Help! I'm an intelligent articulate woman but this is driving me nuts! Mum has Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. I had a fight with our adult social care worker recently as mum had to go into urgent respite care as my dad had a severe kidney infection. "Urgent" took a week to arrange as they would not agree to mum going into a CH that also specialises in dementia - she tried to tell me all homes understand dementia nowadays! So, planning for 3 months respite as my dad needs a major shoulder op, she has said she doesn't know whether mum needs CH or nursing care and doesn't understand the difference between SRC(special residential care) and EMI but I can start looking at homes if I would like!! Is there a difference between SRC and EMI? The mental health social worker says she doesn't think mum needs a specialist unit but mums just spent 2 weeks in a dementia wing of a nursing home and has thrived on it. The professionals are causing me so much stress as they don't know mum and gave probably spent 10 mins with her.
EMI? SRC? Care or Nursing?
- Thread starter Cathf0974
- Start date
If your mum thrived when in respite before then I would suggest that she returns there. Of course you want her in a place that specialises in dementia, that is why they exist. If she broke her leg she'd be seen by orthopaedics. They wouldn't send her to maternity because everyone knows what a broken leg looks like!
If you are going out to look at homes then do what is normal...give the SW a list of 3 places in order of precedence which would be acceptable for you and who have agreed that their facilities can meet your mum's needs.
Fiona
If you are going out to look at homes then do what is normal...give the SW a list of 3 places in order of precedence which would be acceptable for you and who have agreed that their facilities can meet your mum's needs.
Fiona
Not all areas of the country use the same terminology but I think SRC (special residential care) is a generic term to encompass any care outside that provided for people who are 'just frail', specialist carers or nurses are required. As such it would include EMI.
Hi,
As far as I understand src, is for adults with learning difficulties, not always mental difficulties. EMI stands for elderly mentally imfirm. My mum is in a emi unit and one of the staff there explained the difference to me. Staff on a src unit may not have the knowledge to deal with people with dementia. My mum had to go into emergancy care for a week in April as my dad had kdney stones and couldn't cope. She was on a normal unit in a care home which didn't work as the staff didn't really understand how to treat her and the other people on the unit didn't want anything to do with her. She is now full time on a lovely emi unit where they understand her needs. I would therefore fight to get her onto a emi unit.
As far as I understand src, is for adults with learning difficulties, not always mental difficulties. EMI stands for elderly mentally imfirm. My mum is in a emi unit and one of the staff there explained the difference to me. Staff on a src unit may not have the knowledge to deal with people with dementia. My mum had to go into emergancy care for a week in April as my dad had kdney stones and couldn't cope. She was on a normal unit in a care home which didn't work as the staff didn't really understand how to treat her and the other people on the unit didn't want anything to do with her. She is now full time on a lovely emi unit where they understand her needs. I would therefore fight to get her onto a emi unit.
Thank you all for your replies. Why is it such a battle at the times you have no energy and need the help. My dad was diagnosed with exhaustion by his GP and could not even get out of bed. Had I not taken on liaising with the social workers my mum would have been placed totally inappropriately just because they had a vacant block purchased bed free.
I suspect you've just been unlucky with a dim social worker. Our circumstances were different but we were faced with just the same situation. MIL was in hospital and they were insistent that she couldn't go home.
All I said was that I'd be looking for a nursing home with staff who were trained in dementia care. She doesn't need EMI but, for heaven's sake, she needs 24 hour care BECAUSE she has dementia. All hell broke loose. Apparently, if you're immobile and compliant, you don't need people around you who understand your needs
I suspect you've just been unlucky with a dim social worker. Our circumstances were different but we were faced with just the same situation. MIL was in hospital and they were insistent that she couldn't go home.
All I said was that I'd be looking for a nursing home with staff who were trained in dementia care. She doesn't need EMI but, for heaven's sake, she needs 24 hour care BECAUSE she has dementia. All hell broke loose. Apparently, if you're immobile and compliant, you don't need people around you who understand your needs
Unfortunately it was about money. They had one of their beds free in a home for elderly infirm with no ability to manage mums dementia behaviours. In the end it went to the social worker's manager's manager and I had to threaten to make a formal complaint if they did not take my mums dementia needs into account as they were discriminating against her receiving 'person centred care' due to her dementia. They then approved mum having 2 weeks in the correct home. Unfortunately we are now back to square one for the 3 months respite we need in January as they will of approve this home again as it's not one of their block purchased beds. Hey ho.
As homes have to assess needs before they take residents wouldn't the home just have said they can't meet your mum's needs?
Do you have access to a trained specialist? E.g. a psychiatrist or Psychiatric Social Worker / Nurse they might be able to help?
Think I might be being a bit naive here. Fortunately for MIL, she's self funding so we got to make the choice.
Do you have access to a trained specialist? E.g. a psychiatrist or Psychiatric Social Worker / Nurse they might be able to help?
Think I might be being a bit naive here. Fortunately for MIL, she's self funding so we got to make the choice.
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