Showing posts with label care for the elderly. Show all posts

Friday 25 September 2015

Families often charged too much for care, ombudsman says 24 September 2015

Families often charged too much for care, ombudsman says
24 September 2015

From the section

Image copyright

Science Photo Library

Image caption

The ombudsman received 2,848 complaints about social care from August 2014 to July 2015

Cost of care

'Impossible situation'

Image copyright

Science Photo Library

Image caption

Those with assets of less than £14,250 are entitled to have a local authority funded care home place

Families are paying too much for care in England "all too often" because of confusing or incorrect information from councils, a report says.

The Local Government Ombudsman said some people were not offered an affordable care option in their area.

"Top-up fees", payable for things such as a bigger room, were often being incorrectly charged, it said.

There was a 19% increase in complaints about social care from August 2014 to July 2015 compared with a year earlier.

The ombudsman received 2,848 complaints during this period, of which 57.5% were upheld.

Find out more about care at the BBC's cost of care website.

Use the BBC's care calculator to find out how much care costs where you live.

There were 2,397 complaints between August 2013 and July 2014 - 52.5% were upheld - and 2,324 between August 2012 and July 2013, of which 52.6% were upheld.

Its report, seen exclusively by BBC Breakfast, says councils should provide information in writing "at the earliest opportunity" that explains the financial implications of social care and top-up fees, so people can make an "informed decision".

It said: "The decision to place a loved one in a care home can be one of the hardest any family has to make, but all too often families are paying too much for their care because they are not getting the correct, timely information."

Those who have assets of less than £14,250 are entitled to have a care home place paid for by their local authority.

Top-up fees are generally charged for those who want additional facilities, such as a bigger room.

But Tony Cryer said he was charged a "top-up fee" after his council reassessed the amount it was willing to pay at his mother's nursing home.

"They'd decided my mum was going to move elsewhere," he said.

"But we couldn't let it happen. We had to pay the difference... we were put in an impossible situation."

The ombudsman ordered the council to pay the fee shortly before Jean Cryer died. The family are still waiting for repayment.

Care England, which represents care homes, said top-up fees were masking a funding crisis in social care, with some of the poorest people and their families being asked to fill holes in the budgets of local authorities.

Professor Martin Green, of Care England, said care should be available "at a cost which the local authority should be happy to pay".

Andrew Kaye, from the charity Independent Age, said confusion over top-up fees was one of the main reasons why people called its helpline.

"Too many people are paying [them] through necessity rather than choice."

Ray James, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said there were "probably colleagues in local authorities feeling between a rock and a hard place" as more people were needing care in the face of funding cuts.

"Even where that is the case, we should always make sure that individuals and their families are clear about the information that they need," he said.

Friday 3 April 2015

Care system gets 'biggest shake-up in 60 years'

England are being introduced in what is being dubbed the biggest shake-up for 60 years.

The Care Act 2014 includes rights for those receiving care and those who provide it to their loved ones.

It includes standards for access to services from care homes to help in the home for tasks such as washing and dressing.

Meanwhile, NHS and care budgets are being merged in Scotland.

The Public Bodies (Joint Working) Act has been described as the most substantial reform north of the border for a generation.

It effectively forces councils and the NHS to work together to provide more streamlined services.

That aim is also a major topic of debate in England in the election campaign with the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, UKIP and Greens all having plans for greater integration.

Policy guide: Health and care

This issue includes NHS funding, GP access and social care, particularly of older people.

But the changes coming into force in England on Wednesday apply only to the care system for older people and younger adults with disabilities.

Four major changes are being introduced:

The creation of national eligibility criteria establishing for the first time when someone should be entitled to help - to date, it has been up to councils to set their own criteria
A duty on councils to offer schemes by which those who need to pay for residential care can get a loan from their local council, which is then paid back from their estate after death
Giving carers for the first time the same right to assessment and support as the people they care for; before, they had to provide "substantial care on a regular basis" to get an assessment
Those who pay for care themselves will be entitled to go to councils to get advice and information about the care system.

To help protect people's assets, a cap on care costs they have to pay for - set at £72,000 for the over-65s - will kick in from April next year. How the cap works for younger people has still to be finalised.

Today's changes, however, still mark a major milestone in care services, which experts say have hardly changed since the current system was created along with the NHS after the Second World War.

BBC Cost of Care project

The BBC has launched an online guide to the care system for the over-65s. The "care calculator" covers residential care and the support provided in people's own homes, for tasks such as washing and dressing.

Users can submit their postcode and find out how much each service costs where they live in the UK.

There is also a dedicated BBC Cost of Care website, with news stories, analysis and video.

David Pearson, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, said the changes were "probably the most significant development" since 1948.

But he said there were still issues to resolve on the underfunding of the system. Unlike the NHS, the care system budget has been cut in real terms this Parliament.

Izzi Seccombe, leader of Warwickshire council, who chairs the Local Government Association's Wellbeing Board, agreed with both points.

"Councils simply cannot afford any more financial burdens when social care services are already chronically underfunded," she said.

Janet Morrison, of the charity Independent Age, said the Care Act had the "potential to revolutionise" services.

But she said: "With a rapidly ageing population, we need an honest debate during and after the election about the true costs of care."

Friday 14 June 2013

multiple failings in the home care

CCTV footage reveals domestic care neglect

By Michael BuchananBBC News

Muriel's grandson says he feel guilty for employing the company

The BBC has obtained footage showing multiple failings in the home care provided by a company to one woman - as ministers warn the next abuse scandal may come in the sector.

The videos, recorded by the family of Muriel Price, 83, show carers failing to turn up for visits or turning up late, causing Mrs Price great distress.

The company involved say they were never informed the family had concerns.

They say the care of patients is of paramount importance to them.

Care minister Norman Lamb is hosting a summit with domiciliary care providers and carers on Thursday in an attempt to improve standards within the industry.

Mrs Price's grandson installed two CCTV cameras in her house in Blackpool, Lancashire, to monitor her movements and to provide help should she fall when she was home alone.

'Absolutely disgusting'

Instead they recorded carers failing to turn up when they should and behaving inappropriately on occasions.

One scene shows Mrs Price in great distress prior to her carer arriving. The grandmother, who is incontinent, had been in bed for 13 hours as her carer was nearly one hour late. She had tried and failed to contact her care company, carers, family and neighbours for help.

"Disgusting this is, absolutely disgusting," she is heard to cry out. "It's not good enough, I can't put up with it much longer."

One piece of video shows Mrs Price becoming increasingly distressed as she waits for her carer to arrive

She then quietly sobs before crying out for Les, her husband of 63 years. He was her primary carer prior to his death.

"I'll be here till 12 o'clock until the next one comes along, I bet. It's always the same."

Eventually a carer does appear, 55 minutes late.

“Start Quote

Mosaic go above and beyond their legal requirements when employing carers to ensure all staff are capable of delivering quality care to their clients. The care of patients is of paramount importance to Mosaic.”

Mosaic Community Care

In the footage seen by the BBC, which covers a period of nearly a month, carers turn up late or not at all on at least 12 occasions. Several other visits are much shorter than the one hour the carers are contracted for.

While some carers were professional, the footage shows examples of others who clearly were not.

The footage shows one carer sticking her fingers in food to check its temperature, another changes incontinence pads in full view of the street.

'No dignity'

And though Mrs Price is an insulin dependent diabetic with special dietary requirements, one carers admits to not being able to cook. "I can't fry an egg. I am really that rubbish at cooking. Why they send me to people at dinner time; it's beyond me," she can be heard saying.

"The way they treat old people is wrong, just wrong," says Mrs Price, looking back on her experience. "You'd be waiting for your tea and you didn't get any tea cause they never turned up, they never bothered. And you'd ring them up and they'd say we'll be sending someone along but they never did."

Her grandson, Darryl Price, who arranged for the care company to look after Mrs Price, looks back with regret.

"To see someone in your family treated with no respect, no dignity, you question yourself and in a way you feel guilty. You're the one who's put that home care company in there, you've trusted this company to look after them."

Another clip captures examples of poor care - including this carer, who was later disciplined by the company, who 'mooned' at the camera

The BBC showed the footage to Norman Lamb ahead of his meeting with domiciliary care providers and carers. He said the current system resulted too often in poor care, low wages and neglect.

"It's just shocking and depressing because this is neglect in your own home," said Mr Lamb in reaction to the videos.

Talking about the wider domiciliary care sector, he went on: "We know this is not an isolated case. There is some very good care, and we should celebrate that, but where poor care exists we should not tolerate it."

He later told BBC News: "In a way you're almost at your most vulnerable when it's behind a closed door, it's you and a care worker and potentially poor things, dreadful things can happen in those circumstances."

He said a number of companies were failing to provide a complete service and all too often councils were taking part in a "race to the bottom", choosing the cheapest bid when awarding contracts.

Norman Lamb: "I want to shine a spotlight on this whole sector"

The company who provided Mrs Price's care is Mosaic Community Care, based in Preston. The family say they repeatedly contacted the company with their concerns and have provided phone records to the BBC which indicate that calls were made.

But in a statement, Mosaic said it was an award-winning care provider.

It went on: "At no time were any issues raised with Mosaic by the family. Any concerns would have been dealt with via the appropriate channels.

"Mosaic go above and beyond their legal requirements when employing carers to ensure all staff are capable of delivering quality care to their clients. The care of patients is of paramount importance to Mosaic."

Referring to the telephone records, it says: "The length of a call does not provide conclusive evidence as to the content of the call."

Muriel Price is now happily living in a care home. "I'm lucky I have a family to look after me," she says. "Those that haven't got a family, God help them, poor devils."

Sunday 5 May 2013

Staff should help residents to eat

06 February 2009 today there is a crisis @ Ivybank care home ,lack of food,and the staff have problems with the
heating and they have not got the keys nor anyone to deal with the problem,i.e. it is very cold today.
John a member of staff @ Ivybank expressed that to me on the phone today, to help he is going to on my
request try and get my mother a take away meal delivered to her she will pay.
I was unable to obtain a reply from 0117 956 7890 begbrook office , however I have spoken to your office and
the lady I spoke to is aware of the above and was setting about dealing with this matter , I myself will
be doing all that is neccesary to help the situation within Ivy bank House.

Living in a Care Home
Food & mealtimes
Food preparation and the rituals of eating are important elements of cultural identity. Involving residents in planning and preparation and helping residents to enjoy their food wherever possible is a sign of a home that takes the concept of holistic care seriously – caring for the whole person rather than a collection of ailments and illnesses.
Food is, of course, essential to physical wellbeing and enabling residents to eat well is an important part of the job of care staff. Residents should have access to three meals a day and drinks and snacks in between. Thought should be given to the timing of meals with care taken to avoid big gaps particularly between supper and breakfast. If the evening meal is quite early then what is offered for supper would have to be quite substantial to take the resident comfortably through to breakfast. And it is important that residents are offered snacks and drinks. Staff should not rely on residents to ask as shyness, confusion or not wanting to bother staff may leave residents hungry or thirsty.
A helping hand
Staff should help residents to eat. They should not feed residents. The difference may be difficult to judge but it is an important one. Sitting next to the resident, maintaining eye contact, talking to the resident and going at their pace are all indications that the carer is helping rather than feeding. Carers should never be helping more than one resident at a time. Nor should they be talking to a co-worker or watching TV while they are doing it.
Going alone
After perhaps years of living alone or with a partner, getting used to communal eating may be difficult. It is common for residents to withdraw to their rooms and take all their meals there. Staff may try to
persuade your relative to join their fellow residents in the dining room. Although it is good to encourage residents out of their isolation, and try to address any reasons why residents may be reluctant to eat with others, ultimately the wishes of the resident must be respected. Residents must not be forced or coerced into changing their behaviour.
Private space
Eating with other people may become something of an endurance test and source of anxiety that could lead some people to withdraw from being with others as the only way of maintaining their dignity. When residents exercise their choice to stay in their room, for meals they have previously taken in the dining room with other residents, it may be worth thinking about what has caused this. It may have been an embarrassing episode – difficulty in eating, a row with another resident or member of staff, or failure to get to the toilet in time – that has caused a change in behaviour.
Remember
• A resident’s likes and dislikes should be recorded in their care plan and reviewed regularly.
• Food should be attractive, even if is liquidised.
• Discuss any problems your relative is having with eating with their key worker, the cook or the home manager
• If food is prepared or served in an unusual way ask why such steps are necessary and how the decision was reached.
• When helping a resident to eat, staff should sit, maintain eye contact and go at the resident’s pace.
• Drink should never be withheld from a resident in response to incontinence. It is likely to make matters worse.
At the care meeting nobody except Michelle Totanes spoke about mothers food and the filth she has been served, she is vegetarian, when I stated this at the meeting
Michelle Totanes stated that my mother was not a vegetarian , why,?First incident with michelle I received call

Sunday 18 November 2012

Fears over health and loneliness of elderly this winter

Pensioners could suffer alone this winter

People are being asked to call in on their elderly neighbours this winter amid fears pensioners will suffer worse than ever.

Age UK estimates that as many as 25,000 older people could die needlessly because of the cold.

It says the drop in temperature could see an increase in health problems for older people and risk leaving them isolated in their own homes.

The charity surveyed more than 1,000 adults aged over 65 across the UK.

The responses suggest that 3.5 million people in this age group in the UK are not getting any help or support from their neighbours.

Some 7% of them do not know their neighbours at all, the survey found.

Age UK's research also found that 35% were concerned about keeping warm at home during the winter.

Health risks

The over-65s contacted were concerned about not getting out during the shorter days and worried about falling over on slippery pavements and injuring themselves.

“Start Quote

The winter can cause misery, avoidable illness and even death for too many older people”

Michelle MitchellAge UK

More than 21% said they were worried about being stranded at home.

Previous research shows that cold weather can increase the risk of health problems in older people, including heart attacks and strokes, respiratory problems, pneumonia and depression.

Feeling isolated and lonely is also known to have an impact on physical and mental health.

Michelle Mitchell, charity director general of Age UK, said winter was a difficult time.

"The winter can cause misery, avoidable illness and even death for too many older people.

"We're hoping to inspire everyone to act now to do their bit to lessen the impact of winter for older people this year.

"There is something simple that everyone can do from popping in to check on an older neighbour to making time for older relatives."

mengele plus

Friday 25 September 2015

Families often charged too much for care, ombudsman says 24 September 2015

Friday 3 April 2015

Care system gets 'biggest shake-up in 60 years'