Advice regarding nursing/residential homes

[jillydabrat]

I think we have all seen those poor seniors in lock down in their nursing home in America. This morning advice was given on Good Morning Britain that children should not be taken to visit nursing homes because children are more likely to not show symptoms of the Corona Virus. I think keeping children away is pure common sense to be honest. I had to speak to the manager of my mother's residential home because when my mother had to go to the toilet the staff, who have to assist her, did not wash their hands on entering her room (or hand gel), did not wear gloves, and did not wash or gel their hands when leaving her room. Surely to God this is just common sense now, how many more times do they have to have it drilled into them about washing their hands.

[Inca]

Oh yes. Husband and I experienced that when we used to visit my great aunt in a London care home.....as always you have to make your voice heard,I think asI am going back many years things were sloppy then,continued and now some care homes have not improved hygiene in helpers . Sally

[hunter5582]

Universal precautions are a standard of care even when there is not an epidemic going on. What you described is something that should be a formal complaint, particularly if it is a pattern.

[jillydabrat in reply to hunter5582]

I am sad to say that I have noticed this more and more to the point that I am going to insist that nobody touches my mum without washing their hands, something , as you say, should be standard care. The manager was very angry that I had to phone her about it and she was going straight to mum's wing to lay down the law. I have to say this has been my only complaint with her care. Luckily mum is very happy there and they do take good care of her besides this incident.

[hunter5582 in reply to jillydabrat]

Glad to hear this may just be an isolated problem. Sometimes care providers just need a reminder and betyer supervision. Hopefully it will address the problem

[Hidden]

My husband is an agency care worker but used to work in a care home for older people for many years. He is always amazed, being a tad OCD about cleanliness and infection control, how lax some colleague are. He currently mostly works with vulnerable adults in sheltered housing and had to write in the messages/ client notes that there is no hand sanitiser or soap now for staff to wash their hands with.

A lot of the problems relating to poor practice start further up the chain where managers try to cut costs or expect staff to bring their own soap with them.

Social carers are usually very poorly paid and expected to work very long hours and the staff turn over of many care homes is very high indeed. It’s no use having high expectations of social care workers if society doesn’t value them enough to train and pay them properly.

[Alex9621]

I think that is deplorable...I have also seen no soap for washing hands in bathrooms in some major stores where people frequent from all over.