To make some sort of complaint about the care home?

[Elfina]

My grandmother was in a care home for those with dementia. She went missing from there on Friday. Her body was discovered yesterday in some allotments.

I'm not next of kin (and am not in contact with my aunt, who is).

I want to know how this could have happened. I am completely torn up over how she must have suffered in her final hours. In a fucking allotment, like a bit of rubbish

I'm so sorry for Your loss op

I would definitely want a full investigation on how this happened

You must complain - I'd probably start with the owner of the care home and then escalate to the CQC unless they give a very good account of themselves.

My mum visited the home yesterday (this is my paternal grandmother, so no relation to my mum, I'm in London btw and my family are in birmingham so she could get there easily). They wouldn't tell my mum anything. We found out via a public statement by the police.

Is there anything I can do even though I'm not next of kin?

Should I write do you think? Or call?

I would probably call and ask what the official complaints procedure was.

Then put it all in writing.

There will be a full inquiry.
How you could access the info without contact with the next of kin, I'm not sure. Anyone else in the family?
Do the care home. know you (not that it's their version you want anyway).

No, they don't know me.

Do to DV from my father, I've been NC with his side of the family for sometime. Because of him, it means I won't be able to attend the funeral.

I just want to make sure that the situation is reviewed and that another very vulnerable person does not die alone in the cold and dark

How sad. Your Grandmother's disappearance was well publicised on Twitter via the feeds I follow in Birmingham and I was sad to read the resolution this morning.

It will be of no comfort to you, however it seems this is a common occurrence - I think this is the second this week in the city. Obviously there needs to be investigations.

I've worked in a care home and have experienced a resident with dementia going missing.

The doors are secured with staff only pin entry access to come in and a different pin to get out, manned reception to let other people in through a buzzer, so, secure it would seem.

However, this resident with dementia was able to get out because a family were leaving at the time and must have held the door open for her thinking she was a visitor.

Police and safeguarding were involved and it was investigated.

You cannot tell by looking at someone that they have dementia so it could be a tragic misunderstanding of a visitor, otherwise the care home will have a lot to answer for on top of what they already do.

So sorry for your loss OP.

I'm so sorry this has happened.

There will be a full enquiry as someone has said, and it will be investigated. You may have to push for updates and I'm not sure how you'll get them not being next of kin.

I would be however requesting a meeting with the home, once you've had time to grieve.

So sorry again

That's awful OP, I am sorry.

Maybe contact the Care Quality Commssion (website) and ask them?

My mother is also in a Birmingham care home and has dementia.
I'm so sorry for your loss and I hope you get some answers.

Thanks all.x

OP im so so sorry. I also hope you get some answers.

That is truly awful OP and i feel for you. My Mum was in two care homes and both had notices on the door asking visitors to make sure that residents did not leave at the same time as them/ with them (unless it was their own relative, of course) i am fairly certain the Home management or owners are not going to say anything to anyone while an enquiry is being carried out. But I have found the CQC to be very heplful in the past and there is nothing to stop you from getting in touch with the local one in the area where the home is. They need to know about this.

I am so sorry. I can only add that there would have to be some kind of police/coronial investigation about this, which would surely identify issues that contributed and recommend any changes. That, of course, does not negate your family's right to complain to aged care authorities too. This is what would happen here in Oz anyway.

Oh I saw this earlier. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I am sorry to hear that you grandmother has died in such circumstances. .. no one wants to think of anyone dying like this. As to whether a complaint is appropriate depends on the situation regarding the home as there are different levels of security depending on the precise nature of the home or unit within it. It's not legal to deprive people of their liberty without medical agreement so it depends on how serious the dementia affected her. Some places don't lock the doors but have alarms on... some have more secure areas within... some as mentioned above have coded locks. It's a much debated issue both on the legal / human rights aspect and rhe fact it can cause a huge amount of stress to those affected when they want to go out and .think they are being kept prisoner if doors locked. If not not involving you then it might be difficult for you to access any info at all till police investigation complete. It's easy to blame the home... and of course there may be a case of negligence to answer.... but unless more facts are known we should not be assuming anything. I hope you get the answers you need

OP

You will need to wait for the inquest and investigation into the death to be completed before anyone can give you meaningful answers even if you were noted as nok.

There will be a significant incident investigation underway involving the home, coroner and CQC, also very likely to be a police investigation.

Although your father is her immediate relative the degree of information shared with you may be more / the same depending on the contact you had with the home or grandmother while she was alive.