General Chat

I think this kind of abuse is dreadfully sad. A lot of elderly people are afraid to say anything, in case they are considered a nuisance, and how awful it must be for those who have no one to visit, whether because they have no relatives or because their relatives don't care. These people must feel totally abandoned. What a terrible way to end your days. I hope I never end up like that.

I agree with a lot of what has already been said on here. It's disgusting to hear of elderly or handicapped people being abused. Another point which I realised about care homes recently, is that some carers are being paid such low wages. I'm not saying that people should be lured into such jobs by tip-top wages and, of course, most of the people who work with the elderly or mentally ill do have a vocation and therefore aren't out to make a profit - but let's have a bit of FAIR DO'S please! These carers are doing responsibile jobs after all. I honestly think that if these kind, devoted, carers were paid a more decent wage, there would be more carers to go round. At present carers (like nurses) are really over-worked and are not being fairly paid for all the marvellous work they do. There! Now I'm sure some of you will agree with what I've said, but who should we be addressing our complaints to instead of discussing it among ourselves?

I find the carers that come out to mum in the mornings are great alwys chatty and nice BUT They do wake me up sometimes lol

Another episode on TV (Panorama) this evening of a Care Home elderly resident being abused by so-called carers.

Lessons learnt? Doesn't seem so!

I'm not looking forward to growing old.

Sometimes, when the carers come to my old dad in the mornings, I wake up and wonder why I wasn't invited to the party.

I have nothing but praise for our carers and they have done me one or two favours too.

Because I do like to show my appreciation and because the old man likes to look like Lord Bountiful looking after his women,we have a basket of chocolate on the side for them. We always give them Christmas presents too, not big ones. It seems we are the only ones who bother.

It is a grim job for lousy pay and must be very frustrating when you don't feel appreciated.

This latest is in the paper today, the person doing the abusing has gone to prison, The elderly lady's daughter installed a digital clock that was actually a camera which took videos. She was appalled to see him hitting her mother. He should not even have been in her room as she requested female carers only and that was what they said was happening. Four female carers were sacked as well.

My Mum had a wonderful team of home carers for about six years, they were initally part of social services and then were contracted to a care agency.

They provided care, dignity and a kind word not only to Mum but my Sister and I and our children who were younger at the time. One even loaned me a christening gown for my youngest Son.

Mum died seven years ago but i still think fondly of her care team.

Teresa

I had attempted to watch the programme on BBC1 I ended up turning it off.....it was too much for me :-(

I have watched this footage in tears......18months prison sentence for the man who assaulted that poor lady is not long enough.I am so glad that I know my Mum was well looked after and loved (even though she was quite difficult)in the home she was in.
Well done to the Ladies daughter for having the guts to put a hidden camera in to film this terrible abuse.More people should do it.

Just watched the same Mersey..........so distressing. I worked for the NHS as a HCA for many years and have never seen the like of what I saw tonight.

It made me so angry I wanted to grab that fellow and give him a good kicking and see how he liked it.

He is now in prison, where I bet he wont be getting any sympathy after fellow prisoners have watched tonight programme!!!

Just have to add...........where were the managers to allow the manhandling of vunerable patients.....where were the various hoists and slip sheets etc.............why send them on training courses if you are not going to put these procedures into practice..........Have they still got their jobs!!!

Hi Ann

It made me actually want to be phsically sick...
My Nan is in a care/nursing home and I have to say she is in a lovley place with lovley people around her and staff that are fabulous....
We come and go whenever we want no matter what time of the day it is, her room and surroundings are fantastic, and thank goodness not all caring/nursing homes and the staff are the same as were that MONSTER came from.....We have made really good friends with the staff and it is so comforting to know when we have to leave she is in a safe caring and loving place......

So glad your nan is happy Mersey and that she has a caring family to visit her. Sadly a lot of our elderly population in these homes do not have family and are therefore more vunerable and open to abuse. A point was raised by one of the consultants that "poor wages" may be a factor for some of the anger directed at the patients. I find that hard to believe....I was not on a lot of money either I knew the score before I applied for the position.........I loved working where I did.........and many years down the line I still remember with great fondness a lot of the people I took care of.

My grandfather, my Hero had to go into residential care.........a nice home very clean and all his needs were catered for. Then a bad apple came along.......a male nurse......my grandfather had been poorly with a chest infection and did not want to get up this particular morning......he did not have to. The male nurse decided to strip his bed and threw the lot where he could not reach it. He relayed all this when I visited that afternoon..........perhaps the new nurse did not realise that he was as sharp as a new pin because at the time he was quite vunerable, well he was in for one big bl**dy shock by the time I had mrched down to the office.

I really do believe that you can give all the training there is available.....you just need a couple of bad apples to enter the mix, and sadly these can be found in both Private and NHS facilities.

I watched the programme with horror, I am a full time carer and feel utterly ashamed to think there are people like that in the proffession. I work 7dys a week with one family my client is 45yrs old and lives with his mother and is physically and mentally disabled. I would hate to think of him in residential care and being treated like that old lady was. It is not an easy job to do and can be very stressfull but I would not and could not treat him the way those carers treated that poor woman. They have been trained for the job and I don't understand why they do the job if they care so little for the people they look after, I have never been trained but have had many years experience looking after an elderly aunt and the disabled person I care for at the moment. I know my limitations and because of a recent family loss ( the death of my dad ) I feel I am not able to do the job to the best of my abilty any longer and have handed in my notice.
I hope to god there are changes made and that the people who are allowed to care for the elderly or disabled are checked more carefully and monitored better, this also applies in hospitals as there are many elderly mistreated there as well.

Diane ( Liverpool Lass ) a very upset carer :-(

Ann im so sorry to hear this about our Grandfather, that is so shocking, and I like you would have caused blue murder !!, and also agree with you about those in elderley care who have no family and no-one to rely on is so so sad ...There is a few in Nans home and quite a few of us try and involve them but it is not always that easy ....breaks my heart to see those who have made my life easier fighting for what the believe in and giving me my better quality of life and the are treated in such away.........

Respecting our elders was drummed into me from a very young age and I just wish more young people were shown this, as is they will be old one day and I dread to think what will happen then

I work for Hampshire County Council (which doesn't include Southampton or Portsmouth), only as admin, in a department where we train carers of adults.
Some courses are mandatory, both in the private and public sector - and free. These tend to be safeguarding courses. Others, the private sector has to pay for - but with both the free and paying courses, there's a good uptake.
One course we started last year is amazing. It makes the carers look at their 'charge' as a human being, and we discuss role reversal, set out a care plan (though it's not called that now) that takes into account what the 'charge' likes, how they want things done etc. - do they prefer a shower or bath, when they prefer their tea etc., definite likes and dislikes -and these plans are updated regularly - not just done and left.

I found it amazing that, in some homes, people were dressed by the carers - even though they were quite capable of dressing themselves!!
It is a 4 part course, and in between the sessions, some carers became so enthusiastic about doing things another way that they experimented, and reported back at the next session!!
Little things, like not giving everyone a cup of tea as they sat in their seats in the afternoon, but leaving the teapot , cups & cake on a central table.
Those capable went over to the table helped themselves to tea & cake - and started chatting!!! Those too frail to serve themselves were asked if they wanted to go to the table, where tea was poured for them - and they joined in.
It seems amazing - but small things mean huge differences.
When we occasionally held this course in a home, we even had clients attending, and declaring that they may want a cup of tea at 3am, and what could be done about that?. Well, there are night staff on duty - so why not?

I have to admit, we do have safeguarding issues, but, at the slightest whisper, my colleagues are in there like a shot . We've also found that carers who attend this course will report the slightest thing that worries them. Possibly because they know they can report it straight to one of my colleagues, rather than through the manager, and initially, they wil tread carefully to establish the facts, decide whether it's a procedural or staffing issue and take it from there, with many 'follow-ups'
.

Mersey.............There was more than blue murder I can tell you! My grandad died in 1989 and this took place the year previous, but I can still see that nurses face now.........it will never go away. I think this was one of the reasons I went to work in that field the year following his death. I so enjoyed my visits to him every week and chatting to all his friends there, and yes stories of their hard lives going through 2 world wars etc. We have it easy these days!

Maggie I attended lots of courses over the years and enjoyed them all. The point you made about giving choices is so important. It made me remember my first day in a NHS "Community Hospital" and a patient approached me in his wheelchair and asked to be taken to the bathroom. Overheard by a "long time" carer who immediately scurried towards us and declared "Well its not quite 4'oclock yet"! In other words you will have to wait!
Heres hoping those days and ways are gone forever. Keep up the good work Maggie!

Hi Ann, I think a lot of the problems are caused by the 'We've always done it like this' brigade. The home is for the cients benefit - not the care workers!! When my gran was in a home, they constantly badgered her to 'join in' - she'd lived quite happily on her own for 40 years - why would she suddenly want to join in? I know I won't.
The 'Personal Centred Approach' course is aimed at creating a modicum of independence for the clients and kyboshing a lot of the 'They can't do that - Health & Safety' etc.mentality.
Even if you're 80and want to go sky diving, it should be your choice - you could do it if you lived in your own home. As long as reasonable precautions are made, if you die of a heart attack whilst sky diving - what a way to go!!!
I will probably end up in a home in a few decades - and I know what I would want.
I'm constantly muttering darkly at our team meetings about computers in every room being normal - so why aren't there any in council run homes?
My mum is 82 this year - and still living in her own home - well she's renting in the UK at the moment, while trying to sell her home in Portugal, and she loves her computer!!
:-D

hmm - don't those awful people think that one day they will be old?

If you do something awful to someone, it comes back at you three times.

Well, after my Nanna went into Alzheimers for a few years & my Mum looked after her as well as having a part-time job & a husband & three teenagers she always said to me "If I get like that Susan for God's sake put me in a home!" And I always told her I would not & she didn't like that. I am glad to say she got her wish, in that she died of a heart attack at 78 after an operation so didn't end up going into a long decline. While it was an awful shock for us, especially me Dad, it was better for her. God bless Mum & Nanna. xx
Anyway I watched the Panorama programme tonight as well & feel myself lucky that my parents have passed already.