Comments for Fighting Monsters

Comment on Personal Care at Home Bill by Neil80

Neil80 — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:26:49 +0000

I too remain sceptical. It feels more like an extention of continuing care and seems that the care system is going to be an increasingly tangled web of eligibility rules and means-tests without increasing entitlement for many people.

The problem is – you are quite right – that policy is made on the hoof with considerations other than how things will work on the ground.

Comment on Dementia and Hospital Stays by cb

cb — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:04:21 +0000

Thanks for the input. That was a far better way of explaining what I was trying to say!

Comment on Dementia and Hospital Stays by Dr J Smith

Dr J Smith — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:32:13 +0000

I can recall a when an elderly gentleman currently living independently on his own was admitted to our ward for a hernia repair. He had a diagnosis of Alzheimers and was on medication for this. Following his operation and the general anaesthetic he became even more disorientated in time, place, person, unable to retain information and seemed quite freightened and scared in this foreign place, his brain still hungover from anaesthetics. It took this gentleman approx 3 weeks to return to his ‘pre-admission functioning’, waiting for the anaesthetic to ware off, fluid balance to return to normal. He couldn’t have been discharged sooner, if he were asessed after week 1 he would have been deemed not fit to live independently and in an EMI for the rest of his days, he needed the 3 weeks so that his future living arrangements, big decisions about the rest of his life could be fairly and accurately done. Yes the management didnt see him as an ‘acute surgical’ patient and wanted him carted out early, but he now lives independently at home again, if the pressures on the ward for beds may have been more drastic this man may be stuck in an EMI for the rest of his days when he really hadn’t deteriorated to that point yet.

Comment on On Probation by cb

cb — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:51:04 +0000

I completely agree! I am hopeful that the end result will be positive all round

Comment on On Probation by Neil80

Neil80 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 16:47:43 +0000

I agree. As an unqualified Care Manager I did witness newly qualified Social Workers being thrust in at the deep-end. Admitedly that wasn’t the plan, but then staff shortages kicked in and destroyed any notion of nurturing. I haven’t done the degree myself so am not really qualified to speak about it’s merits and disadvantages but things I heard did alarm me. One newly qualified worker, handed responsibility for safeguarding confided in me that they had not covered anything on safeguarding adults as part of their degree.

I think that in general LAs really need to look at their workforce development strategies. In my old authourity staff were contracted for one post, meaning they couldn’t move teams without going through the application process even for the same role. One colleague had to go through this just to move up a floor. In terms of staff development all this was horrendous, all teams face different challenges and some – dare I say it are even backwaters, but in not being able to move easily some staff burn-out, others lose, or just don’t develop skills. Employing people on a more holistic basis loosens these barriers. I’m thinking here of the Dutch ‘total football’ system where players in their development spend time in each position with the affect of becoming more complete players. A more flexible recruitment policy would surely allow NQs to move through an organisation, developing skills as they go without being exposed to team based pressures in the first year of practice.

Comment on Backwards and Forwards by cb

cb — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:17:37 +0000

Lola, Reas – thanks a lot!

Comment on Backwards and Forwards by Reas

Reas — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:32:35 +0000

Lola said it best. I echo her sentiments.

Don’t worry about the 20th! Just drink wine, it’ll be fine. I did mine a few years ago. Rest assured, you won’t be the only woman who has “filled somewhat”. I think the older people get, the more they appreciate their past and are just happy to be surrounded by others who can reminisce with them.

Comment on Backwards and Forwards by Lola Snow

Lola Snow — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:03:56 +0000

Oh CB, that is not self-pity, or not in the way I understand self-pity to be an indulgent thing, a self centred selfish thing. It must be horribly difficult to adjust to a birthday without those who were there for the beginning of your life. Parents gave you life, and in that, it would be odd if you didn’t think of them on the day you are celebrating the gift they gave you. Remembering all the other years that they were there is bound to spark off grief. That’s natural, not self-pity in a negative sense.

I have nothing to say to offer you comfort, but care very much. I do hope it gets easier for you, and that you can come up with a master plan to make Christmas seem less painful. I don’t think you can fill the space where someone has been, and probably wouldn’t want to. But maybe making the rest of the Christmas as full of people as possible might make the gaps seem less obvious.

Lola x

Comment on Regulating Regulators by Jacky @ Social work jobs

Jacky @ Social work jobs — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:41:27 +0000

The recession made a lot of people and businesses desperate, but I don’t think its right that basic human care and safety should be neglected, that is totally irresponsible.

Comment on Adjustments and Thoughts by cb

cb — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:10:42 +0000

haha.. completely unintentional.. I swear!