How can I help?

[Pete1]

Hi @anxious annie, good news about the house sale How very frustrating and sad that you couldn't see Mum properly, travelling all that distance. You can't help but feel the home should have sorted a better arrangement by now - wellbeing is about connecting with loved ones too. I hope the vaccine paves the way forward for you and the family.

All the best

 

[anxious annie]

Thanks @Pete1 , I have face timed mum today , she doesn't understand why she and the other residents need to be in their own rooms and is missing the company of others. I know that she is clean and well fed and someone is there if she has a problem, but I do feel very sad when I hear the residents are back in "solitary confinement". Am hoping there will be no need for this once residents and staff have been vaccinated.

 

[MartinWL]

House sale issues are a nightmare to come for me. My dad is a bit of a hoarder and refuses to throw away useless junk, he won't accept the idea that he is never going to use things again. I am not pushing it, unless the item is dangerous I am just leaving it. I have told him that when the time comes I will need to order a skip as well as a coffin!! When the time does come it is going to be a massive task and I can imagine I shall need to pay for a labourer for a couple of weeks!

 

[anxious annie]

We cleared a lot from mum's house after dad died as he was a real hoarder too @MartinWL Surprising how much there can be in a small 3 bed house!

 

[anxious annie]

Mum and the other residents came out of solitary confinement , only for another staff member to test positive 7 days later, so now all isolated again. How long do those in power think this should be ok to go on for? Residents will still be isolating through Spring, Summer as staff will test positive and " outbreaks" occur as Covid is here to stay. When numbers go down and residents have good protection from the vaccines, care homes must open up, balancing the risk of infection with that of risk to mental health from no meaningful visits.

 

[annielou]

Oh dear thats sad to read @anxious annie. Bet the residents wonder whats going on keep being confined then allowed out for a bit and then confined again. Its so sad for all you family members too who don't get to see them and also worry about effect it's having on them. I hope they all get vaccines soon and start allowing visits.

 

[MartinWL]

Mum and the other residents came out of solitary confinement , only for another staff member to test positive 7 days later, so now all isolated again. How long do those in power think this should be ok to go on for? Residents will still be isolating through Spring, Summer as staff will test positive and " outbreaks" occur as Covid is here to stay. When numbers go down and residents have good protection from the vaccines, care homes must open up, balancing the risk of infection with that of risk to mental health from no meaningful visits.

I agree with you. My own mother has just been confined to her room for a fortnight for the same reason. Fortunately almost everyone at the home has had their first jab, which is not a guarantee but reduces the risk.

 

[anxious annie]

I feel for your mum @MartinWL , it must be so hard for them to be confined to a bedroom for 14 days, which is basically "solitary confinement" , and a punishment for prisoners! And sadly these periods of isolation just keep being repeated as staff members keep testing positive at different times. I was seeing photos from Australia I think , from the "quarantine hotels" and hearing families talk of how difficult this was. I thought to myself, yes it's not easy to do, but at least they had each other for company and were playing games etc Try doing this by yourself, with dementia I thought, and keep repeating again and again, then they'd realise how hard it can be!

 

[anxious annie]

Thanks @annielou , yes I hope the vaccines will help. I hope you are coping ok, sending you hugs X

 

[Sarasa]

Sorry about the revolving door isolation policy at you mother's care home @anxious annie. I think my mother's care home tries to avoid that happening, I certainly can't see any way my mother would stay put in her bedroom. She is a wanderer, and if not allowed to do so could get quite aggressive. I hope the vaccine roll out puts an end to that happening.

 

[anxious annie]

Thank you @Sarasa , I know that some of the residents find it hard to stay put as when I FaceTime mum one lady in particular often pops by to say hello ( mum gets animated when she sees her). I hope now they've had the vaccine, and a couple of weeks to build protection, that if there is another outbreak they would let negative residents go into communal areas, but who knows? Maybe the home will still want to "protect" them and ignore the fact that isolation has a huge detrimental effect on those with dementia.