This is the link and you just enter the name of the service
http://www.cqc.org.uk/content/care-homes
try to read the full report if you have time it will give you a full picture of the home
Take care and good luck xx
 

Sianey

Registered User
Mar 23, 2015
103
0
Yorkshire
Bladder cancer is rough and can be very painful - do keep an eye and make sure they are sorting out the right meds and calling in nurses for pain control etc

Activities are really important - sometimes people don't want to join in or don't have much energy but just the stimulation of watching others or sitting at a table doing something a bit different, or having nails painted or a hand massage or dibbing around with a paintbrush or having a sing song or a conversation makes the time go more quickly, distracts from pain or worry and generally cheers up the place and the people. That is how important I think they are anyway.
At least if she was nearer to you, you would be able to pop in and out and be less stressed - I should have a look and check out the Care Quality Commission reports for those closer to you. This is the link and you just enter the name of the service
http://www.cqc.org.uk/content/care-homes
try to read the full report if you have time it will give you a full picture of the home
Take care and good luck xx
Thanks Fizzie,

If I'm honest I wouldn't of placed Mam there had the report being before Mam went in as I would of seen it and thought Mmm that's no good, She went in 2 April initially for respite until four calls at home could be organised but Mam living in a village in the sticks four calls couldn't be arranged by any carers. The 7th April was the check and May it was published with failings and then this week a re check. The lady did explain what other homes do for entertainment, she was telling me about a jigsaw for dementia someone was doing in one home she was checking. It's the falseness they put on, if they were in aware and need help or more training with the residents fair enough but they must be aware they don't do what they should which makes it more worrying.

Mam is in pain when she sits with her cancer it's very sad to see and there's nothing medically they can do surgery I mean, only palliative radio she does have painkillers though. I know I'm moaning and I know I should move her but on my own I don't think I have any energy reserves left now as I think depression and anxiety has got the better of me now. I'll see what the care commission says when they mail back.

Sianey
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
I understand, I am sure you are feeling very down but you have done your best so try not to be too stressed - I know that is easier said than done. Are the hospice team involved - they can do wonders with pain. If they are not it would be worth asking the home to refer to their outreach for pain advice (GPs are not usually specialist enough) and if they don't do it then you can phone the hospice - they are easy to talk to and it might help you too xxxx You need some support xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 

Sianey

Registered User
Mar 23, 2015
103
0
Yorkshire
I understand, I am sure you are feeling very down but you have done your best so try not to be too stressed - I know that is easier said than done. Are the hospice team involved - they can do wonders with pain. If they are not it would be worth asking the home to refer to their outreach for pain advice (GPs are not usually specialist enough) and if they don't do it then you can phone the hospice - they are easy to talk to and it might help you too xxxx You need some support xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks Fizzie. Yes the McMillan nurse has seen me and Mam and another one told me what to look out for regards Mams cancer progressing and the pain and for me to have the nurse for support. She gave me her home and mobile number. They are very compassionate ladies. I think the feeling of helplessness gets me depressed as I feel I plumped for something straight away regards the home, I should of put my foot down with the s worker about housing Mam near where she lived and checked more homes out so it just goes on and on in my mind, then there's the stress of seeing Mam like it. I have tried to reach out to my two brothers who live away for mental support but they have come over to me with the impression they want to get on with their lives and so everything has been left to me the home, the finances, visiting, Mams cat, including selling our childhood home which has now completed. It's just been exhausting the whole thing and you know when life seems to have more bad things than good things going on.

Sianey.
 

fizzie

Registered User
Jul 20, 2011
2,725
0
I understand. It would make life much easier for you and perhaps better for your Mum if she was nearer. You could speak to one of the nearer ones = just make an appointment to see the manager, explain the situation and tell them how stressed you are and that the distance is not helping. You might be surprised at how kind people are. They will just assess her needs and then advise and help you with what to do from there.

It is always difficult if we feel we have made a decision that wasn't quite right but we can't go back, but we can go forward and if that makes you feel better and your mum too then it might be worth a try :)

Keep posting, there's lots of support here and we are not here to judge so you can say whatever you want to xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxThinking of you xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx