Hello All,
Looking for some advice/personal experience here...
My mom (74 -vascular dementia, rapidly progressing) went into a care home just over a week ago. Great care commission ratings, top 3 in Scotland for dementia care, and personally was impressed with the calmness of both the residents and staff. Originally as a 2 week respite placement with the option of being permanent.
However, issues are coming up. Are these normal, teething issues? Are they things I should be concerned about with regards to Mom staying on? etc.
Issue 1
Since arriving 8 days ago, Mom has had at LEAST 3 falls, the last 2 resulting in her now having x2 black eyes and a ? broken nose! Mom is still very mobile, walking a lot through the care home, etc. She had occasional falls at home, but never did herself any damage. I asked to see the staff records of each fall - very poor documentation, in my opinion "found on floor, near fireplace". At no point has a doctor been called out, as Mom refuses to let anyone examine her (she can be aggressive at times when touched/helped with personal care, etc). I had a long chat with the nurse on duty yesterday - as she was concerned as well. There seems to be some discrepancies between what is being said in handover, what I am being told on the phone, etc. Basically I told her I don't feel that my Mum I safe there, and she sort of shrugged her shoulders. They don't feel they have the staff to watch Mom closely enough to reduce her risk of falls. I am a realist. I know falls happen. I am more concerned about the frequency of falls, the lack of information, and the staff seeming to tell me they are too busy to look after her any better.
Issue 2
I feel as though I am being cut out of her care. Mom has lived at home with me for 3 years, I am her only child and we are very close. In the 7 days she has been in the care home, she has had x2 visits from a dementia specialist nurse, x2 visits from the local GP and x1 visit from a local dementia consultant. Whilst I am EXTREMELY grateful for the input - I am being informed, after the fact, when changes are being made. When I raised the concern of strong pain medication being started (and yes, I am aware this could be leading to the falls!) I was told by the manager, with her hand held up in my face that I "need to let the specialists handle it"!! RAGING. I am a doctor, and I am her daughter - thus I AM one of the specialists. I tried to make it clear that I expected to be included in discussions about changes to medication, etc - but she wasn't really hearing me, and I wasn't being too forceful as I don't want to get off on the wrong foot. Have others experienced this? Where ALL the care seems to be taken over and out of your hands? I still consider myself to be Moms main carer, and just because she is not residing under the same roof with me, that should not change.
Sorry for the long post!! Anyones thoughts? I imagine there will be a meeting about this early in the week, as I refused to sign the contract on Sunday - saying I had concerns about Moms staying as I didn't feel she was safe. I told them, I absolutely want the fentanyl stopped (my Mom went from being on occasional co-codamol tiny dose, to a 24 hour fentanyl patch!! Despite my protesting this was too strong) immediately, and if they cannot get Mom to take medication they could use a co-codamol patch. The nurse said she would get this sorted on Monday.
Am so disappointed. And don't really know where else to turn. This is a "dementia specialist unit" with the highest ratings in practically the country - yet I feel Mom is MUCH worse off than she was when at home.
Looking for some advice/personal experience here...
My mom (74 -vascular dementia, rapidly progressing) went into a care home just over a week ago. Great care commission ratings, top 3 in Scotland for dementia care, and personally was impressed with the calmness of both the residents and staff. Originally as a 2 week respite placement with the option of being permanent.
However, issues are coming up. Are these normal, teething issues? Are they things I should be concerned about with regards to Mom staying on? etc.
Issue 1
Since arriving 8 days ago, Mom has had at LEAST 3 falls, the last 2 resulting in her now having x2 black eyes and a ? broken nose! Mom is still very mobile, walking a lot through the care home, etc. She had occasional falls at home, but never did herself any damage. I asked to see the staff records of each fall - very poor documentation, in my opinion "found on floor, near fireplace". At no point has a doctor been called out, as Mom refuses to let anyone examine her (she can be aggressive at times when touched/helped with personal care, etc). I had a long chat with the nurse on duty yesterday - as she was concerned as well. There seems to be some discrepancies between what is being said in handover, what I am being told on the phone, etc. Basically I told her I don't feel that my Mum I safe there, and she sort of shrugged her shoulders. They don't feel they have the staff to watch Mom closely enough to reduce her risk of falls. I am a realist. I know falls happen. I am more concerned about the frequency of falls, the lack of information, and the staff seeming to tell me they are too busy to look after her any better.
Issue 2
I feel as though I am being cut out of her care. Mom has lived at home with me for 3 years, I am her only child and we are very close. In the 7 days she has been in the care home, she has had x2 visits from a dementia specialist nurse, x2 visits from the local GP and x1 visit from a local dementia consultant. Whilst I am EXTREMELY grateful for the input - I am being informed, after the fact, when changes are being made. When I raised the concern of strong pain medication being started (and yes, I am aware this could be leading to the falls!) I was told by the manager, with her hand held up in my face that I "need to let the specialists handle it"!! RAGING. I am a doctor, and I am her daughter - thus I AM one of the specialists. I tried to make it clear that I expected to be included in discussions about changes to medication, etc - but she wasn't really hearing me, and I wasn't being too forceful as I don't want to get off on the wrong foot. Have others experienced this? Where ALL the care seems to be taken over and out of your hands? I still consider myself to be Moms main carer, and just because she is not residing under the same roof with me, that should not change.
Sorry for the long post!! Anyones thoughts? I imagine there will be a meeting about this early in the week, as I refused to sign the contract on Sunday - saying I had concerns about Moms staying as I didn't feel she was safe. I told them, I absolutely want the fentanyl stopped (my Mom went from being on occasional co-codamol tiny dose, to a 24 hour fentanyl patch!! Despite my protesting this was too strong) immediately, and if they cannot get Mom to take medication they could use a co-codamol patch. The nurse said she would get this sorted on Monday.
Am so disappointed. And don't really know where else to turn. This is a "dementia specialist unit" with the highest ratings in practically the country - yet I feel Mom is MUCH worse off than she was when at home.