ChatterBank7 mins ago
Another Care Home Where Elderly Residents Are Abused
Found this in the Guardian today :::
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Yet again, we have to rely on whistle blowers to expose this appalling cruelty. If my old Mum or Dad was in a place like this, I'm not sure if I could be answerable for my actions. The Care Quality Commission just can't be doing its job properly...again.
http://
Yet again, we have to rely on whistle blowers to expose this appalling cruelty. If my old Mum or Dad was in a place like this, I'm not sure if I could be answerable for my actions. The Care Quality Commission just can't be doing its job properly...again.
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It's a difficult one, but if you pay peanuts then I'm afraid you wont always get the best and care workers are paid minimum wage or very little above it.
Just as a contrast: One of my daughters works in a care home for dementia patients, she is constantly attacked (punched/bitten) by the residents and all for little more than minimum wage. This is not uncommon, but you never see that side of it reported do you?
Just as a contrast: One of my daughters works in a care home for dementia patients, she is constantly attacked (punched/bitten) by the residents and all for little more than minimum wage. This is not uncommon, but you never see that side of it reported do you?
I think YMB has a point; Most care workers are on minimum wage, although that does not excuse examples of cruelty and lack of empathy on display here and in the other cases.Nor does the size of the salary determine the level of empathy and desire to care and help people that an individual will have.
Whether the job desensitises those carers, who cease to see the patients as humans and individuals is a moot point.How you might go about stopping that, I have no idea, if that is indeed what happens.
And again, referring to YMBs post; Surely the point is that these cases make the news because it is a betrayal of the duty of care, a betrayal of basic human sympathy that is in question, and that all of us may well be touched by such things; That a dementia patient might bite or kick their carer is not news simply because they are not in a position of responsibility, they are not expected to care for others, and if they have dementia, they cannot be held responsible for their actions, although obviously it must be immensely trying to the carers themselves.
Whether the job desensitises those carers, who cease to see the patients as humans and individuals is a moot point.How you might go about stopping that, I have no idea, if that is indeed what happens.
And again, referring to YMBs post; Surely the point is that these cases make the news because it is a betrayal of the duty of care, a betrayal of basic human sympathy that is in question, and that all of us may well be touched by such things; That a dementia patient might bite or kick their carer is not news simply because they are not in a position of responsibility, they are not expected to care for others, and if they have dementia, they cannot be held responsible for their actions, although obviously it must be immensely trying to the carers themselves.
It's nothing to do with minimum wage. You're either a decent person, or you're not. In fact, the official defence of lower wages, is that they want people who genuinely enjoy the job, not those who want to just make lots of money. Which does make sense in a way.(Minimum care wage around here is £8/hr to start). I very much doubt the staff behave this way when the home is being inspected -announced, or otherwise, everyone hears.
The biggest problem we had, was that it us nearly impossible to get rid of staff that aren't working out (not necessarily abusive, but you can tell what their attitudes are). It takes months of meetings, records, training courses, warnings, etc before you can do anything.
The biggest problem we had, was that it us nearly impossible to get rid of staff that aren't working out (not necessarily abusive, but you can tell what their attitudes are). It takes months of meetings, records, training courses, warnings, etc before you can do anything.
I think that a large part of the problem is the money that society is willing to put into care - this results in the lowest possible wages, which can then result in recruitment of anyone willing to work for that rather than someone who shows the ideal empathy, patience, understanding, etc. This also means that often managers are not as effective and as professional as they could and should be, meaning that issues and individuals go unchallenged - this also means that staff members are not always trained, supported and protected to a sufficient level.
I actually very much agree with YMB's point and actually seeing some of the abuse that people I know who work in care go through it is maybe surprising that more people do not snap - not saying that to defend anyone and it does not sound like in this case that anyone has snapped but more it was 'entertainment" for a warped group of people.
Also the needs of people in care seem to be rising while the time funded to meet those needs is decreasing so people are less seen as individual peoples and more as a task to be completed in a very limited time.
And care is not respected as a profession - I don't get the feeling that it is something that people aspire to do, but more do as a last option which again can impact on someone's pride and motivation in doing a good job.
And the CQC is largely seen as being discredited and without teeth.
However how we pay for the standards of care and standards of staff delivering that care with the aging population and other financial restrictions I don't know.
I actually very much agree with YMB's point and actually seeing some of the abuse that people I know who work in care go through it is maybe surprising that more people do not snap - not saying that to defend anyone and it does not sound like in this case that anyone has snapped but more it was 'entertainment" for a warped group of people.
Also the needs of people in care seem to be rising while the time funded to meet those needs is decreasing so people are less seen as individual peoples and more as a task to be completed in a very limited time.
And care is not respected as a profession - I don't get the feeling that it is something that people aspire to do, but more do as a last option which again can impact on someone's pride and motivation in doing a good job.
And the CQC is largely seen as being discredited and without teeth.
However how we pay for the standards of care and standards of staff delivering that care with the aging population and other financial restrictions I don't know.
I am trying, unsuccessfully, to see how giving people a 50p or £1 rise in their hourly rate would stop certain people from torturing old, defenceless residents. These care workers behaved like animals and if we paid them any more, then they would just be better paid animals.
I have every sympathy with the difficult jobs that carers have, especially in dealing with patients who have mental health problems, But I fail to see how cretins such as these so-called care workers were first employed.
But there is another, more important point. If it wasn't for some decent members of staff at this place, one of them a cleaner, who reported the criminal incidents, the abuse would still be going on now, because the checks and balances in the system clearly didn't work. They didn't work in Winterbourne View and they aren't working now.
How many other places are there in Britain, where people are still having bean bags thrown at them, being tipped deliberately out of wheelchairs and having their hands stamped on ? What if would-be whistle blowers are too scared to complain, for fear of reprisals and perhaps losing their jobs ?
I have every sympathy with the difficult jobs that carers have, especially in dealing with patients who have mental health problems, But I fail to see how cretins such as these so-called care workers were first employed.
But there is another, more important point. If it wasn't for some decent members of staff at this place, one of them a cleaner, who reported the criminal incidents, the abuse would still be going on now, because the checks and balances in the system clearly didn't work. They didn't work in Winterbourne View and they aren't working now.
How many other places are there in Britain, where people are still having bean bags thrown at them, being tipped deliberately out of wheelchairs and having their hands stamped on ? What if would-be whistle blowers are too scared to complain, for fear of reprisals and perhaps losing their jobs ?
I don't think it is that paying people more would change people's attitude but more that it would attract people with the right attitude in the first place and help transform care into a respected job that people aspire to, rather than a job of last resort which is often the case now.
It would also mean that managers get paid more so they could manage services better, set higher standards, recruit the right people rather than just any people, etc.
It would also mean that managers get paid more so they could manage services better, set higher standards, recruit the right people rather than just any people, etc.
Just over 12 months ago I left a care home after fighting the management and the directors for 5 years over abuse issues, I reported the home to CQC 3 times and very little was done, I had one manager sacked, 2 deputy managers sacked and a few carers. When CQC turn up to do an inspection nearly all employees and carers will remain loyal to their manager and CQC will uncover very little.
A lot of this abuse does in fact stem from minimum wage. Very few people will work for minimum wage and those that do generally see care as "wiping old ladies bums" and is right at the bottom of the jobs they want to do but eventually they have little option so they take these jobs, it is usually a job they hate and will never enjoy. They then have to do many courses and often these courses are to be done in their own time and don't get paid for them and really resent the job. In the end I achieved very little for all my whistle blowing, sacked staff were just replaced with more staff that really just wanted a wage at the end of the month and didn't care about anybody but themselves and earning enough beer money for a Friday night out and they would then call in sick on a Saturday due to hangovers.
I stress that not all carers are like this, I have met some lovely loyal carers that will go the extra mile, unfortunately they are in the minority.
I have spent the last few days going through the CQC reports of all the homes in my area as I miss the work so much I want to get back to looking after the Dementia sufferers again, i will never get it out of my system. I will still carry on developing the farm and the Animal Assisted Therapy unit but this will fit in around it.
A lot of this abuse does in fact stem from minimum wage. Very few people will work for minimum wage and those that do generally see care as "wiping old ladies bums" and is right at the bottom of the jobs they want to do but eventually they have little option so they take these jobs, it is usually a job they hate and will never enjoy. They then have to do many courses and often these courses are to be done in their own time and don't get paid for them and really resent the job. In the end I achieved very little for all my whistle blowing, sacked staff were just replaced with more staff that really just wanted a wage at the end of the month and didn't care about anybody but themselves and earning enough beer money for a Friday night out and they would then call in sick on a Saturday due to hangovers.
I stress that not all carers are like this, I have met some lovely loyal carers that will go the extra mile, unfortunately they are in the minority.
I have spent the last few days going through the CQC reports of all the homes in my area as I miss the work so much I want to get back to looking after the Dementia sufferers again, i will never get it out of my system. I will still carry on developing the farm and the Animal Assisted Therapy unit but this will fit in around it.
Oilhead "It would also mean that managers get paid more so they could manage services better, set higher standards, recruit the right people rather than just any people, etc. "
Managers are quite well paid generally, the problem lies with the owners of the care home usually by keeping these homes on such a tight budget. The problem with recruiting the right people is: hardly anybody applies for these jobs in the firs place and most of the people that do apply are just not suitable but they are employed anyway as staffing levels have to be maintained or the home will be closed down. The option many homes are now taking is to employ foreign staff and I must say the foreign staff are far better they are keen on time and reliable and in general kind to residents.
Managers are quite well paid generally, the problem lies with the owners of the care home usually by keeping these homes on such a tight budget. The problem with recruiting the right people is: hardly anybody applies for these jobs in the firs place and most of the people that do apply are just not suitable but they are employed anyway as staffing levels have to be maintained or the home will be closed down. The option many homes are now taking is to employ foreign staff and I must say the foreign staff are far better they are keen on time and reliable and in general kind to residents.
Mikey, "It would seem to me the CQC hold a large part of the blame here."
In many respects yes, the problem being that the CQC inspectors don't get the full picture and they never will, the the residents don't know their right and will often not know their treatment is abusive, even if residents are aware of these issues they wont tell in case of reprisals from staff or being thrown out of the home, this also applies to visiting families. CQC really have very little idea of what goes on, most of the staff wont tell them anything. It really is an impossible situation from what I have seen.
In many respects yes, the problem being that the CQC inspectors don't get the full picture and they never will, the the residents don't know their right and will often not know their treatment is abusive, even if residents are aware of these issues they wont tell in case of reprisals from staff or being thrown out of the home, this also applies to visiting families. CQC really have very little idea of what goes on, most of the staff wont tell them anything. It really is an impossible situation from what I have seen.
being low wage probably doesn't help but this proffession does seem to attract a steady supply of sadistic bully types. Perhaps it's no worse than other professions but they have more opportunutity to inflict misery and thus boost their own self esteem. I know they are the miniority because Mrs Tora actually does recruitment and supply of contract staff in this area and I know that they are primarily hard working caring people. They must be horrified at the dregs that seem to infiltrate the profession grabbing unwelcome headlines.
I agree that CQC don't ever really find out anything. But in my experience, the vast majority of carers (from whichever country) are very good and treat residents as if they are their favourite relative. The bad ones are the minority. You can tell who they are very quickly, but it's nearly impossible to sack them.
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