The recent run of stories and reports about conditions in
many UK Care Homes have revealed a number of problems. Staff who are over stretched, or not trained
or simply have little experience of working with people of great age are
commonly found.
In the last decade or so there have been managements, again
some with little expert knowledge or experience but given targets to meet which
have an adverse impact on care and which do not take account of either the
practical difficulties or the variation of issues that staff face.
Above all has been effect of the finance management driven
ownership and control of an increasing proportion of care homes, compounded by
the retreat from this kind of Care system by both local authorities and
others. Even many charities have cut
back on provision and facilities.
All this has occurred at a time when not only are the
numbers of very aged increasing but the complexity of their conditions and
treatments also presents a wider range of problems, notably in the several
forms of dementia or other neurological issues.
The answer given by too many prattling politicians is the
notion of “Care in the Community” that is to keep people in their own homes, of
one sort or another with carers and others coming in to help. This now is becoming badly over stretched and
the real work being done by many people who are even less trained or aware.
This in turn impacts particularly on the National Health
Service and with little realized effects on both Ambulance and Police services
who both are facing increased demands which are becoming more and more
difficult to tackle.
Perhaps we think that this is just a UK problem and we like to imagine that if there
is one country with the wealth and organizational abilities to cope with it might
be Germany . Apparently, this is not the case as a report
in their Local New shows:
Who are these people who are being treated like this? One of the sadder parts of the developing
tragedy is to imagine who the aged are and what they might have been in the
past.
Sometimes it takes only a look at a photograph on the wall
to show that this unpleasant demented old person who cannot cope and who is a
trial to deal with and has other severe problems was once lively and smart with
both intelligence and ability.
They are often left isolated, put to bed early and got up
late, left to develop hydration and nutrition problems on top of the medical
issues, are left to deal with confusing and potentially damaging medication
needs, with their personal washing never done and living in uncleaned homes.
Yet when you look at the residential alternatives they are
little better and maybe worse in terms of personal treatment and respect. The title is a quote from Robert Burns.
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