Communication from care homes

[Cat27]

Seems I spoke too soon. Found out 'unofficially' that more than a quarter of the residents (over 20) have died at Mum's home but none are confirmed as Covid-19 due to the lack of testing Mum is currently OK with no symptoms.

Oh @Louise7 I’m so sorry to hear that. I wish you strength to cope with this.

 

[Louise7]

Thanks @Cat27. It seems that the virus is getting into the home via the staff. Perhaps now that testing is finally available for residents & staff this might help but it just feels like the residents are 'sitting ducks 'although I know the staff are doing what they can to keep people safe.

 

[Banjomansmate]

[QUOTE="Might family be allowed to visit if they followed exactly the same safety precautions as the staff, including the wearing of PPE, and maintained social distancing?
/QUOTE]

I have just been talking to my neighbour. At her Mum’s Care home the staff have to change out of their own clothes and into their uniforms in an outer room/building and vice versa when they leave.
If every resident had just one visitor that is quite a lot more PPE that would be needed and we know it is increasingly difficult to obtain.

 

[Cat27]

Lying here wide awake and upset as just been thinking about my grandma in the home. Same position as everyone else as above and it’s just awful, we don’t want her to feel like we have forgotten her, and we are very worried because she relies on us to flag other health problems she may have, just during a normal chat she’ll mention something is hurting so we can try to leap into action and get things sorted. Just do not know what to do! Her eyesight is failing so we can’t even do the standing away from a door or window because she can’t see or hear us. Last we heard from the home is that they are actually confining all residents to their rooms which seems a little too far and also a bit cruel?? Have any other homes adopted this approach ?

The home does not have any internet, can you believe it, so no option of connecting online. I would be happy to pay for the home to get internet installed and even say let’s families club together to pay the bills in the short term but they are very old fashioned and concerned about data and security. Only other option I can think of is taking out a new phone contract with 4G for her, but as other people have said she cannot work the technology and staff must be so overwhelmed and busy right now it’s not fair to expect them to be sitting playing with technology, even though I would argue this does have an impact on quality of life

Does anyone have any ‘offline’ connection ideas ? Just cannot see the wood from the trees with an option.
Thanks and take care all x

Welcome to DTP @LucyP
As you can see around you, people here understand so please keep posting as you’ll get lots of support here.

 

[northumbrian_k]

I know it might seem easy for me to comment when I don`t have anyone in a care home.

I can only imagine how upset and worried I`d be if my husband was still alive and in residential care.

At the same time I`m also well aware of the stress care home staff are living with at the moment, on top of being the cinderella of carers and the last to be considered priority for protective equipment.

They are risking their lives when they go to work which is well over and above anything anyone can reasonably be asked to do. If they do manage to stay in contact with family they are doing a sterling job.

I can`t help thinking any time they spend reassuring family is time taken away from caring for their residents.

I agree with all of this @Grannie G Whether or not homes have this or that technology is beside the point. If carers or other family members want an update on their loved one I believe the onus is on them to make contact with the home, not the other way round. I write a letter to my wife and phone about once a week. I have had a card made by wife and a video call but these lovely ideas were beyond what I was expecting in such difficult times.

 

[TNJJ]

[QUOTE="Might family be allowed to visit if they followed exactly the same safety precautions as the staff, including the wearing of PPE, and maintained social distancing?

I have just been talking to my neighbour. At her Mum’s Care home the staff have to change out of their own clothes and into their uniforms in an outer room/building and vice versa when they leave.
If every resident had just one visitor that is quite a lot more PPE that would be needed and we know it is increasingly difficult to obtain.
[/QUOTE]
When I was nursing we had lockers and had to leave the uniform there. But as things changed it went by the wayside. It should never be.

 

[Beth24]

My elderly mother who has dementia and is in a care home has a property which we continue to look after but it is 50 miles away on the coast. I need to go and make checks on the property and pick up post and check for winter damage am I allowed to under lockdown rules?

 

[pixie2]

Its handy if you are Facebook friends with some of carers