After being cared for at home Mum had a fall just after lockdown last March. Hospital were pushing for discharge but original carers wouldn’t come back as were unable to increase support & it was decided she would need to go into care home. After going to Council run temporary care facility ( where Mum contracted Covid but luckily recovered well) they were hounding me every few days to see if I had found her a permanent place, this was without being able to visit anywhere and the social worker assigned to the home having very little knowledge or advice to give me. I found what I thought was a suitable place but after 6 weeks under strange circumstances Mum was back in hospital and the care home decided they didn’t want her back as they couldn’t meet her needs.
She has now been in her current nursing home for approx 6 months having had to pleed with them to take Mum ( we were running out of options at this stage as there are very few nursing homes in the area) I am not sure she is in the right place for her needs, she doesn’t seem particularly happy and I just want the best for her .
Social services have contacted me recently together with CHC but this was purely regarding funding I fear that they are going to withdraw the covid funding provided and Mum will need to start paying.
Mum has deteriorated since being in the nursing home both physically -she could just about walk with assistance , now unable to stand -mentally she has deteriorated as the nursing home have located her in a floor which is probably at a different level than she needs as she can be a little disruptive & has had few people to chat with.
I have previously tried for months to get a social worker , they seem to take every opportunity to get out of helping me with Mums situation.
Mum has been allocated a new doctor who is linked to the nursing home but because of covid have not been inside to see her.
She was referred to the long term conditions team and the memory clinic but because of covid and her going into hospital these were cancelled.
I just feel that through no fault of her own she has been left without the care she needs and deserves and I don’t know where to turn to try and sort this out any advice would be appreciated
You need to be very clear about what you want, when dealing with Social Services and Continuing Healthcare.
In theory it’s not your job to find a suitable place, but you know mum better than anyone else.
Try to write down a list of everything she NEEDS not wants, as a starting point.
Has a decision been made about Continuing Healthcare yet?
Thanks for the reply I have a list from previous attempted meetings so will have a look at updating that. No decision has been made about continuing health care yet they sent me a text to get in touch so have read up about it online I believe it is very difficult to get.
In some places it’s easy, some difficult, very much a postcode lottery I’m afraid.
There is a campaign to get more fairness.
Have you been given any recent reports from a Physio, OT, psychiatrist or anyone else?
My mum was very frail towards the end of her life, too frail after sepsis to ever return home, in hospital for months, one minute fit for discharge, then bleeding from various areas, then fit, then next day needing morphine as the pain was so bad. It was incredibly difficult for me, as I was ill and my son with learning difficulties was also having issues with his carers.
I don’t think I’ve ever fully recovered.
Every now and then try to take a day off from all the stress. Your health is very important too.
I do think you are right about the postcode lottery Mum has lived in Lancaster all her adult life and from my experience nothing to do with elderly care seems to work.
I can’t begin to understand what you went through I only have my Mum to care for it is difficult living and working in a different part of the country though Skype has helped over lockdown but can’t replace physical contact.
I don’t have any reports from medical staff is this something I can get access to and where from. I was in close contact with Mums old doctors who were wonderful with her but they said doctor needed to change to the one linked to the nursing home.
If they are considering CHC there should be a meeting, including you, with reports shared beforehand so you can consider them and raise any questions. My experience is that they often “forget” what they are supposed to be doing!!! Have a look at the CHC Framework. I printed it off in the end, highlighted the relevant sections. The hospital Complaints Officer and Matron were stunned when I quoted page, section, and sub section from memory to them at a meeting. I asked if they had a copy. “Of course” was the reply, and then turned to their computer. It was there, but they’d never read it properly!
I have just found out that they have already completed the CHC assessment without any input from me or Social Services just done with the nursing home. I carefully broached the subject with Mum but she didn’t remember anything being said. I am waiting for them to ring me and explain.
That assessment may have been unlawful, without your involvement.
If they have decided mum doesn’t qualify, TELL them that you want them to email you a copy IMMEDIATELY.