Latest news with #carehome
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Dear Richard Madeley: Mum is complaining about the staff at her care home – just not the white ones
Dear Richard, My mother is in a care home near us in south London, having lived in the country for many years. She is partially paralysed after a stroke; not classed as having dementia, but her memory is not good and she can seem disorientated. We visit as often as we can and her room is full of pictures of family and bits of her needlepoint and things from home. There's a roster of care workers who look after her, some of whom clearly adore her. It took her a while to get used to the indignity of 'personal care' but she does now speak fondly of at least some of them. However, she has recently complained to us about rudeness and roughness on the part of three of the carers, and asked that these individuals not look after her in future. Naming no names, we have asked the director whether residents can request specific carers – and she made it clear that that would not really be feasible. Our only option would therefore be to escalate Mum's complaints and name the carers involved. Of course, we want Mum to have the best possible experience of this inevitably trying stage of life. We also want to respect her experience and not give her the third degree. But the fact is that she is quite vague about what it was about the three carers she didn't like. It's also quite striking to us that they are all of west African heritage, with a way of talking that will be very unfamiliar to a white woman who has spent most of her life in rural Wiltshire. Without in any way wishing to accuse her of being prejudiced we wonder whether there is a sensitive way of handling this that doesn't involve subjecting three hard-working care professionals to possible disciplinary proceedings, with no guarantee that their replacements, if they were replaced, would be any more congenial to Mum. Any advice would be most welcome. – G&R, London Dear G&R, You need to prioritise in what I accept is a potentially difficult and sensitive situation. What is most important here? Answer: your mother. If she is unhappy with specific carers, while being more than comfortable with others, then you – and the care home – have a duty to investigate the reasons why. Start by gently finding out as much as you can about the specific problem. I believe you should be absolutely colour-blind in this issue. The only thing that matters is the truth. Are these three carers treating your mother unkindly? Yes or no? You must not be afraid of 'escalating' this, whether to the home's management, your local authority or even the Care Quality Commission. You don't have to accuse anyone directly of anything. You merely have to ask that your mother's concerns be properly and professionally looked into. That's in everyone's interests, surely? At the very least, your mother will have had a fair hearing and the truth – one hopes – will have been established. There may be some specific explanation for certain incidents to do with overwork or clashing rotas or somesuch. There may indeed be misunderstandings at play, and perhaps everyone can learn from the episode. But if your mother remains unhappy – even if these specific carers are exonerated – you may have to consider moving her to another care home. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. You can find more of Richard Madeley's advice here or submit your own dilemma below. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Dear Richard Madeley: Mum is complaining about the staff at her care home – just not the white ones
Dear Richard, My mother is in a care home near us in south London, having lived in the country for many years. She is partially paralysed after a stroke; not classed as having dementia, but her memory is not good and she can seem disorientated. We visit as often as we can and her room is full of pictures of family and bits of her needlepoint and things from home. There's a roster of care workers who look after her, some of whom clearly adore her. It took her a while to get used to the indignity of 'personal care' but she does now speak fondly of at least some of them. However, she has recently complained to us about rudeness and roughness on the part of three of the carers, and asked that these individuals not look after her in future. Naming no names, we have asked the director whether residents can request specific carers – and she made it clear that that would not really be feasible. Our only option would therefore be to escalate Mum's complaints and name the carers involved. Of course, we want Mum to have the best possible experience of this inevitably trying stage of life. We also want to respect her experience and not give her the third degree. But the fact is that she is quite vague about what it was about the three carers she didn't like. It's also quite striking to us that they are all of west African heritage, with a way of talking that will be very unfamiliar to a white woman who has spent most of her life in rural Wiltshire. Without in any way wishing to accuse her of being prejudiced we wonder whether there is a sensitive way of handling this that doesn't involve subjecting three hard-working care professionals to possible disciplinary proceedings, with no guarantee that their replacements, if they were replaced, would be any more congenial to Mum. Any advice would be most welcome. – G&R, London Dear G&R, You need to prioritise in what I accept is a potentially difficult and sensitive situation. What is most important here? Answer: your mother. If she is unhappy with specific carers, while being more than comfortable with others, then you – and the care home – have a duty to investigate the reasons why. Start by gently finding out as much as you can about the specific problem. I believe you should be absolutely colour-blind in this issue. The only thing that matters is the truth. Are these three carers treating your mother unkindly? Yes or no? You must not be afraid of 'escalating' this, whether to the home's management, your local authority or even the Care Quality Commission. You don't have to accuse anyone directly of anything. You merely have to ask that your mother's concerns be properly and professionally looked into. That's in everyone's interests, surely? At the very least, your mother will have had a fair hearing and the truth – one hopes – will have been established. There may be some specific explanation for certain incidents to do with overwork or clashing rotas or somesuch. There may indeed be misunderstandings at play, and perhaps everyone can learn from the episode. But if your mother remains unhappy – even if these specific carers are exonerated – you may have to consider moving her to another care home. Let's hope it doesn't come to that.
BBC News
16 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Covid Inquiry: NI family never saw dad again after lockdown
A County Antrim man whose father died during the Covid-19 pandemic has told the Covid-19 Inquiry that he never saw his dad again after lockdown as the care home his father was in closed without notice to McQuitty, 84, died in May 2020 in hospital from Covid. He also had dementia and was profoundly deaf in both publicly for the first time about his father's death, Gregory McQuitty described his father as the most honest, hardworking and best man whom he models his life five weeks, The Covid-19 Inquiry, sitting in London, has been hearing testimony from the care sector, including residents and families, about how they were supported during the pandemic. Counsel for the NI Covid Bereaved Families Group said the "removal of contact with loved ones is for many a price too great to pay, it was too cruel, painful and must never be repeated".Mr McQuitty said after lockdown the care home didn't contact the family to provide an update on their father and any contact was triggered by Mr McQuitty's McQuitty said his father's death certificate said he died from Covid and secondly by heart failure."There are so many unanswered questions around my father's death... we just don't know what happened," he told the inquiry. Emotional evidence Before his father passed away a ward sister used an iPad to allow the family to communicate with their dad but as he was profoundly deaf, Gregory said it was "too distressing". He told the inquiry his father's funeral was clinical and "nothing about it was near normal" with only 11 people allowed to attend."We were able to carry the coffin about 10 metres, there was no wake no stories for the grandchildren no handshakes. The open book has not been closed."After his father's death, medical records revealed he had attended hospital 19 times due to falls but the family was only notified on four of those McQuitty said he wrote to the health minister at the time, Robin Swann, three times following his father's death but didn't receive a reply. Mr McQuitty, who was emotional throughout his evidence, said while he was extremely nervous it was important that he spoke up for his moved by the evidence, The Chair of the Inquiry Baroness Hallett told Mr mcQuitty: "Think how your father benefited from such a close and loving family." She went on to thank him for travelling to 18 days of evidence, in its closing submissions, counsel for the bereaved families in the UK said while the fragility of the care sector was widely known before the pandemic the inquiry has uncovered that the situation is no added that the lack of parity between health and social care continues to manifest itself in poorer wages among social care staff and the recognition of their work and expertise. Call for care home system reform The NI bereaved families for justice (NIBFFJ) said reform of the system needs to start now and recommendations for the social care sector should be robust and applied as soon as also said care homes were not a government priority during the pandemic with "residents' rights undermined and oversight mechanisms withdrawn at a time of urgent need".According to NICBFG withdrawing regulatory inspection by the RQIA "removed critical oversight from care homes during a time of crisis". Brenda Campbell KC asked why "so many in social care had to endure so much suffering, for so long" and who so many had to die along?She added that the fragility of the social care sector before the pandemic was well-documented, and she said governments and civil servants had been told before and during the pandemic that those reliant on the social care service required special Campbell said too often during the inquiry they heard the refrain accompanied by "a shrug of the shoulders" as though it was the answer and not the problem that the social care sector was "the Cinderella service".She said when it comes to bolstering the care sector for the future there is a need to "collaborate and consult" and a need for "parity" between health and social care so that each receives the necessary respect and investment.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Woman who lost both parents to Covid recalls seeing ‘cruel' Downing Street party photos
A woman who lost both her parents to Covid-19 within 17 days has described her anguish to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, stating that seeing photos of a Downing Street drinks party on the day her mother died felt "cruel". Rhona Arthur, representing Scottish Covid Bereaved, gave her testimony on Wednesday. The inquiry, led by Baroness Heather Hallett, is currently in its concluding week of hearings, focusing on the pandemic's impact within the care sector. Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father William and mother Violet were both living in the same care home in Scotland when the pandemic began in 2020. She explained her mother had moved into the care home following a long stay in hospital in 2017, and some time later her father had chosen to move into the same home. 'They were devoted to each other,' Ms Arthur said. 'They were a pair of bookends, and one was not very helpful without the other, so he chose to move into the nursing home beside her.' Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father tested positive for Covid-19 on April 30, 2020 after developing a 'slight temperature', and was admitted to hospital the same day. She recalled speaking with him on the phone that afternoon and that he was doing 'quite well', but within hours he began to deteriorate. He died in hospital a few days later on May 3, 2020 aged 90. She told the inquiry she had 'no other option' but to break the news of his death to her mother over the phone, and a member of staff at the care home had sat with her to provide 'emotional support'. Her mother then tested positive for Covid-19 on May 9, and Ms Arthur said as she was going into the crematorium for her father's funeral on May 18, the care home called to say her mother's health was a 'cause for concern'. Two days later, she said, she got another call to say her mother's oxygen levels had 'dropped', and the home had offered an end-of-life visit. Rhona Arthur (Scottish Covid Bereaved) gave evidence to the Inquiry can view it on the live stream (and via playback) through our YouTube channel 📺 now 👇 — UK Covid-19 Inquiry (@covidinquiryuk) July 30, 2025 She said she 'paused' to pass on the news to other family members, but less than half-an-hour later the care home called again to say her mother had died, aged 93. Asked about the impact the double bereavement had had on her and her family, Ms Arthur said: 'For a long time, I described it as being like a house with the roof ripped off, because that's just that kind of idea about how empty and devastating a double loss is. 'It's very difficult to talk to people about. 'People say, 'what happened to you during Covid?' You cannot just say to somebody, 'well, actually, both my parents died within a fortnight.' 'It's a complete and utter and devastating blow in a conversation.' She was also asked about the impact of seeing photos of a Downing Street drinks party held on the day her mother died. 'It just felt so cruel that we had done all the right things, that we had followed all the rules, down to the funerals, to then see that,' Ms Arthur said. 'And of course, that picture is regularly reprinted, which means that it just brings that terrible day back all the time.' The inquiry continues.
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
Woman who lost both parents to Covid recalls seeing ‘cruel' Downing Street party photos
A woman who lost both her parents to Covid-19 within 17 days has described her anguish to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, stating that seeing photos of a Downing Street drinks party on the day her mother died felt "cruel". Rhona Arthur, representing Scottish Covid Bereaved, gave her testimony on Wednesday. The inquiry, led by Baroness Heather Hallett, is currently in its concluding week of hearings, focusing on the pandemic's impact within the care sector. Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father William and mother Violet were both living in the same care home in Scotland when the pandemic began in 2020. She explained her mother had moved into the care home following a long stay in hospital in 2017, and some time later her father had chosen to move into the same home. 'They were devoted to each other,' Ms Arthur said. 'They were a pair of bookends, and one was not very helpful without the other, so he chose to move into the nursing home beside her.' Ms Arthur told the inquiry her father tested positive for Covid-19 on April 30, 2020 after developing a 'slight temperature', and was admitted to hospital the same day. She recalled speaking with him on the phone that afternoon and that he was doing 'quite well', but within hours he began to deteriorate. He died in hospital a few days later on May 3, 2020 aged 90. She told the inquiry she had 'no other option' but to break the news of his death to her mother over the phone, and a member of staff at the care home had sat with her to provide 'emotional support'. Her mother then tested positive for Covid-19 on May 9, and Ms Arthur said as she was going into the crematorium for her father's funeral on May 18, the care home called to say her mother's health was a 'cause for concern'. Two days later, she said, she got another call to say her mother's oxygen levels had 'dropped', and the home had offered an end-of-life visit. She said she 'paused' to pass on the news to other family members, but less than half-an-hour later the care home called again to say her mother had died, aged 93. Asked about the impact the double bereavement had had on her and her family, Ms Arthur said: 'For a long time, I described it as being like a house with the roof ripped off, because that's just that kind of idea about how empty and devastating a double loss is. 'It's very difficult to talk to people about. ' People say, 'what happened to you during Covid?' You cannot just say to somebody, 'well, actually, both my parents died within a fortnight.' 'It's a complete and utter and devastating blow in a conversation.' She was also asked about the impact of seeing photos of a Downing Street drinks party held on the day her mother died. 'It just felt so cruel that we had done all the right things, that we had followed all the rules, down to the funerals, to then see that,' Ms Arthur said. 'And of course, that picture is regularly reprinted, which means that it just brings that terrible day back all the time.' The inquiry continues.
