Social worker has been to see my Dad in hospital because he shuffled to the dining room and could feed himself she said he doesnt fit the criteria and will not recommend he has a care home placement
He is blind, deaf, has Atrial Fibrillation, triple AAA, incontinence of both ends, has a catheter fitted because he is bleeding from his bladder the catheter blocks and leaks he refused to have a flexible cytoscope to see if he has bladder cancer
The doctor said having s diagnosis wouldn’t affect his care needs
The social worker however who knows better than the doctor says he has to have it to prove a diagnosis otherwise he does not fit the criteria to have a carehome placement
They are instead discharging him and sending him back home with four times a day carers instead
He doesn’t know when he needs the toilet so he poos himself if this doesn’t fit in with a carers visit he will have to sit and wait or pull the cord or telephone the carers
She said put the carers number in his mobile I said he doesn’t own a mobile she said write it down by his phone I said he’s blind and deaf he can barely use a phone
She told me I am not to go over and clean him up I should not be doing it
I said he had lots of falls he is not safe in his flat she referred me to call the falls service
She also told me I have to arrange a catheter care plan for when he gets home
I said you are putting everything back on me again and ran out crying leaving my son to deal with her
She only had half the medical information she didn’t know he was registered blind she only has the information about the catheter from the 6th August so she doesn’t know about his co morbidities
She’s told me to get a full medical report from his doctor and he needs a diagnosis about his bleeding from the bladder
I thought it couldn’t get any worse but it has
She is going to talk to him and tell him he is not to call me to clean him up, and she told me that it is my and his Behavioral issues that are causing me stress
I think she wants me to walk away and leave him
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FOXLEW
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Hello FOXLEW, I’m not often moved to anger but your post has me feeling that way. The so called social worker has no right to speak to you like that and clearly has no clue what she’s talking about.
Your dear dad needs a care home placement right now so I urge you to stay very calm and get the GP, hospital doctor on your side. Your dad cannot just rely on four carers each day or on you because he needs care 24/7.
He already has a diagnosis and does fit the criteria. Now make things happen and do take care of yourself too. Do whatever it takes.
I wish you well. Xxxx
Hi FOXLEW,
I can only echo what sassy59 has said. What the social worker said is completely inappropriate and it's never the right thing to tell a carer what they should or shouldn't be doing in terms of the caring they do.
I'd definitely disregard all that she has said to you. There are many people involved in the care of an individual and they all have their own fields of expertise. It sounds as if this individual has crossed the line in professionalism and strayed into matters which really shouldn't be her territory. So, as sassy59 has said, try to stay as calm as you can and take this back to others who will listen and give appropriate advice and, whilst you may not be able to continue with your current caring role, it is for YOU to decide what you can and can't handle and what you will and won't do for your dad.
But sassy59's advice to look at a care or nursing home is absolutely right. No matter what our loyalties are, when someone needs 24/7 care, it's no longer appropriate for one individual to try to do it with inadequate support.
Very best wishes to you and your dad, and I hope you can find a very speedy resolution to all of this.
Thank you Callendersgal the liaison nurse at my GP has spoken to the hospital and the social worker she has told them arranging a catheter care plan is definitely not in my remit as it’s a medical issue
She said she has had words in all the right places but she is not sure it will help
It seems to her that that will insist he goes hone with four carers s day and I am to walk away to let it fail otherwise he will not get any help
I guess he will end up with another blockage, another infection back to the hospital and if hes lucky he might get sepsis. Then they won’t have to worry about helping him because he won’t survive
Meanwhile I shall retire into a corner and sit rocking and banging my head, while I stay away and not help him anymore
Hi, I can only echo what others have said. I am afraid this approach is all too common in hospital as the professionals have pressure on them to go for the cheapest option if you are relying on funding from the local authority. It's one of the reasons I could not continue to work in the discharge team of a hospital.
It places an intolerable level of caring responsibility on the family (usually a long suffering daughter) and is inhumane to the poor patient. Until we have a government who really cares for our elderly and has humane policies, it will continue I am afraid.
I wish you luck as your dad should not be having to suffer this indignity and you should not be put in the position of allowing it to fail to make your point.
Sorry to hear of your Dad's and your situation. You have had some great, supportive replies from other members. I agree, that you need the involvement of the GP, district nurses that know your Dad, and the hospital Dr's and that it sounds like your Dad needs extra nursing care.
Have you discussed with the Nurse in Charge/Matron on the ward that your Dad is on? Maybe they can offer further assistance? If you feel that you still need some additional support or advice, maybe try the hospital's PALS team?
Try not to worry too much and see if you can make some progress with the above teams.
We wish you all the best and let us know how you get on.
MAS Nurse and Moderator
Sound to me like to I’ll for further test DX and that should not be held against him.
I would right and copy letter to social worker stating obvious and how further test would be depremental to health AND why is that being used against him.
Quote breaches of disability discrimination act SORRY that was replaced in 2010 to equality act ALSO could say the breaching he’s human rights RIGHT To LIFE
Say if issues are not sorted you will be taking issue up with health social care parliamentary ombudsman AS clearly not following letter of the law.
Oh FOXLEW.....this is so harrowing to read and you must be at your wits end,the social worker sounds as hard as nails and should not be in a caring position.
I am appalled at the treatment of people in this country,and frankly most dont care a damn.
My thoughts are with you and your dear dad..its not easy for either of you.
Hopefully, the GP will be able to support your case that your father should be cared for in residential care. This is effecting your health and it really can't go on. I wish you good luck for a resolution. Helen x
They have all told me to walk away from the care I am at breaking point she said if I was in a job she’d sign me off for 3 weeks
It’s the hardest thing I have had to do but for my own welfare I have no choice
She said social services will have to treat him as if there was no Jenny and I have cancelled the carers allowance otherwise they will use that against me to force me to carry on
I just want to be a daughter but it isn’t easy I need to kick my wounds on my own for now
Please do not allow him to be discharged home. The hospital has to adhere to safe discharge procedure and you should remind them of this. Contact CarersUK:
I managed to get joint funding for CHC earlier this year but it was arduous and they took about three months to decide. I applied because he has complex illnesses which require the oversight and care of a qualified nurse. I was sure that his needs could not properly be met in a residential home.
The key to getting funding is whether the person has sufficient medical needs that carers cannot provide and that the oversight of qualified nursing staff is needed to prevent deterioration. Fluctuating, unpredictable medical conditions score high, particularly breathing problems. Special medication regimes also attract higher scores. Incontinence does not add anything much because carers can deal with this - it doesn’t need a qualified nurse.
I think your social worker is out of order because she does not have the medical experience or information to be able to judge. CHC assessments require a social worker and qualified nurse. The latter can provide the correct medical information.
It sounds as if your father is not well enough to be at home so whether or not he is eligible for CHC funding he ought not to be discharged home. He would be able to have some free weeks in residential care when discharged to such a facility from hospital. Not sure but it might be 12 weeks.
My husband who has advanced Parkinsons, is incontinant and has dementia, is completely dependent on carers for everything...
I’m his main carer, and for the last 6 months I spend most of my day feeding him, his salt test came back as not changed .. but he can only support a soft mushy diet.
Even drinks he can no longer lift, and has to be administered via me and a thickened drink and straw...
Until last year, I could just about cope, but I have diagnosed heart failure, and have very little energy .. for the care and everything that goes with
Trying to keep our flat running,
He failed a CHC 18 months ago, by 1 point, but have applied via his SS worker who thinks he should receive it, but the community nurses are very hard to deal with.. as you said, I think they are programmed to avoid NHS costs, no matter what.
My main concern is if I’m not around it would mean he could have
Proper care in a decent nursing/ care home..
I’m at my wits end to be honest, and the stress of everyday
Gets worse... my heart failure team and GP are in agreement he needs to be in care..
Oh Rosey I really feel for you they push us to the absolute limit because of our love for our family member but we are drowning and drowning
My doctor has told me I have to walk away if it was a job she would have signed me off for three weeks at least she said Social Services would have to treat Dad as if there was no Jenny
It’s killing me but I am totally collapsed and I cannot fight Social services anymore
I'm very familiar with NHS CHC as I've just successfully got funding for my wife.
No social worker has the right to make any decisions regarding CHC.
You should immediately call you local adult social services and ask them to complete an NHS Continuing Healthcare Checklist as soon as possible.
This is the starting point. Stress to them your Dad's poor situation at the moment.
They should send a social worker to complete the 'checklist'. Make sure you are present to have your input. Your input is crucial. The social worker is just there to do the paperwork. It's you who knows your dad's health needs.
You need to basically write a complete list of every care need, symptom, complication, disability, medication, catheter issue, accidents, feeding problems, behaviour issues. Anything and everything that is a result of your dad's illness. Diagnosis is not important; it's his needs that matter.
The 'checklist' is a short hand document that scores people to decide if they should have a full assessment to decide if they qualify for CHC funding. The checklist should take no more than 1-2 hours with a social worker to fill in.
It may take a few hours of prep from you beforehand.
I can help with the full assessment, just drop me a private message. Anyone.
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