Nursing home visits

jface187

I work in a nursing home. When the lockdown happens all visiting was stopped. I know this was hard on the family. But it was for the best. For me personally, my mother lived further then 2KM and in an at-risk group, so I stayed away.

When restrictions eased we began to let visitors in. It was set up at first in an enclosed area with one visiter from a family allowed in at a time. We would have groups of four residents with one family member each for half an hour.

All families were sent e-mails/texts outlining the guidelines. They would have to ring to book an appointment for one of the available slots. During the phone call, they would be reminded of the rules again.

I was of the three people tasked with monitoring the visits. When they arrive I take their temperatures and basically asked if there have COVID. I once again go through the guidelines.

The guidelines are this: Mask must be kept on at all times. No physical contact. 2 meters distance must be kept. No food or drink during the visit. Visitors Can't use our bathrooms during the visit.

Can you guess what happens the second they get in? Mask off all over their family member and shoving food into their fat gobs and looking for tea.

I was shocked. I now have to spend my time going in and out to adults telling them to keep their masks on and keep at a distance.
I get abused all day long. I have been shouted at by family members, name called, been belittled every day. It's so stressful because Adults just don't want to listen to the rules.

I mention my mother lived far away and I got to see her recently.
I kept the distance and avoid contact. Was it hard? of course, but I did it for her.

I have no idea was these people would put there own mother/father at risk? and all the other residents in the nursing home at risk too? along with all the staff. We worked so hard to keep the virus out of the nursing home for it to be ruined by these idiots.

The two girls that do the visiting with me have given up. One of them was in tears almost every day. They stop caring and let the family do what they want now. I have been into management all the time about this. They know what's going on but don't care. If they stop the visits, the families will complain. Families are king in nursing homes. In management eyes, all the paperwork is there, so they are covered if HIQA comes in.

The girls I cover the visits with are on holiday this week and I was doing six days this week. The visiting been increased to one hour with two people allowed in at a time. The weekend was so stressful. A guy showed up at 12, drunk saying he had an appointment. We don't do appointments at 12 as this is dinner time. He then said he had some bad news and needed to tell his father face to face. He was let in. Can you guess how well the drunk lad did keeping the guidelines? yeah, there is a reason the pubs are still closed.

Yesterday was the breaking point. The last group to visit after my six days. I was hoping it would go smoothly, of course not. Two lads showed up to see there mother. I can tell straight away they had a drink on them. One was worse than the other. Within five minutes of being there the mask completely off eating chocolate. Told him three times and he just thought it was funny. I snapped and said, "This is for her safety, do you not understand?" and I walked away.

I was upset all last night and still today. I can't understand how people can put there only families at risk and not listen to the people trying to help them. I needed to get this off my chest and just ask if you are coming into a nursing home please respect the staff and listen to what they have to say. Noting where asking isn't anything not being asked of you outside the nursing home, so I only dread to think what these people are like in the real world.

Contact HIQA directly and email the management with a report of how each and every visit went (request a read receipt too).

Contact HIQA directly and email the management with a report of how each and every visit went (request a read receipt too).

Strawberry Milkshake

Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »

Contact HIQA directly and email the management with a report of how each and every visit went (request a read receipt too).

+1 to what Strawberry Milkshake says.

Plus, thank you, for all the efforts you are making to try and keep your residents safe.

Some of us do appreciate what you're trying to do.

Graces7

Totally shocking. I had no idea. When I was in hospital I was deeply impressed by the precautions; everyone wearing masks, Drs Nurses, porters, cleaners, catering staff, and the only visitors allowed were to very ill patients in danger of death. ie anyone coming in from the outside. We patients did not have or need to wear masks.

Why is it not enforced in nursing homes like that? It is the only safe way

Please follow the excellent advice here- and thank you for your caring.

stargazer 68

Graces7 wrote: »

Totally shocking. I had no idea. When I was in hospital I was deeply impressed by the precautions; everyone wearing masks, Drs Nurses, porters, cleaners, catering staff, and the only visitors allowed were to very ill patients in danger of death. ie anyone coming in from the outside. We patients did not have or need to wear masks.

Why is it not enforced in nursing homes like that? It is the only safe way

Please follow the excellent advice here- and thank you for your caring.

Nursing homes are different. Technically its the residents home unlike a hospital. And we have seen a huge improvement in the residents since visiting has been allowed again.

Luckily we haven't had any experiences like the OP. 1 or 2 families think the rules don't apply to them but luckily one of their siblings put them straight!

Graces7

[QUOTE=stargazer 68;114477751]Nursing homes are different. Technically its the residents home unlike a hospital. And we have seen a huge improvement in the residents since visiting has been allowed again.

Luckily we haven't had any experiences like the OP. 1 or 2 families think the rules don't apply to them but luckily one of their siblings put them straight![/QUOTE]

The residents are by their age alone, among the most vulnerable we have and after the nursing homes appalling record management must comply with safety rules so that makes the rules essential .

And the same principle as the hospitals thus. Masks, distancing etc, No difference. So where safety and hygiene are concerned, they are no different from hospitals. The ward I was on was for older women , like myself.

Hopefully HIQA will do what they are good at

wheresthebeef

jface187 wrote: »

I work in a nursing home. When the lockdown happens all visiting was stopped. I know this was hard on the family. But it was for the best. For me personally, my mother lived further then 2KM and in an at-risk group, so I stayed away.

When restrictions eased we began to let visitors in. It was set up at first in an enclosed area with one visiter from a family allowed in at a time. We would have groups of four residents with one family member each for half an hour.

All families were sent e-mails/texts outlining the guidelines. They would have to ring to book an appointment for one of the available slots. During the phone call, they would be reminded of the rules again.

I was of the three people tasked with monitoring the visits. When they arrive I take their temperatures and basically asked if there have COVID. I once again go through the guidelines.

The guidelines are this: Mask must be kept on at all times. No physical contact. 2 meters distance must be kept. No food or drink during the visit. Visitors Can't use our bathrooms during the visit.

Can you guess what happens the second they get in? Mask off all over their family member and shoving food into their fat gobs and looking for tea.

I was shocked. I now have to spend my time going in and out to adults telling them to keep their masks on and keep at a distance.
I get abused all day long. I have been shouted at by family members, name called, been belittled every day. It's so stressful because Adults just don't want to listen to the rules.

I mention my mother lived far away and I got to see her recently.
I kept the distance and avoid contact. Was it hard? of course, but I did it for her.

I have no idea was these people would put there own mother/father at risk? and all the other residents in the nursing home at risk too? along with all the staff. We worked so hard to keep the virus out of the nursing home for it to be ruined by these idiots.

The two girls that do the visiting with me have given up. One of them was in tears almost every day. They stop caring and let the family do what they want now. I have been into management all the time about this. They know what's going on but don't care. If they stop the visits, the families will complain. Families are king in nursing homes. In management eyes, all the paperwork is there, so they are covered if HIQA comes in.

The girls I cover the visits with are on holiday this week and I was doing six days this week. The visiting been increased to one hour with two people allowed in at a time. The weekend was so stressful. A guy showed up at 12, drunk saying he had an appointment. We don't do appointments at 12 as this is dinner time. He then said he had some bad news and needed to tell his father face to face. He was let in. Can you guess how well the drunk lad did keeping the guidelines? yeah, there is a reason the pubs are still closed.

Yesterday was the breaking point. The last group to visit after my six days. I was hoping it would go smoothly, of course not. Two lads showed up to see there mother. I can tell straight away they had a drink on them. One was worse than the other. Within five minutes of being there the mask completely off eating chocolate. Told him three times and he just thought it was funny. I snapped and said, "This is for her safety, do you not understand?" and I walked away.

I was upset all last night and still today. I can't understand how people can put there only families at risk and not listen to the people trying to help them. I needed to get this off my chest and just ask if you are coming into a nursing home please respect the staff and listen to what they have to say. Noting where asking isn't anything not being asked of you outside the nursing home, so I only dread to think what these people are like in the real world.

I’m really sorry that’s happened to you. You are clearly working very hard to let residents see their families whilst also keeping the residents safe. Adults should know better. Your managers need to be called down to the visiting area every time this happens and if a family won’t follow the guidelines, they should be asked to leave and not given another appointment until they agree to follow the guidelines.