Redlou - sorry it is such a long road to sort everything out.
As Amy said, sending an email may be easier, you can set out a case hard to argue with, whereas in a call, your brother can say he isn't paying as too much, even though it is half and you chose the cheapest.
I'm absolutely bouncing with the carers at my mum's. I've posted briefly on another thread as I wanted to see if anyone knew what a Social Care Assessor was - as this is the job title of the person from SS who phoned me.
I got a call last Thursday to say my mum had no food and her fridge was empty. I pointed out her fridge was always empty and had been for at least 18 months if not 2 years. I was actually on the way there with a large bag of stuff, but popped in the shop for some more (which wasn't needed). The only thing she had run out of was milk. She had bread, in the freezer, breakfast cereal, and lots of biscuits. It appears they didn't look in her cupboards. On the odd occasion she has run out of milk before she has purchased some from the restaurant. The particular senior who phoned me is one I don't like very much, she was my mum's key worker originally and I was relieved when someone else who both I and mum like much better was put as mum's key worker.
I had planned to contact care manager today to complain about the call, and some other issues, but events overtook me. Yesterday I got a call off this guy from SS repeating the words of the phone call that they were concerned that my mum didn't have enough food. I advised him that as I had told the carers she doesn't have food in her fridge because she doesn't use it, it goes mouldy, and then there is the risk that she would eat the mouldy food (like she did before when she was at home). She has plenty of cakes etc, and at 86 with dementia in my opinion calories were more important than nutritional content. He agreed with all of this. Mum eats in the restaurant at lunch, so has a hot meal every day. I have been wondering whether an evening call to prepare her a sandwich was needed, she used to bring food up from canteen - as she only ate half her lunch and ate the rest for tea. This was when she chose a salad for lunch, now she has a more substantial hot meal.
The other issue raised is when they clean the flat they often find cleaning products have run out. I said quite frankly as they cleaned last week why didn't they tell me then rather than phoning me when they go to clean and products have run out. When I had a cleaner she told me what had run out.
The guy did go down and visit my mum as her review was overdue anyway and he was going to do a number of reviews in her building (he said) - he asked my permission to do so. As the care is technically contracted from LA I was aware they were meant to review but this didn't seem to happen.
I really don't understand why this was escalated to SS without the manager speaking to me first rather than odd random phone call from carers.
He phoned me back afterwards and said everything was fine, my mum was very deaf (I had told him this) but had managed to communicate with him, and had been very proud of all her food in the cupboards and knew where it was!
I also phoned the care manager - she didn't really get my issue - that they suddenly discover the fridge is empty after 2 years - I had assumed the weekly clean covered the fridge. Does make me worry about standard of care. She kept wanting me to speak to the senior that had phoned me last week, and I ended up saying, that you haven't been listening I am concerned about what I was told and the way I was told it so surely I should be talking to that person's line manager. continually wanted to either take over mum's shopping (how on earth would they know what to buy if they don't know she doesn't have fresh food in fridge) or suggest I arrange an on line shop.
I did finally get an apology from her.
To add to issues this week and last week are always busiest weeks of the year in work!
Will be emailing care manager later but off to work now
As Amy said, sending an email may be easier, you can set out a case hard to argue with, whereas in a call, your brother can say he isn't paying as too much, even though it is half and you chose the cheapest.
I'm absolutely bouncing with the carers at my mum's. I've posted briefly on another thread as I wanted to see if anyone knew what a Social Care Assessor was - as this is the job title of the person from SS who phoned me.
I got a call last Thursday to say my mum had no food and her fridge was empty. I pointed out her fridge was always empty and had been for at least 18 months if not 2 years. I was actually on the way there with a large bag of stuff, but popped in the shop for some more (which wasn't needed). The only thing she had run out of was milk. She had bread, in the freezer, breakfast cereal, and lots of biscuits. It appears they didn't look in her cupboards. On the odd occasion she has run out of milk before she has purchased some from the restaurant. The particular senior who phoned me is one I don't like very much, she was my mum's key worker originally and I was relieved when someone else who both I and mum like much better was put as mum's key worker.
I had planned to contact care manager today to complain about the call, and some other issues, but events overtook me. Yesterday I got a call off this guy from SS repeating the words of the phone call that they were concerned that my mum didn't have enough food. I advised him that as I had told the carers she doesn't have food in her fridge because she doesn't use it, it goes mouldy, and then there is the risk that she would eat the mouldy food (like she did before when she was at home). She has plenty of cakes etc, and at 86 with dementia in my opinion calories were more important than nutritional content. He agreed with all of this. Mum eats in the restaurant at lunch, so has a hot meal every day. I have been wondering whether an evening call to prepare her a sandwich was needed, she used to bring food up from canteen - as she only ate half her lunch and ate the rest for tea. This was when she chose a salad for lunch, now she has a more substantial hot meal.
The other issue raised is when they clean the flat they often find cleaning products have run out. I said quite frankly as they cleaned last week why didn't they tell me then rather than phoning me when they go to clean and products have run out. When I had a cleaner she told me what had run out.
The guy did go down and visit my mum as her review was overdue anyway and he was going to do a number of reviews in her building (he said) - he asked my permission to do so. As the care is technically contracted from LA I was aware they were meant to review but this didn't seem to happen.
I really don't understand why this was escalated to SS without the manager speaking to me first rather than odd random phone call from carers.
He phoned me back afterwards and said everything was fine, my mum was very deaf (I had told him this) but had managed to communicate with him, and had been very proud of all her food in the cupboards and knew where it was!
I also phoned the care manager - she didn't really get my issue - that they suddenly discover the fridge is empty after 2 years - I had assumed the weekly clean covered the fridge. Does make me worry about standard of care. She kept wanting me to speak to the senior that had phoned me last week, and I ended up saying, that you haven't been listening I am concerned about what I was told and the way I was told it so surely I should be talking to that person's line manager. continually wanted to either take over mum's shopping (how on earth would they know what to buy if they don't know she doesn't have fresh food in fridge) or suggest I arrange an on line shop.
I did finally get an apology from her.
To add to issues this week and last week are always busiest weeks of the year in work!
Will be emailing care manager later but off to work now