Social services

[Zen]

Read this,then lets have your comments about Social services.Do you think they are right ?

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2201 162,00.html

[kipchik]

Yeah,yeah,yeah,overworked,understaffed,blah,blah,i cant find a good thing to say about them looking back over the c*ck-ups up till now,lets wait for the inevitable 'enquiry' when this blows up in their faces yet again!

[Big Al1st]

I find it sad and typical of the way the country is going. Compassion is becoming a thing of the past, as is common sense.

I am afraid my perception of Social Services is rather low although I should imagine that there are some good workers out there.

[jake-the-peg]

Dunno - rather depends on whether he's able to care for an 88 year old woman with dimentia.

He thinks he can but he's just done it once a week for the last 4 weeks and that's just not the same thing.

It's absolutely heartbreaking but circumstances like this do arise when a husband or wife can no longer care for their spouse.

This seems to be the original local paper story that the times latched onto

http://www.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/display.var.774419.0.war_veteran_rescues_wife_from_nursing_home.php

[noxlumos]

It's sickening. I'm genuinely heartsore for this couple and no social services are not right, they are behaving like disgusting bullies.It doesn't take a genius to work out where most people would rather spend their last days and if Social Services have the money to go to court and to pay for full time care for this lady in a home then they have the money to provide support for her husband if he needs a hand caring for her at home.Absolute heartless morons.

[Coobeastie]

Sadly it takes a lot more money to provide home care for people than providing that care in one place.

It is a terrible thing that they have been seperated but I don't think the social services are entirely to blame or moronic in this.

Could you imagine the head lines if she dies shortly after due to the fact that he's not able to care for her properly.

[flashpig]

yes, i think they are right.

i feel sorry for the guy.

i feel sorry for social services and the doctors assessing her too. it couldn't have been an easy decision for them, but it is probably the right one. letting him take her home would be compassionate towards him - he obviously misses her very much - but not necessarily towards the wife, and she's the one they are looking after.

whether she would rather be with him or not, it doesn't reflect the care he could provide for an 88 year old with dementia. he has handled weekly home visits, but (and none of us know how ill she is) could he look after her day and night for however many years, to the standard she would require and the standard she would recieve in a home?

none of us know, but if not then the social services have made a common sense, compassionate, non-moronic, stand-up-to-an-enquiry decision.

[Big Al1st]

I think the difficult thing for me to get my head around is this:-

Given Social Services track record, are they right in what they are doing and if they are could they not approach the problem differently?

Also, looking at the way some of these homes are run then maybe the lady is better off at home.

The problem with social services nowadays is not so much what they do and dont do, it is the way that they do it, or dont do it :Probably because they are over stretched they seem to lack compassion and everything has to be done by rules. Problem is people are not black or white but many shades of grey, and no amount of rules can cater for that.

It would be far better for the husband to look after his wife at home with support from Social Services.

[Oneeyedvic]

This is very similar to an argument about euthanasia.

Essentially, Social Services want (not unreasonably and probably lawfully) to prolong her life for as long as possible. The best way for them to do that is by putting her into a home.

Her husband (who although I assume he loves her, may be too emotionally involved to make rational decisions) thinks that she would be best at home - and although she may have a shorter life, it would be more enjoyable.

On the basis that this has gone to court, a judge has heard both sides and found in Social services favour. If there is anyone to blame, I 'm afraid it would be the judge and not social services.

[Grunty]

My mother is suffering from dementia and is being cared for at home by my sister, who is a professional in that field. She is finding it extremely difficult, and we have had to regretfully discuss the possibility of putting our mother into proffessional residential care, where the staff will have the appropriate facilities and 24 hour backup.

As my sister is finding it so difficult, I wonder how effective an 80 year old man would be. He may live into his nineties, or he may die suddenly at any time, leaving his wife alone in the house. Even if he is fit now, the point will be reached when custody may have to be transferred. Imagine the difficulty of taking a 93 year old woman away from an 85 year old man.

It is undeniable that errors have been made by social workers, but I feel that, like other agancies, they are judged by the actions of a minority. They get little praise when things go well, but are often criticised by people who only have certain newspapers to rely on for their opinions.

[JustSia]

Sounds like an alternative ending to the Notebook.

I wonder how much effort it would have taken to assess the care this lady would get at home and perhaps provide home help. It seems as always SS are unwilling to negotiate and are much too eager to jump the gun.

S.

[kazza12345]

it is by neccessity a very one sided story. Social services cannot comment on individual cases. Why did the woman have a guardianship order anyway? Thats not very usual at all. Perhaps her health was being harmed at home? perhaps their home is filthy, with excrement on the floor and carpets with rats running round? As a vulnerable adult, it would be the duty of social services to get someone with dementia away from that, or an abusive situation. I think there is more to that story than what we can see

[rockyracoon]

In this day and age care should be provided for both in the care home so that they can spend the rest of their days together. Imagine being with someone for 60-70 years then to suddenly be told to say bye bye. There should be a compromise in these circumstances.

[kazza12345]

lol what if he dosent need a care home though?