Care workers

[MelissaJKelly 2,122]

That's awful God bless them both!

[Rob.L 1,090]

#23

Once your capital drops below (IIRC) £23,000, the state steps-in

#24

That's where the importance of research comes in, with personal visits and chats with residents and staff, trawling the internet for feedback, and most importantly, reading the CQC assessments,

[darkazana 1,736]

Absolutely Rob L. When researching resources for my mum, ie care providers, even for the cleaning, I check the CQC reports. At the very least I would expect the persons concerned to be crb cleared.

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I often get sent by my employers to work in the kitchens of care homes. Some are mere residential homes where old folks live but do not need loads of care. Others are nursing homes and the one I work in at Risley specialises in Dementia. I have yet to work in one where the level of care is unsatisfactory. I think the bad part is losing their independence. and living among strangers.

Again there is no single reason why relatives put their parents in care. Some people just cannot cope while others do not have the room to look after them. Not everyone just dumps their elderly in a home. My wife worked at one for several years but realised that no matter how good the care is given, nothing can replace the family you love. We looked after her uncle in our home. He had dementia among many other things but at least he died at home with his loved ones. We also cared for my Dad until he died but he was able to stay in his own home. My 88 year old mother-in-Law is quite independent but has a lot of arthritis pain and needs keeping an eye on. But my wife says it is very tiring and constant caring for folk. If you look after someone in your home with dementia, you will find them very demanding. There are many reasons why elderly end up in care homes.

[Rob.L 1,090]

What annoys me are those families who put their elderly in a home and then never visit.

I know of some residents at our relative's home who go months between visits from their kids. Ok, if they have dementia, they may not even remember who they are, but that doesn't abrogate responsibility. Especially if the kids live locally.

[Bilboro-lad 294]

Why would anyone want to continue on with dementia? There's a guy three doors down that scalped himself with a Stanley knife last week. A perfect cut from behind his left ear, round his forehead, to behind his right ear then down his neck, they found him lying on the carpet the next day covered in blood with his scalp hanging off, but still alive. The son showed me the stitches on his phone - just like Frankenstein. It's time that sane and normal people could sign a document to end their lives if they get dementia. I'd sign it in a flash. When it's time to go it's time to go.

[piggy and babs 544]

it is always a hard desision if you have to put a relitive in to a care home or a nursing homebut sometimes a disision has to be made we had to do it for mum my sister jeans husband had early onsett parkinsons deseasehad for quite a few years my sister cared for him at home in the end it became too much for her and he was put into a local nursing home she used to go up every day to feed him his lunch and his tea as staff had to try and feed two clients at the same time as not enough staff to allow one to 1 to 1 most of the staff were very careing and effient but most of the clients needed 1 to 1 care 24/7most of the staff were from other countrys.another simmilar story is piggys very elderly fishing friend at the age of 85 years he was the sole carrer for his 89 year old wife who had dementia he eventually managed to get some help from carers comming in twice a day to get her up and dressed in the morning and come in and get her ready for bed in the eveningsof course this was a help to him but of course as she was doule incontient she often needed changeing at other times if she had a fall that sometimes happened he had to call the ambulance service as he was too frail himself to lift her himself they were always great and would offten help to change her and get her back into bed or her chair. eventually at 93 she had a fall and broke her hip the family were warned that theydid not think she would survive the operation but she did but the hospital felt that it was no longer posible for her to live at home due to her care needs and her husbandsown frailityhe was not happy about it but his sons persuded him it was for the best she lasted 2 more yearsand he visited her regularly most of the time she did not know him .and in november of last year she eventually passed away age 96 he will be 94 in august dave is taking him fishing along with one of his sons on tuesday he only has perifial vision and is now registered blind.

[piggy and babs 544]

if you are thinking about putting one of your loved ones in to a care or a nursing home go and visit it on spec dont make appointments go in the morning or later in the evening to have a look this way you are more likely yo see it in its true colours not when they think relitives might be comming to visit ussually after lunch we allways went before lunch to see mum sometimes taking her out for lunch to the local pub her friend sometimes came tooand they realy enjoyed that in the home she was in they had several little sitting rooms with seating for about 10 people about six clients plus room for visitors or staff to sit and have a chat my mum had known all the ladies in her sitting room for many years so had lots to talk about and many stories of themselfs and each other.

[taxi ray 170]

My daughter works in a care home in Beeston, she did 2 years at college before getting an apprenticeship in health care, she loves her job and is still studying now for another NVQ.

She is nearly 22, and earns not much more than the minimum wage, she holds a lot of responsibility and is classed as a senior care assistant.

She often goes in on her days off, she likes to look after the ladies, she does there nails and hair, and makes sure that they look nice with matching clothes. She is lucky that she works in a smalller home where they have time to look after the residents. The downside to it is that she has to do long hours and shifts.

[mary1947 2,082]

when the doctors advised us that my mother-in-law needed to go into a home it was a very hard decision to make. At the time I worked full time and had two sons (plus husband) who also worked. I offed to give up my job and have mother in law to live with us if I could be paid as much as the home was being paid to look after her. The powers to be said it would be no

problem for me to look after her but I could only be paid careers allowance which was only £25 00 A week. The minimum wage had not yet come in. The £25 00 was a not even half of my wage's. I looked at 19 homes for her and before I left each one I ask the same question. Where can she go to have a smoke? only one home did not cock there nose up at this question and he

was I think a Parkistan gent who said no problem we have a little smoke room for the residents. One home told me that she

had to stand out side to have her cig. Now you might think smoking is disgusting but Gert started smoking when she was 12

and now at 80 years old people were telling her to pack up. What would you do?

[Rob.L 1,090]

One of the other residents at our relative's care home smokes, but has to go outside thanks to the wonderful law-makers.

Following my suggestion, they got him an e-cig to use when he doesn't want to go outside in the rain, hail, or snow. He's quite happy to use it, but only when he cannot smoke a proper ciggie.

Unfortunately, the idiots in control of public health appear to have decided to completely ignore the dozens of scientific studies which show they are safe both for the user and those around them, and are now trying to ban e-cigs inside business premises as well.

[benjamin1945 16,160]

On the news this morning, up to 50% of "care workers" speak poor English,......what a scandal,they might care but can"t tell their clients or even have a comforting conversation with them,

[Bilboro-lad 294]

What does 'up to 50%' mean? Is it 50% or 10%?

[benjamin1945 16,160]

they actually said,"up to 50% in some areas" so i take it as just that,50% in some areas and perhaps much less in others,

[Bilboro-lad 294]

It makes a bit more sense with the full quote. Then again with up to 50% of Londoners being white British - it's just about right eh?

[benjamin1945 16,160]

Not as many as that bilboro-lad,.....ah those were the days

[benjamin1945 16,160]

MY stepdaughter is a care worker,and she recently recieved a "disiplinery" for being with a client 10 minutes longer than allocated,she is allowed no flexability.

[darkazana 1,736]

Although I realise they run a tight schedule, that is appalling. Sometimes the clients may need some extra care. What if they are found on the floor having had a fall, and need someone with them until the emergency services arrive?

[Rob.L 1,090]

It was the same when my mother in law had care staff visit her.

The agency who worked for the council gave them such tight schedules that there was no time for anything but the basics. They couldn't take the time to stop and talk to her without over-running their allotted time, even though that would have made an immense difference to her.

Still, as long as the agency made their nice fat profit from the contract....

[Bilboro-lad 294]

I think the contract goes to the lowest tenderer, so that means services cut to the bone if they want to make a profit.