Point proven

Norman is a quiet little man who does not have much to say; I have often thought that this is because despite wearing aids, his hearing is quite bad. When I entered the house for the first time the house I could hear the television blasting out at full volume, so suggested putting subtitles on for him; I am not sure it really helped as it was still as loud the next day which makes it even harder to communicate with him because you are always competing with the telly. I spend most of my time shouting my self hoarse or writing notes. Despite all this he seems to understand what is going on around him and seems quite capable.

Just recently his daughter paid a visit and was concerned that he was becoming less able to look after himself. Despite her best efforts Norman flatly refused to consider going into a Care home. The daughter even visited our office to try and get him certified as incapable and my opinion was asked for. I expressed my feeling that there was nothing wrong with him, apart from the hearing issue which was isolating him from the world.

'But what about the fact he does not wear his care line pendant alarm!' She remonstrated
'They all do that now and again, it does not mean that they are losing their marbles' I replied
'He never seems to understand what has been said'
'As I have said, I think that a lot of the problem is hearing related'

No more was said, but the daughter still concerned about the pendant alarm, printed off a note saying  'Have you got your care line on!' and put it on his lounge door so that he could see it as he came out of his bedroom

The next day underneath the note written in a slightly shaky hand were the words 'OF COURSE'

point made I think

the simple things

Whilst preparing breakfast for one of my elderly ladies she commented
 'I don't know why my daughter always leaves porridge out, I don't even like the stuff; What's wrong with a simple boiled egg for goodness sake?'





As I was visiting her the following day, I made a point of taking a couple of eggs with me. Having got her dressed and without saying a word I took her into the lounge where her breakfast was waiting. I had made a point on presentation, cutting up the bead into soldiers and laying them into a neat circle around the eggs.

'Oh that's lovely my dear' What a lovely surprise, do you know my dear husband used to always serve eggs just like that on Sundays. You have made my day and brought back many happy memories'

It's nice to be back

I recently had a weeks holiday; there is nothing like a break to refresh your energy. However, in my job the return to work can be equally refreshing and if honest can massage my ego quite a bit. Everywhere I go, I am continually welcomed with comments like It's good to have you back' and 'We have missed your smiling face'. One lady even cancelled the calls whilst I was away because her special needs son wouldn't have anyone else but me.
Although all the remarks are lovely there was one reaction I was not expecting.
I visit a few ladies in residential homes and consequently speak to other people in passing. Pauline always has visitors from elsewhere in the home so I invariable end up making cups of tea for them as well as for Pauline.  One of these visitors is a 'special needs' lady called Andrea,  Despite seeing her on and off for the past year, she is always a bit stand offish and seems to flinch with any physical contact; even something as innocent as a touch of the hand. I always make a point of including her in conversation and often make her laugh with my child like humour.

Shortly after my holiday I was sitting with Pauline and about to leave when 
Andrea happened to walk in.

'Hello Ian you're back from holiday then' she said with a beaming smile
'Yes, Andrea how are you?' I asked
'I am fine thank you. I have missed you'

Then the unexpected happened, she came running over and gave me a hug and a kiss!

This simple act had a tear welling in my eye as I left the room

A spade is a spade

As a carer I have noticed that the elderly almost go back to childhood see blog http://thelightersideofcarework.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html

A recent addition to this blog is that they say things as they are, much like a young child would.

For example, I have recently had a very nice man shadowing me called John.  He had finished his induction course and was following me round as the final part of his training. Like me, it is a complete career change for him and he was understandably a bit apprehensive about how he would get on. He was doing really well especially when he got to one call and he asked the lady if she would like a cup of tea.
'Oh Yes please' came the immediate reply
''You never have a cup of tea when I offer' I jested with her
'Well I never fancy one normally'
And out of the corner of my eye I caught her mouthing to John 'I don't like his tea'

So now the new carer is feeling good about himself, I made a point of saying 'Well at least she'll have a drink when you arrive'. whilst making a mental note of how he made her tea should I get a chance to make her one again.  John seemed ideally suited to the job if a little timid, so I made a lot of effort to encourage and alleviate some of his apprehensions.
By the end of the evening round I could see he was starting to relax and settle into the role, all my ladies and gents seemed to take to him and I was pleased that there may be another male carer joining our team who had similar views to me about  Care work.

The last call of the evening was to an elderly lady called Miriam who has her ups and downs with her moods. I did warn John beforehand, but was relieved to find Miriam in good spirits as we entered.

'Hello Miriam' I said as we walked in 'You have another man to look after you tonight'
'Oh lovely' she replied
'Would you like a cup of tea' said John, warming to his task
'Yes please'
So off he went into the kitchen which is within earshot of the lounge where  Miriam and I were sitting.
'Do you have milk and sugar?'  he calls through
'Milk. no sugar please'
Then Miriam turns to me
'Is he new then?'
'Yes, he's shadowing me tonight and will be out working on his own next week'
'How's he getting on?'
'Really well, I think he will make a good carer' I replied, aware that John was probably listening in from the kitchen
'He's not as good as you!!' came the blunt reply

Thanks Miriam that was all my ego boosting throughout the evening wiped  out in six words

The dilemma

James suffers from dementia; he is a busy little man who is always on the go, in fact he never sits down.
Just recently he had a fall and I called an ambulance to have him checked out. Having come back from hospital I was surprised to find that he had no medication, and when I asked he told me they had not given him any. He was obviously had a lot of pain in his back and could not even get out of the chair.
As the week passed by he was getting worse, so the son started giving him Paracetamol to ease the pain and after a week we called the doctor out again, asking why he had not been prescribed any drugs. It turned out that James had torn up the prescription because he wasn't going to poison his body.
So now we have some stronger pain killers and he is on the mend.


Or is he?

 Whilst he was not on medication he stayed put in his chair, resting; but now he is on medication he feels better and is on the move again. Because of his dementia he does not understand that the medication is improving his injury, and he still needs to rest. The pain goes away and he forgets he has any injury all together.

So I go round one day and find him vacuuming the floor and enter the next day to find him lying on the settee in agony

Part of me thinks
he may have got better quicker without the tablets

Scare mongering over flying visits

http://www.channel4.com/news/care-visit-15-minutes-nhs-elderly-disabled

 

Perhaps the Care Industry does need looking at but articles like the one above give us all a bad name. The suggestion that 15 minute flying visits are forcing people to choose between a toilet break or a drink is farcical and nothing more than scare mongering.

My fifteen minute call would go something like this...

'Good morning Ethel. Do you need to go to the toilet?'
'Yes please'
'Ok let me just put the kettle on and I will help you.

Lets face it if they have waited for you to arrive to use the toilet, another minute is not going to make any difference (there are obvious exceptions). I then help Ethel to the toilet or onto a bed pan.
 I am not going to stand over the poor woman whilst she does her business so guess what; I go and make a cup of tea whilst I wait for her to finish. So even if it takes the lady fifteen minutes to go to the toilet she will still have a cup of tea by her side before I leave.


Yes there are calls where fifteen minutes is not enough but if a Carer feels that there is not enough time to do a call they can ask for a review from social services.

fifteen minutes of care

There is a lot of talk in the news today about fifteen minute care



As a care worker I do not see anything wrong with 15 minute calls; occasionally that is all that is required. I have one woman who often tells me to 'Sod off' once I have made a cup of tea and a sandwich. Other times I only pop in to check they are ok and have taken tablets; Yes I stay for a chat but sometimes they do not want to talk; any longer is an intrusion.

The problem arises when, through a profit driven industry, 6 minutes constitutes a 15 minute call. I'll leave you to work out the rest.

I have to say that I always try to give what is required regardless of time and my company has never pulled me up for spending too much time at a call. So if a lady tells me to 'Sod off after 6 minutes I will. If someone else needs a bit more attention one day through illness or loneliness, I stay longer than my fifteen minutes of allotted time.

Just for the record they are not all fifteen minute call, I spend an hour and half with one lady every day

Sometimes common sense has to prevail