Restrictions in Respite services

[Lollipoplollipop]

Hi

I run a respite service for people with a learning disability

I am interested to know how other respite services are managing with the current restrictions where people have to stay in their room for a 14 days quarantine period when some only come in for a few days

I would also like to know how others are managing behaviours that require a high exercise , such as a long walk in the community when they are told to quarantine within the house by the current guidelines. Especially when they need their activities for their wellbeing and behaviour management.

I am interested to know what other services are doing to manage people having to have negative covid tests before they can come into the service when so many can not tolerate this and it would be a distressing thing for them to have .Some families are in desperate need of a break and these guidelines may work well for permanent placements but are a struggle for both providers of respite and family carers trying to access both testing facilities and respite services. I am currently having a high volume of calls from tired carers needing a break.

Any advice how others are managing would be appreciated these services desperately need the guidelines reviewing.

Staff are being tested weekly and temperatures checks daily also high volumes of cleaning undertake alongside numerous other changes so all other recommendations are being completed .

Thank you

[Sarah_Mencap]

Hello

I am going to ask my colleagues if they have any advice about this from our services. I'll post back here if I hear back from them.

Thanks

Sarah

[Lollipoplollipop in reply to Sarah_Mencap]

thank you

[49Twister]

It really is a terrible situation and I totally agree these guidelines need urgently reviewing, they are being ignored.This is causing so much stress and mental health issues along with their physical well-being in many people with learning disabilities. I have signed many petitions on behalf of people with LD’s but still nothing. Why aren’t the CEO’s and people in the top management of all the agencies supposedly supporting these people making their voices heard to include them more in the guidelines. SILENCE!!! I really feel for you trying to provide an essential safe service during this terrible time, things need to change, and use some good old common sense which has disappeared. Sorry rant over hope things change soon.

[Lollipoplollipop in reply to 49Twister]

Thank you for reading and supporting this

[booksd]

It seems on reading the governments Winter plan for care homes and other services, that LD individuals are to be lumped together with elderly care which will mean that this will continue to impact respite services too.

[Lollipoplollipop]

thank you for taking the time to read this it is a stressful time and unfortunately not thought out properly

[Sarah_Mencap]

Hello

I heard back from one of our regional managers who said -

"We have managed to reopen two of our respite services. We have drawn up plans that are individual to each environment setting working with colleagues in the quality team and also involving input from commissioners, care management as well as local public health teams.

Numbers staying have been reduced, social distancing maintained, environment zoned (but people not confined to bedrooms as environment enables identified spaces), keeping individual staff team members to individual people supported (avoiding cross over of personal care) infection control measures in place (especially for any shared use - kitchen etc), PPE in place, staff team only working in this location, more structured planning of visits, testing, temperatures being taken.

Some excellent work put in place from Service Managers, AOM and Quality team and to explain to people we are supporting and their families.

However need to reiterate not a one size fits all plans as dependent upon building / environment but also support needs of people within to access respite support."

I hope this helps a little at this very difficult time.

Best wishes

Sarah

[Lollipoplollipop]

Thank you so much for finding out

I have notified different organisations and have the quality team involved

That is very helpful to us knowing that others are still open

Thank you again for your support in finding out