The Empire Strikes Back

I went for a Star Wars Episode 5 theme for the title, given that it's the fifth blog on this topic -- Just imagine that the Empire were the good guys and it kinda fits.

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4

So, Wednesday night (Nov. 24th) we all went out to Franny's to discuss topics of conversation for the meeting the next day, the majority of the questions came from the last meeting and the minutes we were sent from it.

The topics were as follows:

• 1. Why were we told two weeks, then six weeks and why did it end up being eight weeks -- something that wasn't noted in the minutes, which only said six weeks. 
• 2. We were told that she would only be released if carers were put in place, if we didn't agree to that then things would be made "official" - What does/did that mean?
• 3. Discrepancies between what was said at the meeting and what we know to be true. E.g., "Graham Cameron to organise carers - 2 in the mornings, to start Wednesday 27 October 2010." -- One carer started on the 3rd of November. and "Alison McPherson (Staff Nurse) reported there have been no problems with Jessie's skin folds or problems with her bowels." -- it was in the records for her stay that her skin had been red. Which may not have been any more than normal, but that's not what the record in the minutes implies.
• 4. Gaye Morrison. Why was she there and why wasn't she introduced (or at the very least, why weren't we made aware that she'd be there before the meeting). 

Graham started the meeting by having us state who we were again. This time, Barbara was there, from Abbeyvale Day Centre and when we were done introducing ourselves, it was Barbara who kicked things off with a run down of how my Granny had been getting on at Abbeyvale.

With Compliments

This is Part 4 of the on-going saga.
Click the following for Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3.

Mental Health Services

Old Age Psychiatry Team
Spynie Hospital
Duffus Road
Elgin
IV30 5PW

Tel: 01343 567020 / 567023
Fax: 01343 567162

Date: 8 November 2010
Date Dictated 29 October 2010

Meeting held on the 26 October 2010 at Muirton Ward, Seafield Hospital, Buckie
Re: Planning of care and support before discharge from Hospital

Jessie Smith (27.09.41)

Attendees:

Graham Cameron - Social Worker (Chair)
Dr L Fourie - Locum Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry
Alison McPherson - Staff Nurse (Muirton Ward)
Ian Allan - Manager - (Whinneybank Day Care)
Sandra Stevenson - Care Worker (Whinneybank Day Care)
Linda Smith - Care Worker (Whinneybank Day Care)
Gaye Morrison - Adult Protection Co-ordinator
Katie Smith - Daughter (POA)
Fiona Smith - Daughter - Main Carer (POA)
Fran Gardiner - Daughter
Martin Smith - Grandson

Katrina Murray - Community Mental Health Nurse (Minutes)

Jessie was admitted to Muirton Ward six weeks ago.

Purpose for meeting: For Jessie to be discharged home with support for family and Jessie.

Ulterior Motive

The last blog was posted on the 26th of October. On the 28th of October, Graham called to tell us that the care had been sorted and would start the following Monday (November 1st) at 8am.

As has already been stated, we didn't want the carers in at all, but having them in at 8am made no sense. My granny wasn't due to leave for the new daycare until 10:30am, if they were so concerned about her being clean, surely having the shower time as close to the leaving time would make more sense? -- My mum had suggested to Graham that any earlier than 9:45 was a waste of time, so when he called and said 8am, she brought that up. His response was that we could change it later, if needs-be. [So ignoring us yet again, good.]

Monday came, my mum was up at around 7am, getting herself ready before waking up my granny at around 7:45am, ready for the carers coming in at 8am... Except the carers didn't come in. At all. She got a phone call from "Momentum Care" (who would be providing the carers instead of the council), she said that she'd been told they'd be in that morning. The woman on the other end of the phone, from Momentum replied with the fact that the care wasn't due to start until Wednesday and that it was never going to be 8am, the only times they had available were 7:30am or 9am. [Does Graham listen to anyone?]

Settling for the 9am (as it was closer to the time she was due to leave), my mum mentioned about the fact we have two reasonable sized dogs and that any carer coming in needed to be OK with them, because they couldn't be shut in any where (George can open doors). Momentum hadn't been informed of this (Graham knew, as my mum had told him the same thing about the carers needing to be OK with them) but said that the carer they were sending was fine with them, and that she was the best they had. [Best you have? Because you'd say if someone was the worst you had...]

Wednesday (Nov. 3rd) came, the carer came. She seemed nice enough. However, by the following week, my granny was already starting to get annoyed by her, getting angry and frustrated while being showered. Who wouldn't though, with a stranger stood in the corner watching you be showered -- That's something to note, the carer wasn't coming in to shower her, my mum had decided before they came in that she would continue showering her and the carer could just be there to say it's done.