I am one ( of very many) who will be hoping that the government takes notice of the request to allow certain people to visit their relatives in a care home as a 'key worker'.
My experience is that having cared for my 97 year old mother (mixed dementia/alzheimer's) 24/7 for the past 7 years, she had a fall two weeks ago and broke her hip. She was taken to hospital (no visits allowed) and had an operation. A couple of days later she was moved to a small local hospital (no visits allowed)l. This confused her very much. One time when I rang her she was sobbing so hard she couldn't talk.
She doesn't have capacity to make decisions for herself, I have LPA. Her short term memory is almost non existent. She doesn't remember the fall, the operation, no real understanding of coronavius or where she is.
From the small local hospital she has been transferred to a care home (no visits allowed) for a short term stay so that her care needs can be assessed and also her mental capacity.
All this is very understandable by me. However, my mother doesn't understand. She's in a room with not much to see out of the window, as a new arrival in the home she will be in isolation except for carers. When I phone, she says she is 'looking at four walls'. Of course, I have dropped off books, photos, flowers etc at the care home and I phone daily ( she doesn't hear well so that is not always successful). I am sure she is safe and well cared for. However, I am the only person my mother has, she is used to seeing me every day. How is she to understand where she is in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people? What goes through her mind?
My experience is that having cared for my 97 year old mother (mixed dementia/alzheimer's) 24/7 for the past 7 years, she had a fall two weeks ago and broke her hip. She was taken to hospital (no visits allowed) and had an operation. A couple of days later she was moved to a small local hospital (no visits allowed)l. This confused her very much. One time when I rang her she was sobbing so hard she couldn't talk.
She doesn't have capacity to make decisions for herself, I have LPA. Her short term memory is almost non existent. She doesn't remember the fall, the operation, no real understanding of coronavius or where she is.
From the small local hospital she has been transferred to a care home (no visits allowed) for a short term stay so that her care needs can be assessed and also her mental capacity.
All this is very understandable by me. However, my mother doesn't understand. She's in a room with not much to see out of the window, as a new arrival in the home she will be in isolation except for carers. When I phone, she says she is 'looking at four walls'. Of course, I have dropped off books, photos, flowers etc at the care home and I phone daily ( she doesn't hear well so that is not always successful). I am sure she is safe and well cared for. However, I am the only person my mother has, she is used to seeing me every day. How is she to understand where she is in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people? What goes through her mind?