Dads home care

Ames

margaretclare wrote: »

Two 'here'? Where is 'here'?

Again I ask - who decides? Is the person most concerned asked for his/her opinion?

Here is Leeds. I tried to get help from social services a few years ago and was told that two showers a week was adequate and they wouldn't provide help for more than that.

It's possible things have improved, but given cuts to services I doubt it.

margaretclare

Ames wrote: »

Here is Leeds. I tried to get help from social services a few years ago and was told that two showers a week was adequate and they wouldn't provide help for more than that.

It's possible things have improved, but given cuts to services I doubt it.

Oh good Lord. Would these people like it for themselves?

I don't doubt what you say.

I've even been told, at different times by different rehab people that 'a daily strip-wash is perfectly adequate'. The leaflet I have, about early rehab after hip or knee surgery, says 'You are advised to have a strip wash for 3 months if you don't have a walk in shower'.

We are people who haven't taken a bath in at least a decade, but who have a daily shower. We've suffered from being in hospital where a shower didn't exist. And we paid a fortune earlier this year to have our bathroom upgraded to 'mobility' standard, given that DH is possibly looking at an above-knee amputation in the near future.

I don't want to hijack the thread but I feel so sorry for anyone who has this arbitrary number of showers imposed on him. Those who make these rules should try living with them.

dazza-mac

With regards the questions I had about my dad not getting the care he needed, we had a meeting with Age UK along with a social worker and they tried to excuse a lot of dads missed care.


They pointed out that he had refused a couple of showers when the carer turned up. I then produced a sheet of A4 with all the times, dates, etc regarding said showers and pointed out that yes he did indeed refuse a couple of showers - this was because he was sound asleep in his chair when the carer turned up very late, and since he is an 85 year old amputee who is a falls risk, it would seem rather stupid to go for a shower when he is absolutely dog tired as that could make the situation worse for him if he were to fall.


I also pointed out that he did refuse 2 showers but he accepted the many other showers when the carer turned up late! Far more than he refused.


I think by then they realized that I was pig sick and was determined to get the best I could for dad and even though they were trying to baffle me (which takes very little effort!) with shift changes etc, I just stuck to my guns that they should turn up within a reasonable time frame.


Eventually they jiggled around a few tasks and decided to do dads shower 15 minutes earlier than what he was previously meant to get! At first they were bang on time but now it's usually about about 15 minutes later! However, this means he gets his shower about 6pm. That was the time he was meant to get it anyway but they were turning up well after 6.30pm.


I have no idea why it took a complaint etc to get this sorted. I think when I used to mention that he's not getting showered or they are turning up late, they just used to say sorry and then did nowt about it! I think once I made an official complaint, that's when they HAD to do something.


Thanks for all the comments.