Advice Needed Re Elderley Next Door Neighbour

lamb7994

Help the aged do run a scheme called adopt a grandparent which you can find out more via our website

http://www.hta.org.uk


James

cath_123

Hi there,

As a nurse working in Manchester, would agree with some of the posts above, there are some fantastic services available to the elderly population(be it through social services or voluntary agencies such as age concern). However services cannot be forced upon someone. If your neighbour is of sound mind, it is ultimatly her decision.

In my job, we often have to discharge elderly patients from hospital knowing that the support services in place are inadequate. The best we can hope for is that they are aware of the help available and how to access it. Its always a comfort to know that there are relatives, friends or neighbours to look out for vulnerable elderly people.

All I can say is keep doing what your doing, offer to help with shopping, gardening etc, and try to befriend this lady and make her aware that help is available. Old age happens to the best of us, and one day we'll all be in a position where we need a little extra help. I'm sure the Karma Fairies are watching, and you'll be rewarded for all your good deeds! :A

Angel777

Hi ah that is so so sad, poor lady.

Its really nice of you to go to all of this trouble and i really hope someone out there listens.

Sorry cannot offer any advice but i would try and do the same in your situation.

Good luck

STORM_2

Dear J, I am a social worker who works in an social services elderly team. I read your posting and all the postings with interest. What you are doing is correct. You need to reiterate the urgency of the matter by telephone and in writing. My advice is to find out the the name of Duty Team Manager or / and the Service Manager ( of the Elderly Persons Team - Social Services ) name and contact them directly. CC into a letter to the ladys G.P and the managers of the mental health team. The key is to direct the letters to named people, go straight to the top and point out the risks to this ladys physical and mental health ( stairs and bathroom upstairs - risk of neglect of her physical health, hygiene issues - risk to her mental health, wearing lots of clothes inhibits her walking - risk of falls, rubbish in back garden - risk to physical health caused by pests / vermin, lack of adequate heating - risk of hypothermia, unclear how she is getting her food / drink - risk of malnutrition and confusion). You can use this in your letter.
Every person over 65 is entitled to a commumity care assessment by law. The risks that they present with should mean that they are prioritised accordingly. This lady presents as high and she is obviously not coping. The same for the issue regarding her garden / enviroment. Direct that to environmental health ( again a named person ) and piont out the risks of fire and pests / health not only to her, but to yourselves as neighbours.
The lady may be resistant, but Social Services will need to work with her to find the best way for her to have support without her losing her independence. This will be up to her and her social worker.

debsue

Hi. What a lovely naeighbour you are. If all else fails contact the local Health Visitor, they have responsibilty for the elderly too.

Sulie

Hi
I am trying to help with a 71 year old who has just had his leg amputated and a Social Worker visited and made her assessment which stated that he didn't need any help with getting in and out of bed, getting on and off the toilet and if necessary he could take himself to a restaurant every day for dinner! Her last comment was if he didn't have a bath for 6 months it wouldn't kill him would it (he couldn't manage that either).

Some weeks after discharge he was found in a B & B his clothes in tatters, filthy dirty and smelly. He hadn't slept in a bed for 4 or 5 weeks - couldn't get out of his wheelchair and onto the bed, he hadn't had a bath in that time - again couldn't get out of his wheelchair and into the bath, he hadn't been able to go to the toilet properly - same couldn't get on and off properly and he was found very poorly to say the least.

His Doctor called an Ambulance and immediately set to and wrote a letter to the social services telling them how disgusted she was and he was sent back to Hospital where after having the usual tests on admission the results that came back were bleak he had MRSA in 2 pressure sores. Although on the mend now he has been there over 2 weeks (better off).

He has Diabetes, Heart Disease and various other medical complaints as well as being an amputee they have also said its quite possible his other leg will be removed.

Over a week agoi I wrote a letter to the CSCI and copied that to the Social Services and others that I felt had let him down and to date no reply. However I have been able to reach people by phone but you don't have a record of that and not as good as a letter or email (hard evidence).

Apparentley because this is the Sea Side and a lot of people retire here there is little or no funding in place for people who need residential placements. I have today asked if he needs legal advice to see how they react to that. We were told if he lived somewhere else where there isn't such a high influx of Elderly citizens there would be enough funding to place him somewhere, sadly as it is the funding is eaten up as soon as they get it.
The system stinks........:

I had a reply via email just now to say that they have found a residential placement for him but his finances will be reduced to £19 per week. My question can someone live on £19 per week I don't think so and asked could he not claim severe disability allowance and/or income support to boost that back up and is there a possibility of him being able to get an electric buggy on loan for the short time he has left. I thought we had progressed from the dark ages.....confused:

For the Lady who is very worried about her neighbour; telephone the Social Services ask for the Duty Officer and explain your dilemma and if you have to exaggerate then do so, policy dictates they have to send someone to investigate depending on the seriousness of the call. Follow the call up with a letter (keep a copy) straight away and perhaps have all the neighbours sign it this might give you more clout.

Congratulations you made it to the end.

Bye for Now:sad:

margaretclare

Hi Sulie

Well, it just goes to show what that SW knows about diabetes - you could write it on a 5p piece.

For a diabetic it is important to keep the skin clean, especially the feet and legs. To say heartlessly 'it won't kill him if he doesn't have a bath' is insensitive, ignorant and inaccurate. It WILL kill him, not especially if he doesn't have a bath - we don't, my DH is an insulin-using diabetic but we have a daily shower - what he does need is some means of keeping clean, and a bath is not the only thing.

Going to a restaurant for meals - how about meals-on-wheels?

My DH has recently been in hospital (3rd attempt at knee surgery!) and the physios assessed him to make sure he could get on and off the loo, walk up 2 steps to our front door, bend his knee 90 degrees (normal sitting position) and if he hadn't been able to do all that he'd have stayed in hospital until he could!

We are 71, so we're in that age-group which is eligible for a community care assessment. Sulie's post makes it clear that people's individual needs are NOT taken into account, and never mind their needs, I suppose their wishes, preferences and normal lifestyle are way way down the list!

I could write more, but I've gotta take the car for its MOT.

Good luck with your efforts!

Margaret

MagsyB

Afternoon all
I have been reading this thread with interest and thought that I might have something(!) useful to add for once rather then lurking!
In addition to a Social Work referral can I suggest a call to the Occupational Therapy (O.T.) department also based within social services.
The lady should have an assessment to ensure that she has access to a toilet and also a proper place to sleep.
They can provide equipment and even adaptations - ground floor toilet/ stairlift etc if it is deemed necessary - certainly a commode for her use for to use immediately - they also work closely with social workers and so can request that the case is prioritised.
O.T. may well have a duty system (at least they should) which as the lady can't access her toilet should have them out and getting things sorted before the case is even allocated to a Social Worker.
I hope this helps
Magsy

- going to retreat back into my shell now!!

margaretclare

Hi Magsy

Yes, I can testify to the usefulness of OTs.

I had a 3rd revision of hip replacement last December, and while I was in the intensive rehab ward where we were moved from the acute surgical/orthopaedic ward, there was a lady there who was assessed and helped by the OTs. She was a lovely lady, very intelligent and well-spoken, and following widowhood she had sold up and moved into Abbeyfield. They have to be able to get their own breakfast there and do a few other things, can't remember all that she told me. The OT wanted to be sure that she could do normal basic things like keeping herself clean, get dressed, make a cup of tea etc and as well as assessing her in the ward they were going to visit her at Abbeyfield.

I used to do a part-time office job at the hospital, worked for a team of people who were in-between hospital and community. There were 2 physios, an OT and 2 district nurses and they did all these type of things. There is a condition they called 'acopia' which basically means, someone who is not coping with normal living.

Margaret

Savvy_Sue

Sulie wrote:

I had a reply via email just now to say that they have found a residential placement for him but his finances will be reduced to £19 per week. My question can someone live on £19 per week I don't think so and asked could he not claim severe disability allowance and/or income support to boost that back up and is there a possibility of him being able to get an electric buggy on loan for the short time he has left. I thought we had progressed from the dark ages.....confused:

Surely it depends what is left for him to pay for himself after those residential payments have been made?

If you had 3 meals a day provided, your laundry done, and all your utilities provided, I imagine you could get by very nicely on £19 per week.