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Why are care assistants and nurses always blamed for poor care in residential care homes, when most of the time the bad care is delivered because the owners of these private homes do not provide enough staff, equipment and resources to enable the best care possible? After all how many care assistants do you see driving around in posh cars and taking four foreign holidays a year? Not many at all, of that I can assure you!
These residential homes are often severely short staffed putting extra pressure on the people who work there, this in turn impacts on the lives of the clients. The care assistants who work under these conditions all pull together as a team, often working long hours through unpaid breaks and double shifts etc. This results in high sickness levels, but most care home owners refuse to sanction the use of agency staff because it costs too much!
Clients are often not placed in the best environment to care for them because of funding issues. For instance when a client deteriorates and requires more care from a specific skill set (i.e. nursing care or dementia care), it takes weeks or months to set the wheels in motion to assess and obtain funding. Meanwhile, the client concerned isn't getting the care they need and deserve. When the needs of the clients aren't met because of these issues, the staff on the front line usually have to shoulder the responsibility and at a time when they are only doing the best they can in a very difficult situation.
Care should not be a profitable business and I think that owners and managers should not be allowed to take uncapped profits from the business whilst clients are getting poor quality food, little or no social activity, poor decoration of their homes and care assistants and nurses that are so busy that all they seem to say is "I will, in a minute when I can" when a resident asks for something.
Our elders deserve to be cared for properly by correctly trained staff, in a nice environment, with good food, entertainment and adequate equipment to meet their needs. Today I witnessed a carer hit about the face, her lip split, hair pulled, kicked and punched because she was trying to assist a client who had soiled themselves and was too confused to realise the carer was trying to help. The carer reported it to the manager who replied "All part of the job love" and walked away. That carer had a salary barely meeting minimum wage whilst the manager was on at least 30 grand a year. The carer also did not have training required to deal with that kind of behaviour and the incident left both parties very upset with no back up or support.
The whole system is poor and it needs a complete overhaul. With rates for care ranging from 300 per week to nearly 900 a week, why isn't someone looking out for the people who pay for care and ensuring that the majority of the money goes to the right place. That money should be used to provide good food, the right training for staff to deal with different needs, a level of staffing where clients can be treated individually as they are supposed to be and the equipment to meet their needs properly. Instead, we have to make do and mend whilst the money goes into the pockets of business men who are only in it to make a quick profit.
Oh yes, there are regulating bodies but how much can they actually see with only two visits a year - one of which is planned?
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I worked in three care homes during the last 7 years, one was posh, other two like poor siblings. In all three the staff were treated similarly, poor pay, staff shortages, pressurised to work lots of over time. A situation was same even in the expensive care home. From outside everything seemed grand, posh, but after working there couple of months you can see the short comings, the corner cuttings... And don't start me asking about the other two..... In one of them most of the clients had scabies, I caught it as well like many my colleagues. And a management response? We carers brought it into the home, so we are responsible for it. The CQC had to be called to do something with the scabies outbreak because a management didn't do anything about it. It was couple of years ago and still the same management works there. That time I was so fed up I just went away. This experience totally took away my mood to work in the care sector. And no need to say these care homes are in private hand.
26/08/14 martika
0
Reading all the above comments, its as if I'm working in the same building, I work in a nursing home and work 12 hour shifts, we have 28 beds and high dependency residents but the area manager visits and tries to find a fault, she never goes to any of the rooms or asks us if there's any problems, all we here after she's sat in the office with the door closed all day is what we need to change with paperwork and is quite nasty, these people have no idea what really happens on a full shift and CQC are as bad, we worked with 4 in the afternoon yesterday and one man threw himself on the floor, another lady tried to stand and fell, we really are on the go all day from 8 till 8, I had my lunch at 4pm, I wish they would stop counting numbers and go on the high dependency these people have, we have a few beds empty at the moment and it's no easier, we finished pad changes and turns at 7.30, i wish some one would listen to the carers who make them there millions and show us a little appreciation ans also speak and treat us with some respect and not like something on the bottom of their shoe.
25/08/14 Anon
0
I refused to work again short staff, the result of my suspension. The following letter, which explain clearly the reasons for leaving the workplaces.
I hope that what I have to say may be of interest to you and others as well. And I hope you will read this letter the man who will treat these words very seriously.
I really lke my job and contact with residents. Even though the work is very difficult, responsible and tiring not only the mind but also the body. I'm a good carer which may confirm colleagues and residents and their families.
I suppose based on my observation that the purpose of the nursing homes, HC-One enshrines the financial benefits, the second compliance of the existing and required regulations and policies of the legal conduct of nursing homes as required by applicable law, no other purposes.
I want to note the leadership of ......, that your desire to enrich themselves leading nursing homes, do not have to right to exist, if not for your nursing home workers: carers, kitchen staff, domestic, laundry staff, etc..
You could take care homes to thousands of old, the sick and infirm people, but without us, without our work, you do not exist, your position, your ideas and the whole company.
Writing directly what I think, I have in mind the wider aspect, namely the system of care assistant jobs and conditions of our work. In the place where I work, most do not have secured the safe operation because of the small number of staff. There is no person responsible for covering gaps in personnel, which for lack of a full staff would be responsible. Even the staff that is specified is too small to meet the needs that each caregiver could properly and responsibly perform their duties well. On the floor where I work now is 25 people. On average, for each we have 4 minutes to prepare for the day. Every resident needs time to help him get out of bed, wash it, change pad, dress, comb your hair, shave, clean room, remove dirty laundry, list the required chart and transported to the dining room. For all these tasks, starting work at 7:30 to make breakfast might have started after 9.00 am we have only 60 to 105 minutes.
We are not able to complete all requirements because time does not allow, and kitchen staff also can not wait, because the next task after us.
This requires from us a perfect job, but the company does not provide employees comfort. I think this is due to savings in the employment of staff, the savings are at the expense of our health, welfare and even recreation. Sense of the limits of the use of physical and mental capabilities of man.
I notice that many caregivers of different reasons, afraid to openly talk about it, but I am such a person does not belong. I think that if the company and the manager requires me responsible work, conscientiousness and perform tasks in accordance with the procedure, I have the right to require the employer to respect my time, my effort and commitment, my health and welfare. And to provide working conditions that I may carry out their duties, as requested.
On 28/06/14 I started work at 7.30. As was usually short staff, because one of the carer was on the rota but she is on annual leave. I asked the nurse to send from the ground floor to the top one carer . Because on the ground for a long time is 5 empty rooms and 4-5 carers. That day there were 3 in the morning because one carer was to be later, and when he comes will be sent to the top, as promised nurse. I went back to my duties. On the first floor two carers were working together, I was alone on the other side.
Then late carer saw that belated carer came to work before 9:00 but he came to top at 9.23 when they were all residents prepared and transported to the dining room.
My physical and mental exhaustion reached its zenith after the bustle from room to room inhabitants, from buzzer to buzzer that finally decided to leave the job and return home.
I could give a reason, for example, a bad mood or foot pain after surgery, because just hit in the foot by hoists using it in a small bedroom. I gave the real reason to express discontent and rebellion in the illegal use of human resources. It can not be that the cost, effort, and then running down the back is the excessive use of carers, explaining the specificity of work and responsibility. I am a responsible person, motivated and giving more than I receive in return. The robot in this type of work, where patience, care, warm words, the heart, a smile, a hug, a touch can not give, so the robot has no place here. Carers company is treated as objects, like robots without creating normal conditions and comfort, with the staff as is necessary.
I can not agree on the exploitation of man and it is time for someone to hear the complaint, not only mine but also other carers.
For low wages is demanded of us responsibility and conscientiousness. My colleagues are familiar with my mind, I'm talking about it directly, for a long time.
On 25.06 was a similar situation. One carer went from a resident to the hospital, were three of us. Currently, the floor is very difficult, in contrast to the ground, I do not understand why on the ground working carers 4-5, with 5 empty rooms, and the top is 4, although by me and other carers should be 5 of us, for a long time.
Let me justify why I believe that we should be 5 or even 6 carers at the present time.
1 / At 3-4 carers, we are not able (due to running time and only two hands with one carer) to fulfill our responsibilities in the preparation of the morning every inhabitant. This should be a job but it chord and sprint.
2 / Every resident needs from time to time contact with the carer in conversation, the holding by the hand, listening to his stories or casual conversation. When we have such contacts time, never complains no resident "let someone come to me, I do not want to be alone" or "Become a minute, sit down please" or "do you have paid to talk to me? "" You're probably busy, do not have time to be with me a while ? „
I do not want this for my mother, or father, home care is not only charts, care plans, changing diapers, dirty clothes, feeding, watering, etc.
There is a garden which even for 10 minutes no one can go out with anyone because carers do not have the time.
3 / Feeding inhabitants, one caregiver per capita as in the courses we teach. Currently in the dining room is 2 carers for 2-3 residents and sometimes four people. When the staff is short, only one carer. With a short staff, in the dining room only one carer who, under his supervision has 5-8 people, of which 3 must be fed but also help other feeding. This results in a risk of choking or poor feeding and drinks. I had such an experience 25/06/14
4 / Possibility time, for current residents cleaned the room and be sure made charts.
5 / Organization in the lounge of activity during the serving of tea, because there is more carers to give tea to help, enjoy the surroundings nice and warm words, smile. Time for companionship for residents. Instead of pushing the hands and drink only help those who have in no way can themselves watered. This is because time is running out we need to change the position of the other residents, check the pad, the other lead or a wheelchair to the toilet before dinner. Care plans , charts, shower etc. Running, running and running.
6 / Together with lazy carer (who says he gave Shower resident and consequently dampened with water head so you can see that the resident is after a shower and change clothes only at night) to give the shower a resident.
7 / With 12 hour shifts, physical and mental fatigue is not as onerous as those obligations are spread over a larger number of carers.
The absolute nature of the nursing home work is unique. Carer must be a responsible employee. Manager is also an employee and the responsibility is on both sides. Each employee is responsible for duties.
Motives are many more.
Care assistant is not an easy job, and every young person who knows the system, roles and responsibilities, very quickly gives up this type of work, where is the over-exploitation for low wages. How many young person have gone? what the state is providing?
I'm not afraid to talk about it openly. My sons, I was taught respect for others, empathy, but above all their dignity and self-respect. If there is no love in the heart, you can not give to others, if there is no respect there is nothing to prove to others. What is not in a man can give and be outside. It would be a shame , before the children that I am like a sheep, , ready to be silent for the money, job retention and ignoring the dignity of man. I wanted to say this and I said.
Kind Regards
01/07/14 suspended*
I hope that what I have to say may be of interest to you and others as well. And I hope you will read this letter the man who will treat these words very seriously.
I really lke my job and contact with residents. Even though the work is very difficult, responsible and tiring not only the mind but also the body. I'm a good carer which may confirm colleagues and residents and their families.
I suppose based on my observation that the purpose of the nursing homes, HC-One enshrines the financial benefits, the second compliance of the existing and required regulations and policies of the legal conduct of nursing homes as required by applicable law, no other purposes.
I want to note the leadership of ......, that your desire to enrich themselves leading nursing homes, do not have to right to exist, if not for your nursing home workers: carers, kitchen staff, domestic, laundry staff, etc..
You could take care homes to thousands of old, the sick and infirm people, but without us, without our work, you do not exist, your position, your ideas and the whole company.
Writing directly what I think, I have in mind the wider aspect, namely the system of care assistant jobs and conditions of our work. In the place where I work, most do not have secured the safe operation because of the small number of staff. There is no person responsible for covering gaps in personnel, which for lack of a full staff would be responsible. Even the staff that is specified is too small to meet the needs that each caregiver could properly and responsibly perform their duties well. On the floor where I work now is 25 people. On average, for each we have 4 minutes to prepare for the day. Every resident needs time to help him get out of bed, wash it, change pad, dress, comb your hair, shave, clean room, remove dirty laundry, list the required chart and transported to the dining room. For all these tasks, starting work at 7:30 to make breakfast might have started after 9.00 am we have only 60 to 105 minutes.
We are not able to complete all requirements because time does not allow, and kitchen staff also can not wait, because the next task after us.
This requires from us a perfect job, but the company does not provide employees comfort. I think this is due to savings in the employment of staff, the savings are at the expense of our health, welfare and even recreation. Sense of the limits of the use of physical and mental capabilities of man.
I notice that many caregivers of different reasons, afraid to openly talk about it, but I am such a person does not belong. I think that if the company and the manager requires me responsible work, conscientiousness and perform tasks in accordance with the procedure, I have the right to require the employer to respect my time, my effort and commitment, my health and welfare. And to provide working conditions that I may carry out their duties, as requested.
On 28/06/14 I started work at 7.30. As was usually short staff, because one of the carer was on the rota but she is on annual leave. I asked the nurse to send from the ground floor to the top one carer . Because on the ground for a long time is 5 empty rooms and 4-5 carers. That day there were 3 in the morning because one carer was to be later, and when he comes will be sent to the top, as promised nurse. I went back to my duties. On the first floor two carers were working together, I was alone on the other side.
Then late carer saw that belated carer came to work before 9:00 but he came to top at 9.23 when they were all residents prepared and transported to the dining room.
My physical and mental exhaustion reached its zenith after the bustle from room to room inhabitants, from buzzer to buzzer that finally decided to leave the job and return home.
I could give a reason, for example, a bad mood or foot pain after surgery, because just hit in the foot by hoists using it in a small bedroom. I gave the real reason to express discontent and rebellion in the illegal use of human resources. It can not be that the cost, effort, and then running down the back is the excessive use of carers, explaining the specificity of work and responsibility. I am a responsible person, motivated and giving more than I receive in return. The robot in this type of work, where patience, care, warm words, the heart, a smile, a hug, a touch can not give, so the robot has no place here. Carers company is treated as objects, like robots without creating normal conditions and comfort, with the staff as is necessary.
I can not agree on the exploitation of man and it is time for someone to hear the complaint, not only mine but also other carers.
For low wages is demanded of us responsibility and conscientiousness. My colleagues are familiar with my mind, I'm talking about it directly, for a long time.
On 25.06 was a similar situation. One carer went from a resident to the hospital, were three of us. Currently, the floor is very difficult, in contrast to the ground, I do not understand why on the ground working carers 4-5, with 5 empty rooms, and the top is 4, although by me and other carers should be 5 of us, for a long time.
Let me justify why I believe that we should be 5 or even 6 carers at the present time.
1 / At 3-4 carers, we are not able (due to running time and only two hands with one carer) to fulfill our responsibilities in the preparation of the morning every inhabitant. This should be a job but it chord and sprint.
2 / Every resident needs from time to time contact with the carer in conversation, the holding by the hand, listening to his stories or casual conversation. When we have such contacts time, never complains no resident "let someone come to me, I do not want to be alone" or "Become a minute, sit down please" or "do you have paid to talk to me? "" You're probably busy, do not have time to be with me a while ? „
I do not want this for my mother, or father, home care is not only charts, care plans, changing diapers, dirty clothes, feeding, watering, etc.
There is a garden which even for 10 minutes no one can go out with anyone because carers do not have the time.
3 / Feeding inhabitants, one caregiver per capita as in the courses we teach. Currently in the dining room is 2 carers for 2-3 residents and sometimes four people. When the staff is short, only one carer. With a short staff, in the dining room only one carer who, under his supervision has 5-8 people, of which 3 must be fed but also help other feeding. This results in a risk of choking or poor feeding and drinks. I had such an experience 25/06/14
4 / Possibility time, for current residents cleaned the room and be sure made charts.
5 / Organization in the lounge of activity during the serving of tea, because there is more carers to give tea to help, enjoy the surroundings nice and warm words, smile. Time for companionship for residents. Instead of pushing the hands and drink only help those who have in no way can themselves watered. This is because time is running out we need to change the position of the other residents, check the pad, the other lead or a wheelchair to the toilet before dinner. Care plans , charts, shower etc. Running, running and running.
6 / Together with lazy carer (who says he gave Shower resident and consequently dampened with water head so you can see that the resident is after a shower and change clothes only at night) to give the shower a resident.
7 / With 12 hour shifts, physical and mental fatigue is not as onerous as those obligations are spread over a larger number of carers.
The absolute nature of the nursing home work is unique. Carer must be a responsible employee. Manager is also an employee and the responsibility is on both sides. Each employee is responsible for duties.
Motives are many more.
Care assistant is not an easy job, and every young person who knows the system, roles and responsibilities, very quickly gives up this type of work, where is the over-exploitation for low wages. How many young person have gone? what the state is providing?
I'm not afraid to talk about it openly. My sons, I was taught respect for others, empathy, but above all their dignity and self-respect. If there is no love in the heart, you can not give to others, if there is no respect there is nothing to prove to others. What is not in a man can give and be outside. It would be a shame , before the children that I am like a sheep, , ready to be silent for the money, job retention and ignoring the dignity of man. I wanted to say this and I said.
Kind Regards
0
why is it that when u buzzer rings at the nursing home i work at, the nurses totally ignore it even if they are not doing anything, i have brought this up at every meeting but the manager says nothing, i dont know how they can do this, we are so tired after a 11 hour shift, some thing needs to be done regarding levels of staff, the care is now poor as we dont have the time, but we are the ones that get into trouble as we are supposed to work miricales. private homes like ours do what they want and no one has a chance, come onmake some laws as to staffing and listen to us, we are the ones doing the work, nurses give out the medication then sit reading a book, even if someone has rang in sick they never say they will help out.
09/01/14 nors
-1
when i read this i thought you must be working at my place of work, it is so true in everything you say. i work in a nursing home, we are down to one hoist of which we have to take up and down stairs as the compant wont replace the broken one, this is because we mange, we allways do, we are a dedicated team and all love our job, but why is it we cant get any respect for what we do, the manager just manages to crack a smile, never a thanks girls, nothing. we jhave four staff to 25 residents who are high dependancy and if we have a problem with one or a concern it knocks us right back and dinner runs late, this is when the manager steps in and tells us that dinner cant be this late, doest matter that someone has just had to be washed again as covered in feaces, and as for the qcc, how do they know what goes on, if you say anything it goes to the manager and your life is hell, in shattered on my day off and have no life outside work, give us more staff and a little respect for what we do, why cant the good care be shown instead of a ll the bad reports you see
09/01/14 nors
0
Suspended, I don't know if you will or will not lose your job. But as a care assistant, you should be in complete control of your emotions when dealing with dementia affected patients. You should also expect these patients to be unpredictable, so, loud verbal retaliation is unforgivable. As a professional you should be above this kind of behavior.
05/10/13 Jethro
8
Hi all I am a care assistant in a residential home specialising in dementia care for nearly 20yrs and i have recently been suspended for alledged abuse '' in that I did speak to a resident with dementia in an innappropiate and derogatary manner'' I had politely asked her to come out of the way so another resident could finnish her drink after having had personal care attended to ''I was told very loudly and extremely agressively to ''SOD OFF'' at this I replied in a firm voice that ''No I won't sod off and dont tell me to sod off please'' this is what I am now having a disaplinary for.
The notification letter states that this matter is to be considered as either serious or gross misconduct which could if upheld end with my instant dismissal.
I have yet to have my meeting yet but I belive that I will loose my job because of what and how I said.
05/10/13 suspended
The notification letter states that this matter is to be considered as either serious or gross misconduct which could if upheld end with my instant dismissal.
I have yet to have my meeting yet but I belive that I will loose my job because of what and how I said.
-6
Care of vulnerable people should not be provided by the private care sector. The profit motive undermines the needs of those who rely on the services. That isn't to say that even if the services were provided by publically accountable or cooperative not for profit type organisations everything would be fine. A properly trained properly paid and properly qualified workforce at every level is an essential pre requisite on the road to providing acceptable levels of care. Regulatory bodies that are properly manned with effective powers to sanction those responsible for poor levels of care and properly staffed establishments working within effective procedures are also vital. But until we get oursleves organised into the union, until we elect representatives in each home and until we force this to the top of the agenda we are going to be fighting an uphill battle. Join the union, let's start fighting back
30/04/13 Unison man
7
CQC is like an old dog.....it can still bark but it doesn't scare anyone anymore..................
01/03/13 Dipdatdog
-6
At the end of the day, we care..............owners and company's care about profit and filling beds............
01/03/13 Dipdatdog
-3
Mad max 73, join us on http://careworkersconnect.forumotion.co.uk and thanks for spreading the word.
17/07/11 Magdala
-8
i have just read the above script and it hurts to say how very true it is, i myself am a care assistant in an emi home. i love my job and i care about the people i look after. i do have to say at times, i do feel help less, as i want to spend more time with the people i care for, but i am never have the time, my ratio at times is 14 to 1 or 2 to 16, either way, for me this is not the correct ratio. for carers or residents. where i work, me and my colleagues work together and do our up most to provide the care we need to, to each and everyone of our residents, we do our job because we care, we ask our management for training on all aspects to help us, help our residents, we give up our spare time to attend and do our own research, we learn all we can about our residents, for us to be able to realte and understand our job. it upsets me though as we dont have the time we want as carers to spend with our residents. is it really to much to ask of anyone to give nursing homes more staff to be able to enjoy there job more and support and respect our residents. with what some people are paying to stay in homes i am sure more staff can be afforded. carers are not paid a great wage and i do not mind that i earn little as i love my work, i would actually share my wage if would be enough to employ one more person to care. some people we care for have fought for us to be where we are today and without them the world would be a very different place, we owe the older generation our lifes, literally. how can anyone not care, these people do not ask to struck with this cruel desease, nor do they deserve to be. how can any one not feel a tug on there heart when they here the storys on the news of residents suffering, it would be nice if enough people cared enough to make a difference, when is it ever going to change? the time should be now, i was always brought up to respect my elders, my job is doing just that.
16/07/11 mad max 73
2
I totally agree Humble, it makes me sad to think that these people are allowed to continue in a state of torment, dirty, hungry and miserable because of someone in a glass fronted office has decided to make a hoo ha about the chemical coshh. If someone were left in physical pain because they weren't offered pain relief we'd be strung up. I'm not talking about anti-psychotic drugs prescribed willie nilly (that is wrong) but mild sedatives. If the 'powers that be' are going to accept minimum staffing levels that stretch employees beyond the limit and the resulting poor care then they must take responsibility for it - not the grass roots workers. I would urge everyone in the job to speak to Miss O'Connor (you can find her email address in earlier posts in this thread) the only way we are going to get change is to fight for ourselves and the people we care for,
26/05/11 anon
9
Hi there Anon.. Your're so right. I feel that human rights are infringed by NOT giving sedation to some people quite frankly. A lot of the people that I deal with are in torment every day and there is no one on earth that would choose this for themselves or their family.. I agree with you.. someone, somewhere is sitting in an office far away making stupid decisions! and now Our latest training tells us that we must resucitate anyone that we find dead unless they have the lilac form and the person doing cpr must carry on until they SEE the form... I am speechless (almost) about this.. these people spend most nights going to bed praying to not wake up in the morning! But the logistics of getting all this paperwork together and reviewed and re signed by 4 signatures every 6 months is horrendous! The world is indeed getting stupider by the minute!
25/05/11 humble
6
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