Care homes

[simondjuk]

Ive been watching The One Show this evening and there was a piece on Care Homes.  Basically there was this elderly couple and the male had fallen over and was recovering in hospital.  From that it was discovered he had dementia.  The hospital was due to give him his discharge date which meant his wife had very little time to find a suitable care home due to him requiring 24 hour attention.

The hospital gave a list of the care homes, most of which didnt look after dementia patients and at the end, out of the 150, she had a choice of 2.

I felt really sorry for this couple but what really infuriated me was about the costs.

This mans care would be paid for by the government at a cost of £312 per week.  However some care homes will let you pay a top up fee of up to £120 for better care, better service and possibly a better view.  What a total joke, basically you get ill through no fault of your own and to get better care you have to pay for it as a kind of bonus.

I personally have no experience of care homes but paying extra for better care is beyond belief.

[Pete]

Yep - it's a disgrace. You work all your life, paying in National Insurance so you can be secure in your old age, then the government tell us they cant afford it!

Why don't we sit out the next war and get our finances - and our priorities - straight.

Or not give billions to bankers to gamble with.

Or not give tax cuts to the obscenely well off.

[Old Cruser]

Everyone should get the same standard of care, I'm not sure what is meant by 'better care'

The CQC should monitor this on a regular basis, although I firmly believe the local councils should also play a part in the checking of any care homes.

Didn't know that some didn't take Dementia patience, I would think that a large portion of the elderly who need a care home will have some degree of dementia.

When we needed to find a care home for my MIL we chose one which was also a care/nursing home so as her condition progressed she didn't have to move. I wonder if that is where the people with dementia would be better placed?
We also used to turn up frequently unannounced

[Gerty Gumdrop]

While a great many care homes are fantastic places, the one my mum in law was in left a lot to be desired.  It was costing a significant amount per week, but she had to pay extra for aspects of personal care like getting her feet looked after.  She had dementia and couldn't tell them her feet were hurting because her nails needed cutting.  Why didn't someone see that, I wonder?  I didn't notice for a while because during my visits she had her slippers on but eventually I did and was horrified!

Despite my sewing name tapes into all her garments, she was always wearing someone else's stuff, and vice versa.  Wheelchairs were filthy, some only have one footplate.

Her room however, was rather pleasant and the majority of the staff were efficient and caring.  There were some exceptions, one of whom I put in a complaint about.  It was not a happy experience, and I shall fight tooth and nail to stay out of such a place.

 

[Alsatian]

OK, here are my experiences of care homes - my sister, mother and mother-in-law all live in care homes.

A) My sister lives in a care home specifically for people with disabilities and is a 'standard charge' establishment. The home is nice but is cosmetically 'tired' and there are little niggles, like bulbs blown and left a while before being replaced. The garden is untidy and there is a load of stone piled up, if they aren't going to use it surely the could sell it and make it look at least a bit neater? The food is OK and the staff are nice, my sister has a basic room with wash hand basin - although the view from her bedroom is amazing (home is in Matlock).

B) My mother-in-law lives in a residential/nursing home which too is a 'standard charge' establishment. From the outside it is need of some redecorating and rubbish is often left to accumulate at the side, which is a bit of an eyesore. The food is best described as 'OK', the carers are good, although the place could be better cleaned internally. M-i-L has a basic room with wash hand basin, she is often found wearing other peoples clothes and we frequently have to go looking for her 'missing' underwear!

C) My mother lives in a residential only care home, which is termed a 'premium care' establishment and, as such, is charged more than standard accommodation (around £450 more per month). The home is a world away from the other two - gardens professionally tended, exterior is nice and internally is carpeted throughout. Internal decor is niceand mums room has en-suite with toilet and wash hand basin (unfortunately mum is immobile so can't take aadvantage of this facility). The food is good and well cooked, staff are very nice, we very rarely have issues with missing or other peoples clothing. Rooms are regularly cleaned.

The one common denominator with all three homes is that there is never enough staff on duty!!

Whilst my mums home is obviously the better of the three , I do get annoyed that I have to pay over and above the norm just so she has a comfortable existence. She is very unwell at the moment and I don't imagine that she will be with us for much longer, fortunately the care home manager has said that, although ideally she needs nursing care, they are wiling to continue to look after her.

All in all, unless you are prepared to pay extra, you only get the basic care - not what the elderly should have to put up with IMHO.

[Old Cruser]

No it isn't Alsatian, disgraceful actually.
From your post it sounds as if care homes are hit and miss as to quality of care - just like the home call agencies.

[Slacker]

Would it be libelous if we named the bad ones?

[Old Cruser]

Probably Slacker but social services all ready know my concerns as I spoke clear and LOUD to them.

Strange though but a few months later when I went onto the CQC site and looked at the relevant agencies all had been checked and ALL had failed in some standards - there is one which still hasn't gained them all back 12 months later - speaks for itself.

If people spoke up, more would probably be done