for my disabled brothers support workers to surf the net whilst caring for him

[oldermummy11]

I happened to look at the history today and during the night when he has staff on who should be awake, they were using the net to check their emails, look at holidays and even online dating, I think this is inappropriate any thoughts?

Risk assessments should be in place around his falling, and these should outline what exactly the staff are expected to do to minimise the risk. Ask to see them, if staff should be in his room watching him all night, then obviously they should not be on the Internet.

You asked if you were being unreasonable. Didn't give the details. Said he was only awake in the day, then said he doesn't sleep, then said he does sleep but wakes and is at risk of falling. How about you post the whole story again and make up your mind about the facts?

So he does sleep but gets up often and requires assistance?

So, as long as they are awake, they are able to go an assist him when he gets up. I still cannot see why it matters whether they're surfing the net, reading a book or staring at the wall for hours on end...the response time to go and help him will be exactly the same.

I really can't see where the problem lies here? OP, can you clarify what you think they should be doing in the periods that your brother is in bed? What would you be doing if you were providing overnight care for him?

Do you have any other issue's with the care you brother is receiving ? if not then obviously your brother is being well cared for, sorry I have to agree with previous posters , give up your job and do it yourself.
I work night shift caring for 42 elderly people and have good nights and bad nights, makes me laugh when day staff think we have an easy job, try staying out your bed for three nights a week and try staying awake with nothing do to.
NOT EASY

If your brother cant communicate with them that is is, or isnt ok for them to use the internet, then sorry for asking, but how does he use it?

YABU. very.

imo as long as they are there when he needs them, I can't see the problem with them occupying themselves when he doesn't.
I am my dd's carer, and look I am on the internet, whilst she doesn't need me.

You need to look into assistive technology, movement sensors or pressure mats. These could be used along side bed rails to try to keep him a bit safer. To be onset, if staff are expected to sit all night in a darkened room just watching him you are going to struggle to staff that service.

They do the job well? Does your brother thrive in their care?

Are you a bit more sensitive about the care they're giving your brother because you don't feel as secure in that care when it's compared to the love and care your mum gave to him?

Totally confused here.
You have carers that are there all night and pass their time on the internet, so obviously awake and available for all eventualities.
There are parents on here that have none of these benefits, they're at it 24/7. I would just refuse any care and take over myself if I was you.
Oh and get off the internet and go and see him. I bet he'd appreciate it.

Agent, I think you are a wise old owl

I refused to work night shifts when I was a support worker for two reasons:

It paid only 15p more an hour than the day shift rate
I was afraid of falling asleep and missing someone having a seizure.

Night staff did have baby monitors to keep an ear out but I'd sleep through that in a moment.

Anyway, the night shifters also had to work 10 hours without a break. Day staff also get no breaks. You could argue that there's enough sitting around time to call it a break, but it is NOT a break from the caring situation, you're still expected to get up and deal with whatever needs sorting out if you're in the middle of eating a sandwich.

Unless you're prepared to pay for another member of staff to come by and work for an hour while the first person has a break, it's pretty unreasonable to expect staff to sit and stare at the wall when there's nothing going on. Believe me, they'd much rather be doing something useful than nothing at all as it makes a shift last so much longer otherwise.

If you don't like them using your brother's property would you be amenable to allowing them to bring in their iPads and laptops? With all their favourite games on them? I wouldn't, they'd pay even less attention.

As an aside, your brother needs a new risk assessment doing re: falling. There should be more than a member of staff listening out as a method for reducing that risk, you can't guarantee the staff won't be sat on the toilet when he tries to get out of bed.

OP, I am a carer. The thing about providing 24h care for somebody, even if it's someone with very complex needs, is that during the shift there will be times when there's nothing for the carer to do. I've heard people say that I have it good to be getting paid for reading a book/doing a crossword etc. But that is the nature of this job - I'm at the clients house for 12-14 hours, sometimes I get to read half a book during that time, sometimes I don't get to eat lunch till the evening.

OP what do you expect the night staff to do? Sit on the landing outside your brother's bedroom all night?

Surfing the net not ok during the day if there are other duties they should be doing, but at night totally totally ok. Jeez.

YABU.....very

I too have done night shifts in nursing and rest homes back in the day!

Oh what glorious times we had Rent a couple of videos and never have a chance to watch them or only take in a book and some knitting and finish both.

Seriously, as nearly everyone else has said, what do you expect them to do once any washing/ironing/cleaning jobs are out of the way? We used to do 12hr shifts and there is no way we could have coped without something to keep our brains working.

I think another crucial question here is who is your brother's Next of Kin?

If it is you, then I think you have every right to discuss this with the agency supplying your brother's care. If you find that their policies are not matched with your expectations, then you need to find another agency or ask SS to, depending on the provider of the funds (ie. you or SS).

If, however, it is someone else, then it is their decision and you should mind your own business.

I have SS support for my DD. That support comes in the form of agency carers, who come in for 2 hours at a time, twice per week.

During that time, I make the carer a cup of tea (or three), chat about her family and mine, what's happened during the week etc. She doesn't actually do a great deal, because what our family needs is an extra pair of hands with DD1.

That extra pair of hands actually diffuses DD1 and it means that DD1 doesn't get so wound up that she hits her sisters or causes a danger to herself/others. It's catch 22 - with the carer here, she doesn't need a massive amount of support because her needs are met. Without the carer, it's very obvoious that she can't cope with sharing my time between her and her younger sisters.

Now, I suppose I could say 'right...all you're doing is sitting around having a cup of tea and a chat.' Or, I could see what is really happening - the carer, who I treasure, is blending herself into our family, so that all 3 children see her as a normal extension of our family and are unaware that her presence isn't 'normal'. She is enabling DD1's siblings to grow up without the fear that they'll be hit by DD1 when she can't cope, because the carer can diffuse DD1 while I keep the other 2 occupied, or vice versa.

A lot of caring is being present and available. Your brother has as much right to peace and quiet as he does to active assistance. Imagine the alternative - your brother being constantly bothered by carers who want to show that they are being useful...it would drive me mad!

Good Post Lougle!

OP you might get a bit more of the support you want if you answered the questions you have been asked. Other than that, you have been given some very good information and perspective from people here.

OP many many years ago I used to do waking night shifts- the key thing is that you are awake, present and able to support someone with their needs. At times when the people I supported were asleep, and I'd tidied/ put a wash on etc.. I would sit with a book/ watching telly and a cup of tea. If the person is currently asleep you should be able to support them as soon as they awake (if they need that). But if they are actually asleep- and don't have needs that are so complex that means they need to be monitored closely when they sleep, then I think the staff could be providing perfectly competant care, as well as spending sometime in the computer.

Regarding what Lougle said, I've more recently worked on inpatient units where people are often monitored throughout the night, and I've never heard a patient describe this as anything other than invasive and upsetting.