Care homes - this f***ing government...

[Easy 10]

My other half found out yesterday that she's going to be made redundent from the Norman Latham care home in Southwick. Its having to close because it cannot comply with the 2001 Care Standards Act, which decree's that "All rooms must be a minimum of 10m square" - about half the rooms at Norman Latham are just under this (9m sq). They can't afford to renovate the building to extend these rooms, so as a direct result, its now having to shut down completely. Meaning all the elderly residents will be turfed out into alternate homes, and all the staff are being laid off. The stress and trauma of moving somewhere new will probably kill some of the more fragile residents off.

They've been caring for the elderly there since 1960, some of the residents have been there donkeys, and were utterly traumatised yesterday at the prospect of being relocated. Norman Latham isn't the only home this is happening at either. And with less care homes available, it will have a knock-on effect on hospitals, which will have more beds occupied by the elderly, who will have nowhere else to go. I gather the Argus are leading with this story today.

Nice one Mr Blair. Well done everyone.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I have been following this closely. Despicable behaviour on the governments part. So many people are losing out.

Why they can't judge each house on its own merits is beyond me.....

 

[Easy 10]

I have been following this closely. Despicable behaviour on the governments part. So many people are losing out.

Why they can't judge each house on its own merits is beyond me.....

Exactly.
I've heard of some care homes splitting a single room down the middle with a piece of plasterboard to accomodate 2 residents - fair enough, thats clearly not acceptable practice and should be outlawed. But to impose this draconian measure across the board is ridiculous and totally unworkable. Most of the residents there are bedbound anyway, so it doesn't make a blind bit of difference to them that their room is a metre or two under regulation - yet they are having to go through all the trauma and upheaval of being moved somewhere else, just to satisfy some penpushers at Whitehall.

It absolutely stinks.

 

[bhafc4eva]

Absolute disgrace!

This is something that has been in the pipeline for years however, as my old man has been rennovating the Care Homes for the past 5 years. This wasnt an overnite decision and was to make sure the elderley arent put in box rooms. I do agree tho Easy, 1m out is a bit harsh.

 

[Stinky Kat]

beauracracy gone mad, if OAPS are happy and well cared for then let them stay - it just not about people anymore and thats wrong

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I used to visit a care home in Worthing, when I was at school, instead of CCF. They got closed down and two of the residents died a week into their new home, due to the trauma of the move, as you mentioned.

As a society, many other countries put us to shame. The elderly should be respected and looked upto, indeed in many developing countries the old people are the wise people. Yet, we rob from the pensions, push up gas prices and treat them with disdain.

Good old England.

 

[withdeanwombat]

A whole industry has been built around standards in care,and whilst you have to applaud attempts to protect vulnerable people,sometimes the over vigorous application of standards leads to ludicrous situations as described.

There should be some allowances made for areas where standards are very nearly met to stop the aged and disabled from being shifted from pillar to post.

Many private care providers have been driven out of the sector because the houses they run cannot possibly comply with new regulations.


Jobsworth springs to mind,doesn't it?

 

[n1 gull]

Absolute disgrace, there is far too much government at the moment

 

[Marshy]

i work at H/heath Hospital and all of our elderly care wards are already full waiting for people to sort out suitable care home accomodation.

Bed blocking is already a huge problem in hospitals and this is only going to make the problem worse.

 

[lost in london]

Does the line not have to be drawn somewhere though? How many resources would be spent assessing each and every care home which was under the correct size leading to numerous cases in the courts etc. It's a figure that presumably isn't completely arbitrary and a rule that I would imagine has been in the pipeline for years.

Just playing devil's advocate here; Easy I'm sorry to hear your wife's losing her job.

 

[Easy 10]

Does the line not have to be drawn somewhere though? How many resources would be spent assessing each and every care home which was under the correct size leading to numerous cases in the courts etc. It's a figure that presumably isn't completely arbitrary and a rule that I would imagine has been in the pipeline for years.

Just playing devil's advocate here; Easy I'm sorry to hear your wife's losing her job.

Certain standards have to be upheld of course, I'd agree 100% with that. But there also has to be a degree of common sense as well. If a bedbound OAP is in a room that is just under 10m sq, but is getting the round-the clock treatment and care he or she needs, and is happy there, then where is the sense in moving them somewhere else just to comply with a new law arbitrarily introduced 4 years ago ? It benefits absolutely no-one, but causes untold heartache and stress for the individual.

Thanks for the words re my wife. She's looking around now for work, hopefully she'll find something before the rug is pulled. It'll close down some time within the next 6 months, depending how long it takes to get the residents re-housed.

 

[Simster]

Disgraceful and totally indefensible behaviour from this government.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Interesting ...

Lets see the Loony Lefties spin their way out of this one.

 

[captainmorganrum]

Interesting ...

Lets see the Loony Lefties spin their way out of this one.

I'm a loony leftie and I don't agree with this - this Labour government doesn't speak for me and I didn't vote for them.
This isn't a left wing government.

 

[Norman Baker suck my lozenge]

VOTE LABOUR

 

[Franks Wild Years]

I'm a loony leftie and I don't agree with this - this Labour government doesn't speak for me and I didn't vote for them.
This isn't a left wing government.

Agreed.
Sorry to hear about your wifes situation Easy.

 

[Easy 10]

Cheers FWY
I'm sure she'll get something else soon. Its the old folks we feel really sorry for though. The atmosphere there is horrendous apparently - the staff are depressed at losing their jobs, and some of the residents are distraught at being told they've got to move. Some of them are terrified and think they'll be out on the street.

All very upsetting.

 

[Stinky Kat]

Has anybody written to the local MP or the Minister responsible and explained the trauma these people, staff and residents, are being put through?

Also a letter to the Argus etc. I know your up against Government policy but from little acorns great oaks grow and "ordinary" people can change things - they just have to keep at it

 

[Knightsworld]

Exactly.
I've heard of some care homes splitting a single room down the middle with a piece of plasterboard to accomodate 2 residents - fair enough, thats clearly not acceptable practice and should be outlawed. But to impose this draconian measure across the board is ridiculous and totally unworkable. Most of the residents there are bedbound anyway, so it doesn't make a blind bit of difference to them that their room is a metre or two under regulation - yet they are having to go through all the trauma and upheaval of being moved somewhere else, just to satisfy some penpushers at Whitehall.

It absolutely stinks.

Bloke that i work with, his missus works there as well. Just thought they had got on their feet then this.

 

[enigma]

Common sense- simple common sense. What an absolute farce. Good luck to all the old people, and of course your wife Easy. This is a terrible situation.