Hi all I know this has been asked before but I am going to arrange a meeting with the care home manager and I want to get my facts straight. Whenever I go into the home in the afternoon many residents are in the lounge with no supervision. There are 17 residents where my mum is and at least 4 that I have seen have dementia. These 4 along with another couple of frail ladies are always sitting in the lounge, as well as my mum. Yesterday when I went in there was a nasty smell and one of the dementia ladies had had an accident (no.2) and was wandering around willy nilly wafting the most disgusting smell about. Not her fault I know. There was another dementia patient wandering around, dismantling everything on a bookcase causing a shelf to fall off with another resident trying to tell the lady to stop. I have witnessed these 2 ladies bickering of many occasions. My poor mum was just sat there amongst all this and my heart sank and it was so difficult for me just to leave her there. I so wanted to bring her out of that environment. The 2 staff on duty were upstairs oblivious to all that was going on downstairs.
One of the other residents pressed the alarm and a member of staff came downstairs and took lady no.1 to the toilet and I told her lady no.2 was being disruptive. Didn't really get a response.
My question is shouldn't there be a member of staff supervising dementia patients at all times. I think I know the answer but just wanted to check before I go to see the manager. Even if the staff were on a break shouldn't there be someone else around, apart from the tea lady. My mum has vascular dementia but she is quiet and non demanding, her only real but massive problem is lack of short term memory. She could still be chewing her food but couldnt tell you what it was she had just eaten. She is incontinent most of the time and if it wasnt for that I would bring her home with me. I think I am reaching the stage of wanting to move my mum but it would be so disruptive for her and I'm not sure where to move her to. Frying pan and fire comes to mind.
What does everybody think? Help me please!
One of the other residents pressed the alarm and a member of staff came downstairs and took lady no.1 to the toilet and I told her lady no.2 was being disruptive. Didn't really get a response.
My question is shouldn't there be a member of staff supervising dementia patients at all times. I think I know the answer but just wanted to check before I go to see the manager. Even if the staff were on a break shouldn't there be someone else around, apart from the tea lady. My mum has vascular dementia but she is quiet and non demanding, her only real but massive problem is lack of short term memory. She could still be chewing her food but couldnt tell you what it was she had just eaten. She is incontinent most of the time and if it wasnt for that I would bring her home with me. I think I am reaching the stage of wanting to move my mum but it would be so disruptive for her and I'm not sure where to move her to. Frying pan and fire comes to mind.
What does everybody think? Help me please!