I am still not sure

[Margaret W]

Hi everyone,

I have posted this on here before, and know I should sort it out myself, but am not confident. I am just not sure what to expect now that mum is in a Care Home (4 months).

Should I have a Care Plan? Who sets that up? What goes into it? How often is it reviewed? Should I get something like a six-monthly meeting with the Care Home Manager?

What should the Home provide? I heard this week of someone suing their mother's care home for not providing dental care. Is that supposedly included? My mum's home says not. She needs new dentures (lost in hospital) - is it my job to organise replacements? Optician? Hearing Aid batteries? Chiropody (i.e. toe nail clipping)? Or even finger nail clipping? Soap? Tissues? What do residents who have no family do?

Mum says she is cold in bed. The Duvet is thin. I asked for a blanket, no blanket given. Must I buy her a nice throw? I will do so if needed. Sheets are poly-cotton, so not warm to get into bed. Good old Flanelette would be nicer.

I wonder if she would be allowed a kettle in her room to make a cup of tea in the night? Would Health and Safety allow that? I can get her some milk sachets.

Compared to some of your relatives, mum is not half bad. Her problem is not knowing day from night and wandering.

I just want to make life better for her.

Margaret

 

[jenniferpa]

Hi Margaret.

Care plan - yes there should BE one - if for nothing else to document, well, all the things that need documenting - I think it might actually be legal requirement. How often it needs updating probably depends on your mother's progress.

Dental care - never got to that point. I can't see why you could sue a home for not providing it, unless they said they WOULD provide it (I assume we're talking about dentists rather than just regular mouth care). Chirpody the home arranged, paid for by me. Tissues etc I purchased online and had delivered (as I'm so far away) Soap - never needed to purchase it as she had a prescription wash for her skin condition.

I'd definitely be on their case about the blanket. I mean I think a throw as well might be good idea if she wants to sit in a chair, for example, and is cold, but they should provide adequate (for her) bedding. I say for her, becasue if she feels the cold, she feels the cold, and no one should gainsay that.

The kettle - hmm. I think you'd have to ask them about that.

 

[bow]

Hi margaret
I am new to using this site so hope this works. I joined last year but never had confidence to use it. Also life has been so busy with work, family life and trying to cope with mums illness, that I have not logged on. My mum went into a nursing home 5 months ago, and i think i feel like you. I dont know what my roll is. I ask questions e.g how is she. is she eating , sleeping ect...But i feel i should be asking more questions and i dont really know what? Should i be having meetings with the care home manager? My mums bed looked cold with a thin duvet and sheets so we bought a 13 tog and new bedding put her name all over it but it still went missing in the wash, so i dont know what to say to you about that. Lets hope someone out there can give us some advice.
bow x

 

[elaineo2]

hi margaret.Care plan would be set up by your mums key worker,you ahve every authority to view it at any time.You should be asked if youwant to attend monthly reviews,or offer input to the care plan.i don't know if we all work the same,but chiropodist visits every 8 weeks to see al but the diabetics.you have every right to walk in and look at the care plan.disagree if need be.love elainex

 

[Margaret W]

Hi Jennifer,

I was really just wondering what homes should provide. Surely most old people use tissues. What happens if they get a cold? Do they have to rely on the bog roll?

Re dental care, I'm just surprised there isn't a visiting dentist every 6 months or so, otherwise how do residents get dental care? The case I referred to was re a person whose teeth/gums became so infected that she suffered blood poisoning.

I have checked with the local dentists and none do domiciliary visits cos the goverment doesn't fund those any more, so presumably someone has to take residents to a dentist (if indeed they can find a dentist with spaces). Dental care, to me, is as important as any other care, mum has all her own teeth, they will possible need filling at some point, good dental hygiene saves a lot of pain, and she has two bridges, one of which has been lost. If your teeth are not the right place you risk the jaw going out of line, and as someome to whom that has happened I advise avoiding it if possible. It took 3 years to correct and 3 years of strong painkillers.


Re the throw, it was just an idea, but the duvet is definitely thin, probably a 3.5 tog summer weight, and she is in a big room. We have just found the radiator control, so I have turned that up, but really proper bedding is a better answer than a hot room.

Ah, I will sort it, just wondered what to expect.

Margaret

 

[Margaret W]

Bow

Yes, same problem, we've bought mum things that have disappeared.

Elaine

What Key Worker?

Chiropodist every 8 weeks? I've said this before on here, sorry to be a bore, but my toe nails need clipping at least one a week, finger nails twice a week. They grow half an inch a month at least. Am I odd? I find myself having to do mum's toe nails once a fortnight and having a back problem myself it is hard work.

Jennifer

The dentistry is vital I feel.

Anyone any comment on hearing aid batteries? I have been told I have to take the empty packet to the local health centre to get a new pack, but the empty packets have been lost and they won't give me any. I have scoured the supermarket, no chance, a pack from the chemist is £8 and mum gets through a pack a fortnight, including those dropped on the floor, down the loo or lost in her drawer.

Margaret

 

[Skye]

Hi Margaret, I agree with the others, you should have been consulted when the care plan was drawn up, and you can ask to see it at any time. There should be a named key worker, who you can talk to about all aspects of your mum's care. However, I tend to talk to the charge nurse for preference, he's really on the ball.

Regarding toiletries, I buy these for John, including tissues. You can either take them in yourself, or leave money at the office for the staff to supply when needed.

Hairdressing and chiropody you have to pay for. If your mum needs more frequent visits, I'm sure the home would arrange this, or allow you to arrange it yourself, but it would obviously cost more for a single visit. I cut John's finger nails.

Dentistry is a huge problem for me. John has all his own teeth, but he very rarely allows anyone to clean them. This worries me, having seen what infections do to him. But I don't blame the staff, they do try, and occasionally succeed. Sometimes I manage to clean them myself.

If your mum is cold in bed, I'd definitely have a word. They are supposed to provide adequate bedding.