Residents attacking staff in care home

Police wouldnt do anything . People with Dementia don't have men's rea, that's the mental capability to co.mit any offences and know what they have done is wrong. As previous posters have said its part of the job unfortunately. Not a job I would do but surely u must know this when seeking such a profession. A cook however shouldn't expect it!

Any risk assessment that includes 'we expect workers to redirect residents who are unwell and have unpredictable behaviours/lack capacity from the kitchen' is a risk assessment asking for trouble.

I used to work in a retirement home. It’s madness to allow residents access to the kitchen, if only for their own safety.

She should find a job somewhere else.

If she works in the kitchens she should be aware of risk assessments though. It’s her responsibility to read the RA for the area she works in. It will include use of equipment (including how knives are safely stored) , food safety and hygiene but should also include general safety.

It’s shocking that the residents have access to the kitchen. At my DM’s nursing home which is for people with challenging behaviour who can’t be looked after at other homes there is a key pad to get into the kitchen and two codes are needed to get out of the home.

Yes, absolutely this.
If the care home manager takes no notice then look for new job and report.
My DM was in a care home that was force closed by local council for unsafe practices.

With regards to employees being harmed at work - despite what some are saying here, some incidents are reportable, not directly to the police necessarily, but at under RIDDOR in some circumstances. and it is EVERY employers responsibility to ensure they are operating within HASWA - employees have a right to a safe working environment. Just as care homes residents have a right to a safe residential environment

As for home residents having unfettered access to places such as kitchens - that's a potential OSA issue - allowing vulnerable people who lack mental capacity to enter places such as operational kitchens at will - it doesn't sound to me like much risk assessment has gone on.

CQC would be worth a call

My mum's home has a kitchen/dining room on her floor and EVERYTHING is locked away! I couldn't even open a cupboard to get her a glass for some water once. That sounds very odd OP.

No.

If a member of staff is hurt its up to the individual member of staff if they want to report it to the police. 99.9% of the time they don't because they recognise no harm was intended and that people the people they care for are unwell.

If a resident is injured as a result of an assault by anyone (resident or staff member or anyone else) the care home has a duty to ask the injured person or their family/advocates if they want it reporting to police and a duty to report it regardless to adult social care and the CQC.

The police if informed should come out, speak to the care home manager, any staff who witnessed it, the residents involved with support from family/advocates and then in nearly every case will close it no further action without anyone being arrested or taken anywhere.

In very serious cases though there will be a full police investigation.

They might want a glass of water. It's not a prison.

No, you can't have a safe small kitchennette. As nothing is safe to certain residents, and anything may be safe for others.

Generally there is a trained kitchen staff or more than one in the kitchen at all times from 8 am to 8 pm. Residents may access the kitchen, however typically when they do, they are asked what they would like and if they need help. Their access is supervised. Details will vary depending on the size of the home.

From 8 pm to 8 am, generally kitchen access is limited because you may not have the same kitchen staff coverage.

Typically during those hours, the care staff will provide snacks on request, where reasonable to do so.

Residents are entitled to access the home like a home. Food stores with specialised fridges tend to be seperate rooms off the kitchens.

Fridges in the actual kitchen tend to store basics for use during that day, like milk and butter, maybe packaged ham slices, cheese, yogurts etc. If a resident enters the kitchen, they tend to be asked what would they like, and their request is responded to.

So if a patients faffs around with the fridge settings because they think it's too hot or too cold. Or gives everyone food poisoning because they've contaminated cooked meat with raw meat - whos responsible?

If you have mentally OK patients then maybe have a separate patients kitchens with 'safe' food, bread for toasting, biscuits, cooked meats.
Kettle for tea and coffee.

But keep them out the main kitchen. Where they are potentially a nightmare for the staff.

But dementia patients are often in homes because they aren't safe to be home alone, exactly the same as toddlers. Not ageist at all to say that. It's a cruel illness.

My grandfather was the most mild mannered man you could meet. Never shouted, never swore - textbook grandfather with the patience of a Saint

In the last days of his life he saw little black men in his room and thought the nurses were trying to poison him. He did smack one which made my grandma distraught. Fortunately it was a one off thing as a result of a medication change but what would you expect the police to do with a 92 year old clearly unwell man? Take him from his hospital bed to a prison cell?

That's what I was thinking.

Who's making sure they aren't touching food with dirty hands or touching raw meat and then touching other food.

Something just isn't right with this.

Exactly and if someone is threatened due to failure by the management the police should act. It would probably be the manager in court for failing to act.

Of course - there was such an incident in a family member's care home quite recently which is under investigation.

What I'm referring to is the previous poster who was talking as if the resident should be arrested for their 'bad behaviour'.

They could put a key pad on the kitchen door so it is not a walk-through door and is staff only. These can be linked into fire alarms so they immediately are openable as escape routes if needed.

We ask that care homes report any assaults to the police if physical harm has been caused. Just because the person committing the assault lacks capacity it doesn't mean that someone hasn't been injured and the police will need to investigate a potential crime.

Sadly there are 'murders' in care homes very regularly e.g. a resident dies after being pushed or hit with an object. If it was your relative who was injured or deceased you absolutely would want it to be properly investigated.

No it is not the same at all. That's extremely ageist.

Nursing homes are the resident's "home". They are entitled to access to the kitchen. Some residents live in them for years.

They are not an asylum, they are a "home". Residents are not toddlers, they are adults, some of whom are 100% mentally well, but have physical care needs.

The management is not taking appropriate action which includes risk assessments. Working with dementia means there is risk, but that should be mitigated. Allowing dangerous clients to roam in all spaces with staff who aren't even trained is neglect on the employers part. There is a lot of exploitation if staff in the care sector - unless your daughter is a member of unison I'd give this job up as a list cause and move jobs - get out of car all together if possible.

Can she make a report to the CQC?

How on earth did you find your way onto this board? You have no idea. Dementia is not ‘bad behaviour’, wtaf.

What is ’bad behaviour’ is the failure of the care home’s management team to risk assess and implement appropriate safeguards, such as ensuring residents cannot access the kitchen.

There is much much more management can do beyond speaking to the GP.

They can consider increased staffing including 1:1

They can ask the local older adults mental health team to review and look at OT, strategies, medication etc

They can identify that it's no longer the correct setting and request a review from whoever is funding.

If there are unmet dementia nursing needs they can request a nursing assessment with a view to a move or an increase in nursing staff.

They can put keypads on any areas where it would be dangerous for confused residents to access

They could increase activities during the day so people are occupied rather than wandering

They could train ALL their staff including kitchen, admin and domiciliary staff in dignity in care and in dementia, as well as basic breakaway techniques. All staff should also have received training in whistleblowing and safeguarding adults from abuse or neglect.

Regular staff meetings where open conversation identifying concerns and discussions about what the managers are planning to do about the concerns.

If staff are being assaulted then they are absolutely entitled to report it to the police as well. Nothing will happen from a police /criminal perspective but there is liaison between police, adults social care etc and if something awful happens it all gives a clearer picture for prosecution etc if managers were aware of risks and didn't do anything about it.