My Dad has been having care delivered at our home as I work by a company thrust upon us by Social Services. Care started 04/06/14 but we only got their Care Plan and Risk Assessments yesterday which I feel have a lot to be desired!
I have been off work to see how well the service runs along with ensuring it meets my Dad's care needs. What I've seen and heard is all too stereotypical of the care industry and reflective of the various documentaries that have been aired about the treatment and neglect by care staff in handling vulnerable patients.
I have not witnessed any particular unlawful incidents, but knowing my Dad has dementia seems to fit the criteria for the carer to ask questions that are all too often answered by my Dad with a "No" and left at that. Things like "Would you like something to eat?" and "Do you need a wash?"
To me, these are basic fundamental elements of the care they have both been agreed to upfront and ones that I have specifically asked them to deliver. It took them 7 days to wash my Dad! (I had washed him in between because of this as well as air his bed which had been wetted during the night) When challenged, they citied that they have a 3 ask rule whereby they ask 3 times if the person wants a particular service and if they decline there is nothing they can do about it otherwise they can be cited for abuse? For their part too, they agreed that none of the requests made fell outside their remit of care and more importantly, responsibility and that with a little coaxing they would be able to ensure things like basic hygiene and personal care were met.
I really find this difficult to comprehend as I have given them the authority to carry out these tasks on behalf of my Dad given his mental capacity and have made it clear that he will often answer "No" when asked questions.
There have also been a succession of carers in such a short space of time which again, is not helping the situation as there is no familiarity being struck up and it seems the carers want to be in and out in as quick a time as possible.
A lot of the services they are suppose to carrying out such as washing and changing his soiled bedding is also not being done on consistent basis. This then falls upon myself to do but is starting to take its toll as it is getting more exasperating whereby I'm expecting to come home and more often than not, find these things have not been done as it has been passed on between carers and just left.
I have also found out that the care company has no dementia trained staff, which again, for a care company seems to be extremely odd?
I was initially told by Social Services that I could either have care provision put in place by them, which at this juncture is abysmally failing, or, they would pay us an amount to find our own care provider. This was too daunting at the time but now I'm thinking it might be for the best?
Has anybody similar views on care provide by Social Services, or also ideas on arranging your own care and how difficult (or straightforward) this is?
I suppose what I'm saying is that I don't want to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire, but with my work on top of this along with bringing up my Son on my own, the stress is getting to both of us and I'm worried and concerned for both my Dad and my Son and this in turn is starting to take its toll on me. Thanks in advance for any thoughts, views and suggestions.
I have been off work to see how well the service runs along with ensuring it meets my Dad's care needs. What I've seen and heard is all too stereotypical of the care industry and reflective of the various documentaries that have been aired about the treatment and neglect by care staff in handling vulnerable patients.
I have not witnessed any particular unlawful incidents, but knowing my Dad has dementia seems to fit the criteria for the carer to ask questions that are all too often answered by my Dad with a "No" and left at that. Things like "Would you like something to eat?" and "Do you need a wash?"
To me, these are basic fundamental elements of the care they have both been agreed to upfront and ones that I have specifically asked them to deliver. It took them 7 days to wash my Dad! (I had washed him in between because of this as well as air his bed which had been wetted during the night) When challenged, they citied that they have a 3 ask rule whereby they ask 3 times if the person wants a particular service and if they decline there is nothing they can do about it otherwise they can be cited for abuse? For their part too, they agreed that none of the requests made fell outside their remit of care and more importantly, responsibility and that with a little coaxing they would be able to ensure things like basic hygiene and personal care were met.
I really find this difficult to comprehend as I have given them the authority to carry out these tasks on behalf of my Dad given his mental capacity and have made it clear that he will often answer "No" when asked questions.
There have also been a succession of carers in such a short space of time which again, is not helping the situation as there is no familiarity being struck up and it seems the carers want to be in and out in as quick a time as possible.
A lot of the services they are suppose to carrying out such as washing and changing his soiled bedding is also not being done on consistent basis. This then falls upon myself to do but is starting to take its toll as it is getting more exasperating whereby I'm expecting to come home and more often than not, find these things have not been done as it has been passed on between carers and just left.
I have also found out that the care company has no dementia trained staff, which again, for a care company seems to be extremely odd?
I was initially told by Social Services that I could either have care provision put in place by them, which at this juncture is abysmally failing, or, they would pay us an amount to find our own care provider. This was too daunting at the time but now I'm thinking it might be for the best?
Has anybody similar views on care provide by Social Services, or also ideas on arranging your own care and how difficult (or straightforward) this is?
I suppose what I'm saying is that I don't want to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire, but with my work on top of this along with bringing up my Son on my own, the stress is getting to both of us and I'm worried and concerned for both my Dad and my Son and this in turn is starting to take its toll on me. Thanks in advance for any thoughts, views and suggestions.
Last edited: