Diane Mayhew, Rights For Residents Campaign Manager, Care Rights UK
What does good care look like? Fundamentally it is a care system where everyone’s needs are met and their rights protected. Right now this is far from reality, and with social care facing a national crisis, public perception is at an all time low.
Providers must ensure that those who draw on services and their families have a voice and remain at the centre of their loved one’s care. Residents should be supported to be in control of their care plan, something we experienced little of during the pandemic.
In lockdown, my mother-in-law Jean, who had advanced dementia and lived in a care home, was denied the right to see even one close family member. The absence of family visits led to many safeguarding issues. When we were told that Jean had suddenly become delirious, we knew something was very wrong and suspected a UTI or worse. We asked for a community nurse to be called out, and it transpired that she hadn’t been given her diabetic medication! At the time, we were denied the right to care for her, yet staff were clearly not in control of her care plan. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident and these kinds of experiences have left people frightened to place a loved one in a care home.
If Jean would have had a legal right to a Care Supporter – a close family member or friend, someone who knew her best, they would have picked up on this, and raised the alarm immediately, preventing further distress. That’s why we’re calling for Gloria’s Law – a legal right for every one of us to have a Care Supporter when we need them most. This is not an optional extra, it’s essential.
We must see a drastic change in social care if we are to shift public perception. Care providers, staff, residents and families must work together to start rebuilding confidence. From CEOs, to managers, care staff and relatives, we all have a part to play in creating a healthy, sustainable and enriching environment in which residents live, families are welcomed and staff feel valued.
In order to bring staff, residents and their families together, providers could arrange social events in the home, encourage relatives and resident’s meetings and ask for volunteers to help with activities and fundraising. Creating a sense of belonging and community benefits everyone.
Pre pandemic, my partner and I volunteered to deliver activities in my mother-in-law’s home. It brought everyone together. We went from nodding to relatives as we passed in the corridor, to getting them fully involved in organising activities, fundraising and participating in social events. Family members and friends held craft sessions, organised entertainers and held music and movie days, while others secured and donated prizes and came along to support. They told us they found it rewarding and that it had improved their visiting experience.
Residents were stimulated and happy and it eased pressure on staff, as residents were together in a communal area, freeing them up to care for those who preferred to stay in their rooms. The manager was delighted and even started a ‘Come Dine With Me’ evening once a month when we all got together with the residents to enjoy each other’s company. Providers could tap into this help if they chose to.
CEOs also have a responsibility, and many have never even met the staff who work for them, never mind residents and their families. If they paid a visit to their homes, they would have a better understanding of the challenges faced by those receiving care and hard pressed staff who have to deliver it. Communicating and valuing one other is at the heart of good care. It’s time to make a start.
