My mother is in a care home and has Alzheimer’s, I have power of attorney. She is under a DOLs.
In the past I have used a DOLs IMCA to help to get my mother moved to a more suitable care home.
Like many other care home relatives I am concerned that my mother’s rights to a family life and private life are being disregarded. Until a about a week ago it was manageable by distanced garden visits with me wearing a visor, but a new stand in manager has now insisted on full face masks. My mother is disturbed by this, she thinks I am ill and is not sure it is me and can’t hear what I am saying so the visit is distressing for both of us.
I requested an IMCA via the DOLs department. Previously the advocacy agency was POhWER, and they were very good but do not cover the area of my mother’s current care home.
I made contact with the IMCA but he was nothing like the previous very helpful IMCA, he was abrupt contacted my mother first without my consent, It didn’t find him helpful at all so requested another IMCA to be assigned.
Then I got a call from the DOLs department asking me why I wanted an IMCA and they managed to talk me out of it.
After the call when I thought about it, I felt that it was inappropriate for them to call me as it is not really their business why I want one, it is just their responsibly to follow the process and provide one as it my mother’s right under the MCA. She can’t speak for herself as she lacks mental capacity so I am her voice.
I would have thought it is an IMCA’s role to support me (speaking on behalf of my mother) to feel empowered as the care home manager and assistant manager are very dominant and overbearing and not prepared to listen to my concerns.
Can you give me some advice about this please? Would you agree that it is an IMCA’s role to support me in this?