We were called in via an elderly clients’ solicitor to assist in collating some vital paperwork. Our clients are an elderly couple, Mr being 90 years old and his wife 85 years old. Mr has dementia and suffered PTSD since the war and Mrs who was having falls and losing her memory, was his sole carer. Their only child lived miles away and had a high flying job which demanded most of their time thus making it difficult to look after or facilitate care needs for their parent.
Our initial free consultation flagged up many concerns and although it is all so easy to rush in to safe guarding the couple, one must look at the bigger picture and the impact of doing so along. We therefore contacted their daughter and Adult Social Services and established that they were already on board. It is my opinion that it is benificitial to work together in lighting the load and building relationships rather than destroy them and the trust that goes along with it. Even though Mrs was losing her memory, she still had her capacity, however she was suffering with depression and finding it difficult to keep on top of everything.
On commencing our services we assessed our clients’ needs for health and safety and more so for their well-being. We discussed and agreed our concerns with them and their daughter and then went about:• Calling a BT engineer to repair a fault with their telephone line – Mr & Mrs are both deaf which was made worse with the faulty crackling telephone line.
• Contacting adult Social Services to establish if they had a social worker as Mrs could not remember.
• Organising a referral for a personal alarm to be installed
• Referral for a blue badge and Dial a Ride.
• Recommendation to daughter for mobility aides in the home – referral from GP to OT
• Recommendations to daughter for domiciliary care – though the social worker had previously supplied this.
• Suggestion of a wet room be installed as Mr & Mrs were only strip washing
• Suggestions of Wiltshire Farm Foods or the like to be delivered
• A cleaner to be employed
Although their daughter took on board everything that we said, her work commitments were so that she did not have time to facilitate or implement many of these things so we stepped in.
We will always go that bit extra to make sure our client’s needs are met as their safety and wellbeing is paramount