Self doubting carer, Seeking advice from you all

[Jojo_1809]

Hi guys, I really need some advice and maybe be pointed in the right direction. I am a carer and have been for 6 years. I absolutely adore the work but lately I seem to be at a point where I'm questioning everything due to other carers criticising my way of working. So I look after a wonderful client in her own home, who is in the late stages of M.S. and as always I seek consent to do whatever care needs she requires. Now the thing is the people I work for/with are telling me I must get my client up at 7am every morning without giving her a choice as they are saying she only has partial capacity!! In all the years I've been training not once have I come across partial capacity and surely if she lacked capacity there would be a D.O.L.S in place? I'm so confused at the moment and I'm really considering a career change as I feel I can't provide an excellent level of care for said client and the company I work for just cant give me a real reason. She has stated she's fed up with not being listened to or given a choice which I have documented on her daily notes on numerous occasions. I get so upset over this as I agree with her. Care just isn't what it used to be. Can someone help me please?

[Chris From The Gulag]

Hi JoJo.

A family / kinship carer or ... a paid care worker.

Answers depend on which you are ?

Care not what it used to be ?

For us , we would tend to agree ... perhaps a 25 hour , 8 day week would be the answer ... for some ?

Did I mention pay ?

No ... I didn't.

[Jojo_1809]

Hi JoJo.

A family / kinship carer or ... a paid care worker.

Answers depend on which you are ?

Care not what it used to be ?

For us , we would tend to agree ... perhaps a 25 hour , 8 day week would be the answer ... for some ?

Did I mention pay ?

No ... I didn't.

Hi Chris,

I'm a paid community worker who does 11hr nights with this client. The pay isn't an issue never has been for me as I'm not in it for the money it's about making the quality of life more bearable and enjoyable for the clients.

[Chris From The Gulag]

I thought so.

First point of call ... line management.

Report your concerns.

Upto your boss / bosses to take it forward.

Unless you want to take on the role of a whistleblower and go direct to the local LA ... or even higher ... CQC / local mp and /or rag ?

For us , a slightly different route.

... and no ... I didn't mention pay.

What you can earn for 11 hours beats what one of us can " Earn " for a 24 / 7 " Shift ! "

[jenny lucas]

WHY do they want this poor woman to get up at 7 in the morning! Seems inhuman to me. What on earth is the point?

I'm wondering whether her doctor can say there is NO medical need to rise that early, and every medical need to let her lie in!

I don't think it matters a jot whether she does or doesn't have mental capacity - if she doesn't want to get up at 7 in the morning (good grief, who WOULD, if we didn't have to go to work!) then she shouldn't have to.

This seems a quite ridiculous 'rule'. What is behind it?

[Jojo_1809]

WHY do they want this poor woman to get up at 7 in the morning! Seems inhuman to me. What on earth is the point?

I'm wondering whether her doctor can say there is NO medical need to rise that early, and every medical need to let her lie in!

I don't think it matters a jot whether she does or doesn't have mental capacity - if she doesn't want to get up at 7 in the morning (good grief, who WOULD, if we didn't have to go to work!) then she shouldn't have to.

This seems a quite ridiculous 'rule'. What is behind it?

Hi Jenny

As far as I'm concerned there is no medical reason as to why she must be up at 7am apart from routine (which 2 long term carers have put in place and these are the 2 who have a go at me and put me down which management are aware of but havent/won't do anything about)! I always ask her if she would like to get up and 9 times out of 10 she says no. I follow her wishes and document everything! I feel I have no support and every time I leave my client in bed I am critised and put down by another carer when she takes over! This is so unfair to my client and I often go home upset and angry for her. It's sad that I'm starting to resent my role as a carer and looking for a change of career. I previously worked in a nursing home and left there due to it being institutionalised and things were done for the benefit of the staff and not the residents (having to get a minimum of 10 on each floor up between the hours of 5am and 8am.) Im at such a loss and i feel so awful for my client but im just 1 carer who hasn't the power to change a damn thing.
Thanks for your reply,

[Chris From The Gulag]

Fitting carees into a scheme as opposed to fitting a scheme around a caree ?

7.8 million family / kinship carers would " Love " to have that choice !

When a caree barks , we tend to come ... such is our way of " Caring " ... obedient to our master / mistress ... not to our paymaster, many now retired don't even have one of those !

Doesn't work in our world ... CarerLand.

[jenny lucas]

Hmm, sounds to me that when you leave her in bed, that means another carer has to have the 'faff' of getting her up themselves when THEY drop by. Sounds like they want YOU to do the 'getting her up' bit.....

[Henrietta]

DOLS is not in place for everyone with out capacity, mainly used in a residential home setting or for protection of individual or others. Are you Domicillary care in client's own home? Who is funding the care- social service, CHC, family, client ?
Can you discuss this double up partnership with supervisor and say you do not work that well together and on a different wavelength.
No doubt if domicillary it is down to staff availability and client needs all being met on schedule.

[Jojo_1809]

DOLS is not in place for everyone with out capacity, mainly used in a residential home setting or for protection of individual or others. Are you Domicillary care in client's own home? Who is funding the care- social service, CHC, family, client ?
Can you discuss this double up partnership with supervisor and say you do not work that well together and on a different wavelength.
No doubt if domicillary it is down to staff availability and client needs all being met on schedule.

There is no form of paperwork that states my client has no capacity. I work out in the community visiting clients in their own home. I mainly look after this lady 3 nights and 2 days a week, she has 24/7 one on one care in her home funded by social services. I've spoken to my field supervisor and my manager regarding this situation and nothing is being done with regards to the behaviour of other members of staff. As for the situation my manager is in agreement with the other 2 members of staff saying she has partial capacity and she must be up at 7am everyday, but answer me this, for someone who apparently lacks capacity my client can make a serious decision about her medication but she doesn't have a say on what time she would like to get up, How does that make any sense? The whole thing is so frustrating and I feel so helpless.