Care Homes/Assisted Living

heth · 20-01-2011, 11:16

Hello,

When my Grandma hopefully comes out of hospital this time we have taken the decision that she will now have to go into a Care Home or Assisted Living accommodation.

I am making my way through the different ones in Accrington on the internet at the mo as it is all new to us but just wondered if anybody can recommend anywhere?

Any advice would be gratefully recieved and passed onto my Mum.
Thanks
Heth

flashy · 20-01-2011, 11:18

from working in several care homes i would say...if it can be avoided don't let her go into a home, i wouldn't let any of my family go into a care home...ever

assisted living would help her keep her independance

heth · 20-01-2011, 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashy

from working in several care homes i would say...if it can be avoided don't let her go into a home, i wouldn't let any of my family go into a care home...ever

assisted living would help her keep her independance

Thanks Flashy, I am the same as you I dont want her to go into a Care Home really as she is still quite young (71) and she still has all of her marbles....if you know what I mean.

I would want her in assisted living so we still have the peace of mind she is more looked after rather than living on her own but still has to do things to look after herself

MargaretR · 20-01-2011, 11:30

At one time, as part of my job, I visited people in nursing homes in Accrington and never found one which I would use for any relative of mine.

My brother had my mother admitted to one in the Preston area, without consulting me. It caused a rift in our relationship which has taken 10 years to be resolved.
She was in two homes in two years because none could be found which catered to her needs. No provision was made for her diabetic diet needs. She died after those two years.

She had an alert mind and was housed with dementia cases - I imagine it felt like being in an insane asylum - the demented coped better because they were unaware of what they were enduring.

Explore all possible alternatives before doing this.

PS contact
http://www.willowbrookhomecare.com/Home/home.html
they seem to provide the service she appears to need.

flashy · 20-01-2011, 11:41

Heth, can't you look at getting a carer into her own home? my friend works for a care agency and thats what she does, get in touch with social services and see if she would be entitled to vouchers for one, some people have carers going in twice a day just for an hour or so, in my opinion it would be better than going into a home

BERNADETTE · 20-01-2011, 11:58

I would advise as Flashy has try and get assisted living in her own home. I'm sure that this would be far preferable to her going in a care home. Good luck

Margaret Pilkington · 20-01-2011, 12:35

I am of the same opinion as the other posters on here.
Care homes seem to be just waiting rooms for the dying....fleecing the clients of any money they have, in the process.
I too, would be looking at the possibility of bringing carers into the home.

A relative of ours who has asbestosis, has a young woman to come in and do his cleaning, she shops for him and also does a bit of cooking too.......she comes for 3 hours five days a week.......the three hours she fits in around her family's needs.......and this works well for both of them.
He doesn't get different carers each day....the lady knows what has been done, so there is a continuity of care.

This may not work for you Heth, if you need your mothers personal care needs to be dealt with.

Neil · 20-01-2011, 12:43

I think it all depends how ill she is.
Could she manage with someone coming in for a couple of hours each day?

heth · 20-01-2011, 12:52

Thanks all for your advice, before my Grandma went into hospital this time she had carers coming in for

1hr in the morning to wake her and help her with a shower and to get dressed and take medication.
1hr at tea time to help with cooking her meal (we were always there at dinner to help her).
1hr at bedtime to help her get into bed and take medication.

But my Grandma has already told us that she doesnt want to go back home as she is frightened, also I think she wants people round her now to make her feel safe. Me & my Mum try and do as much as we can but we cant be there 24/7. My Mum is still getting over having a heart attack so I also dont want her to get ill again.

Its a hard decission to make what to do for the best

flashy · 20-01-2011, 13:01

try for sheltered accomodation

Margaret Pilkington · 20-01-2011, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by heth

Thanks all for your advice, before my Grandma went into hospital this time she had carers coming in for

1hr in the morning to wake her and help her with a shower and to get dressed and take medication.
1hr at tea time to help with cooking her meal (we were always there at dinner to help her).
1hr at bedtime to help her get into bed and take medication.

But my Grandma has already told us that she doesnt want to go back home as she is frightened, also I think she wants people round her now to make her feel safe. Me & my Mum try and do as much as we can but we cant be there 24/7. My Mum is still getting over having a heart attack so I also dont want her to get ill again.

Its a hard decission to make what to do for the best

You are right about it being a hard decision........and even though you want to help, there is only so much you can do.
I am sure your gran will have lost a lot of confidence in her ability to live solo.
I think that you will have to make arrangements that suit your Grans needs......but are flexible enough to accommodate any changes.

Are there any family members who could 'live in' for a short period of time to assess what is actually necessary.
This would give your gran the added benefit of not being on her own.
She may need sheltered living plus carers coming in.

heth · 20-01-2011, 13:36

I think we are gonna have to go for Sheltered with carers coming in for the begining and then see how it goes.
I would hate it for her to be frightened as she has got through so much in the past 9mths she deserves the best.
Can anyone recomend anywhere in this area? Its all well and good me looking on the internet (they all say that they are the best) but I would prefer peoples "real" opinions about different places.

Thanks again for all you advice, makes it a bit easier hearing what other people think, makes me realise I aint going that crazy with it all!!

flashy · 20-01-2011, 13:48

the only ones i know in Accrington are Kirk house just at the lights at Church, theirs one on Sparth Road in Clayton and i THINK there's one just off Blackburn road near where the college used to be, their used to be one called Park View at the top of Buckingham Grove just off Dill Hall lane, that was 20 years ago though, doubt it's still going

Margaret Pilkington · 20-01-2011, 13:59

Can't really help you there Heth......My mother in law was in Sheltered accommodation on Lower Barnes Street in Clayton, but that was the early 90's.......it was fine then, and not too far from us either, so that we could give her additional support.

heth · 20-01-2011, 14:18

Thanks I will have a look into these now.