Change to young, inexperienced and untrained carers
For about the past 18 months my mother has received daily visits now at 8.30am and 5.30pm from about 12 regular carers contracted by their LA to a private care provider. Mum has a benign pituitary tumour, osteoporosis and renal problems. She lives with my dad, who is nearly 90 with his own health problems, and 40 miles away from me. She is in a wheelchair and uses a stand aid for transitions. My father was sometimes forgetting to give her crucial medication and then doubling when he missed a dose. Her dementia and behaviour is constantly up and down with UTIs. Six years ago she went several days with a broken pelvis and pneumonia after a fall and was hospitalized for six months. Broke her hip while there and since then has been mentally impaired (TRIGGERED DEMENTIA?) and in a wheel chair. Mum and dad are old school and independent and think there are others worse off and don't like bothering doctors.
It has been reassuring to have these carers pop in and give my mum her medication for the two visits, chat with mum and dad and leave; fifteen minutes twice a day. They were all caring, trustworthy and lovely individuals albeit without formal training and relative degrees of experience but all had common sense and decency. When I was ill they offered help to my parents above and beyond. We will never forget them.
Apart from one, they are all leaving because of working conditions: long hours, constant changes to their placements without provision of transport, red tape, inflexibility about time off with notice. In their place mum is receiving visits from very young (in their 20s) and people who have no experience and limited training. That's not what has upset my mother: some of these girls are over-familiar and cocky and... Mum is very down and agitated and wants to stop their visits and I don't blame her.
I'm worried because for the past six months I've had a few two-week gaps between helping and looking after my parents because I've had more than usual viruses and an eye infection. So it's been a huge relief to know that the carers would call a doctor or have their agency contact me.
I don't know if it's worth contacting local authority to say 'Not Appropriate Adults' for two 15-minute visits?
For about the past 18 months my mother has received daily visits now at 8.30am and 5.30pm from about 12 regular carers contracted by their LA to a private care provider. Mum has a benign pituitary tumour, osteoporosis and renal problems. She lives with my dad, who is nearly 90 with his own health problems, and 40 miles away from me. She is in a wheelchair and uses a stand aid for transitions. My father was sometimes forgetting to give her crucial medication and then doubling when he missed a dose. Her dementia and behaviour is constantly up and down with UTIs. Six years ago she went several days with a broken pelvis and pneumonia after a fall and was hospitalized for six months. Broke her hip while there and since then has been mentally impaired (TRIGGERED DEMENTIA?) and in a wheel chair. Mum and dad are old school and independent and think there are others worse off and don't like bothering doctors.
It has been reassuring to have these carers pop in and give my mum her medication for the two visits, chat with mum and dad and leave; fifteen minutes twice a day. They were all caring, trustworthy and lovely individuals albeit without formal training and relative degrees of experience but all had common sense and decency. When I was ill they offered help to my parents above and beyond. We will never forget them.
Apart from one, they are all leaving because of working conditions: long hours, constant changes to their placements without provision of transport, red tape, inflexibility about time off with notice. In their place mum is receiving visits from very young (in their 20s) and people who have no experience and limited training. That's not what has upset my mother: some of these girls are over-familiar and cocky and... Mum is very down and agitated and wants to stop their visits and I don't blame her.
I'm worried because for the past six months I've had a few two-week gaps between helping and looking after my parents because I've had more than usual viruses and an eye infection. So it's been a huge relief to know that the carers would call a doctor or have their agency contact me.
I don't know if it's worth contacting local authority to say 'Not Appropriate Adults' for two 15-minute visits?
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