Care home coved outbreak

Always stresse

Registered User
Sep 4, 2019
10
0
I heard last week my mums care home had got a Covid case I was told by the manager it was one resident and one member of staff this was disappointing after the fact they had managed to stave off any Covid case earlier in the year in its peak. However things seem to have escalated with this second wave they now have more cases I have asked how many but they say they are not at liberty to say for data protection and confidentiality I have asked a number of times and my brother has to, I have said I think there should be more transparency to alleviate families concerns.

My mother has dementia and has been going through a hard time not being able to see us for 6 months she has COPD so you can imagine our concern. I spoke to her a number of days ago and she said she didn’t feel well so I informed staff who said they were waiting for Covid test results then came the call last night to say she had tested positive.
We are extremely worried my brother took about 2 hours to get through to the home tonight to say they were very busy staff were dealing with ambulance outside and they have a regional manager there now as original manager is sick as are some staff.
He did get to speak to mum who was coughing on the phone and says she’s lonely and nobody pops in as they are confined to rooms hw did explain they are busy and she had to stay in her room because she had the virus then she got upset.
Our concern is we think they may have a serious outbreak and they don’t want us to know I worry about staffing levels and if they are not monitoring mum properly and regularly she could deteriorate rapidly I think it’s awful they can keep us in the dark this way has anybody else experienced this or has any advice.
 

Just me

Registered User
Nov 17, 2013
502
0
Hi @Always stresse
I’m sorry I don’t have any advice but I couldn’t just read your post and not say how totally unacceptable this situation is. You must feel so anxious and powerless.
I hope someone has some suggestions as to what you can do.
 

Lynmax

Registered User
Nov 1, 2016
1,045
0
My mum was in the same situation six weeks ago, had a positive test along with nine other residents. However, we has excellent communication with the home during this time, they phoned me every day to confirm that she did not have a temperature and when she did become a bit poorly ( off her food and refusing drinks) they got their GP involved and she also phoned me.

They also had some staff affected but we were reassured that additional staff from their other homes were helping out with office type work to free up their carers to look after the residents.

I think we are lucky as the company that runs the home and ten others in the area is a not for profit organisation. I don't know what I would have done if like you I had some concerns about the care mum was getting, possibly contacted Adult Social Care or the Local Authority as they all now have a Covid Team who oversee care homes and care of the elderly in the community - I know the person who chairs the team!
 

Always stresse

Registered User
Sep 4, 2019
10
0
Hi @Always stresse
I’m sorry I don’t have any advice but I couldn’t just read your post and not say how totally unacceptable this situation is. You must feel so anxious and powerless.
I hope someone has some suggestions as to what you can do.
Thank you for your reply it’s a difficult situation I don’t expect everyone to have the answers but your words are most appreciated and true powerless is what you feel lost my temper with them today but had to get my point across on the upside my brother spoke to her and said she didn’t sound as unwell as we thought.
 

Always stresse

Registered User
Sep 4, 2019
10
0
My mum was in the same situation six weeks ago, had a positive test along with nine other residents. However, we has excellent communication with the home during this time, they phoned me every day to confirm that she did not have a temperature and when she did become a bit poorly ( off her food and refusing drinks) they got their GP involved and she also phoned me.

They also had some staff affected but we were reassured that additional staff from their other homes were helping out with office type work to free up their carers to look after the residents.

I think we are lucky as the company that runs the home and ten others in the area is a not for profit organisation. I don't know what I would have done if like you I had some concerns about the care mum was getting, possibly contacted Adult Social Care or the Local Authority as they all now have a Covid Team who oversee care homes and care of the elderly in the community - I know the person who chairs the team!
Thank you for your reply I spoke to the home today didn’t go so well as I lost my temper never a good thing I know But this was after she denied taking a phone call from me this morning any way I have found out all residents are confined to there rooms and most staff are in the floors attending to them that’s why phone calls are not always getting answered why could they not explain all this in the first place I said and if they could update families so we didn’t have to ring and take them away from there duties I was told they would only phone if there was a problem and apparently I’m the only person to have complained I said it wasn’t a complaint it was constructive criticism I expressed my concerns over her copd and hope they would closely monitor her she has no temperature and her says are good they said which is good news so we shall just try and speak to her directly .
 

Always stresse

Registered User
Sep 4, 2019
10
0
If you have concerns about the management of the home, contact the Care Quality Commission.
thank you for your reply I’m going to monitor the situation didn’t get off to a good start today the front of house staff they have drafted in are taking the company line so not very helpful.
 

jennifer1967

Registered User
Mar 15, 2020
22,983
0
Southampton
sorry you are going through it. i understand your concern with your mum having copd as well. my husband has vascular dementia and copd quite bad that he was shielding and probably will have to again. i dont know how bad she is but he is constantly on inhalers and several times steroids. try not to worry too much, sounds like they are responding to the situation even if the communication is abysmal. see if you can talk to your mum. because she was upset and coughing it made the whole situation worse. its hard not being in control and trust shes getting the best care.
 

Always stresse

Registered User
Sep 4, 2019
10
0
sorry you are going through it. i understand your concern with your mum having copd as well. my husband has vascular dementia and copd quite bad that he was shielding and probably will have to again. i dont know how bad she is but he is constantly on inhalers and several times steroids. try not to worry too much, sounds like they are responding to the situation even if the communication is abysmal. see if you can talk to your mum. because she was upset and coughing it made the whole situation worse. its hard not being in control and trust shes getting the best care.
Thank you yes I hope she is getting the right care and yes the communication is abysmal I just don’t understand why as I said today if they rang one relative each day to update them there would be no need for this anxiety I appreciate they are busy but they could delegate a member of staff each shift to work a list it’s very poor having said that they have always looked after her well in the past but I’m not sure what new staff they have now standing in I have come to the conclusion that we will phone each day and speak to her directly it puts my mind at ease.
 

jennifer1967

Registered User
Mar 15, 2020
22,983
0
Southampton
Thank you yes I hope she is getting the right care and yes the communication is abysmal I just don’t understand why as I said today if they rang one relative each day to update them there would be no need for this anxiety I appreciate they are busy but they could delegate a member of staff each shift to work a list it’s very poor having said that they have always looked after her well in the past but I’m not sure what new staff they have now standing in I have come to the conclusion that we will phone each day and speak to her directly it puts my mind at ease.
probably better as at least you are not relying on them for news and waiting for the phone call which is worse as you can start thinking all sorts of scenarios