Positive Post on Care Home

[BeckyJan]

For those who wonder about the quality of care homes I wanted to report on my recent experience. My husband has now been in a NH for 10 mths and during that time I have built up a great relationship with most carers, nursing staff and the Manager.

Prior to my foot operation I was concerned about ‘toileting’ arrangements. Frequently I went in around 2.00 pm and within the first hour he would need the loo. I could hardly ever get anyone to attend to him regularly. They are lovely girls but just pushed with extreme nursing cases. Incidents happened twice within days and each time a carer said ‘are your furious’ – ‘yes’ I replied ‘and a letter is already here to give to your Manager’.

In my letter I praised the care and our good relationships. BUT I did say that within a two or three hour visit I could feel solely responsible for the 8/10 residents in the main lounge. On the second occasion I was greeted with 1. Will you help with my cardigan (very disabled lady) 2. Can you get me a scotch (dear fellow who loves a whisky in hot water). 3. Can you take me to bed and 4. My own husband wanted toileting.

So letter was duly handed in and s… s law the Care Manager had an emergency trip abroad because of family problems!! HOWEVER unknown to me the Regional Manager was in place and she immediately emailed me and on the same day the senior Nurse apologized and said they had already put in new care plan for my husband. Since then a carer plus activities organizer are now always in the residents lounge during the afternoon (and I think at other times because friends are visiting in my absence).

A long post but to illustrate how important it is to have a good relationship, to keep an eye on care needs, and to make well phrased complaints when needed.

I have been thanked by the Regional Manager for raising the issue and I feel confident that my husband remains truly well cared for.

For those on the brink of needing a Care Home, I hope this gives some reassurance that problems can usually be sorted.

Jan

 

[Vonny]

Hi Jan,

As ever you are positive and clear about things and I'm sure your sensible attitude has helped enormously in your situation. Really good news about the care home, and great that you have posted it so we can see that good care is available.

Vonny xx

 

[Helen33]

Dear Jan

This is great Jan and 'well done' You deserve some peace of mind about David's care because it is hard enough as it is!!
It really is wonderful when things can get sorted out at the early stages of a problem.

Love

 

[connie]

Well said Jan.

I believe that if you start and maintain a good, but fair, relationship with both management and care staff many minor problems can be ironed out before they become anything major.

As some of you know I stayed at Lionel's care home for three weeks earlier this year (whilst convalascing). I witnessed issues being sorted (not that they concerned his care) and all from good communication.

There are some very good care homes out there, but nowhere is perfect, and ideas and remedies should be a two way exchange.

Thanks for raising this thread Jan.

 

[gigi]

Thanks for this, Jan.

It's reassuring for those of us who are embarking on the "respite with a view to possible full time care" trip to realise and understand that while there may be problems, they are not insurmountable.

Keeping open and honest communication has certainly worked...as Connie says, it is and should be a 2 way process.

love xx

 

[Grannie G]

It`s so good to hear your complaint was treated with respect Jan and resolved without ill feeling.

 

[Tender Face]

Jan, what a lovely post. And may I endorse that reassurance that there are some absolutely wonderful care homes out there?.... (saw the other side too, very briefly ) ....

A couple of ‘nice memories’ you have jogged which may be worth sharing for others ..... following wise words I had learnt here some time back from the likes of Brucie and Connie on TP, how very important it was to work ‘in partnership’ with the staff. Indeed, it was encouraged at mum’s NH during her expectedly brief stay – including by the visiting doc ... very much a ‘team effort’ – which was wonderful because no way did I feel I was ‘relinquishing care’ – just I needed some expert help. That mutual respect fostered between relatives and staff was perhaps fundamental? Sure couple of minor gripes ... but they were minor and quickly remedied ... and some of it by me ‘mucking in’. (I wasn’t happy rubbish wasn’t regularly removed from her room for instance ... and mum couldn’t half create a lot in a short space of time! Instead of my usual ‘jumping up and down’ I would calmly remove it as I left a visit but make sure staff were aware that was what I was having to do ... point was quickly taken on board without any major confrontation!)

When there was a D&V outbreak in the home and visiting was restricted, and with staff themselves going down like flies, I helped out one day with ‘teas’. (I was allowed to visit because of mum’s condition at the time, but with assurance she was stable and me no further than down the corridor it felt right to do so – goodness knows it probably broke every rule in the CQC book)... one dear resident beamed as I passed her sandwiches and asked ‘Oh, lovely, so you are working here properly now?’

Big difference between ‘mucking in’ in an emergency and being considered ‘responsible’ for anyone else other than your own? (which had happened to me in a previous NH and at which point I did do a lot of jumping up and down about inadequate staffing, but then I was determined I was getting mum out of there anyway so ‘fostering good relationships ‘ wasn’t high on my agenda!)

Well done, Jan, for handling it so well, and thanks again for such a positive post.

Karen, x

 

[Margaret W]

Jan I am delighted to hear how happy you are with David's care home after all your worries. Yes, a partnership approach is a good one, and one I think I had almost got to with my mum's care home just before she sadly died. I do think that some of the suggestions I made were welcomed, and benefitted everyone, not just mum.

Love and best wishes

Margaret