To not want my mum called a doubler?

[DollyPartonsBeard]

Popped into care home this morning on my way to work to drop off a new sunhat for my mum. She's 89 and has been in residential care for nearly two years as she has dementia. She's also had several strokes and her mobility and balance are impaired and she needs two people to help her use the loo and bath and get dressed etc.

Usually visit later in the day but went in early as I noticed last night her straw hat is falling apart so took one of mine in so she can sit out for a bit today.

Arrived about 8.30 and mum was up and in front of breakfast tv. She's never been an early riser and has her radio alarm to come on to R4 in the morning and then a gentle start to the day or so I thought. We discussed these things when she moved in (the dementia has deteriorated since then but she can still express her needs) and I like the fact this home seemed to tailor care to individual's existing routines and likes.

Told a staff member I was surprised to see mum up so early and they said it was new rules and the manager said all the doublers had to be up before the night staff went off duty. When I asked what a doubler was she said it's people who need two staff to assist them. I reminded her that my mum is Mrs Ginger/ 'Mary' not a doubler.

AIBU to hope my poor old mum doesn't deserve to be described by a term which refers to her limitations, rather than by her name??

The Managers can't just hire more staff either Smashed - they answer to the company who answer to the board who answer to the shareholders. And yy about the mass denial. Lots of "oh yes it's shocking how badly paid you are and we know you don't have enough resources but could you somehow just do it anyway?" Actually, the answer is no.

This is actually organizational abuse. They cannot dictate when your mum gets up, and in doing so are abusing her. It's also incredibly disrespectful to call her anything other than the name she has chosen to be used for her and what is specified In her care plan. I would complain to regional managers if it's part of a bigger company otherwise your local council.

There's no way this term should be used within the hearing of any resident, using it in conversation with a resident's family member is also lacking in respect. While using category descriptors can be useful when planning, under no circumstances should such language escape the circle of staff members.

"It is now policy that all residents who require 2 staff members to assist them, get up before the night team leave" would have been far better in terms of language...even if the policy would still be questionable.

YANBU, they need to respect her and her needs as an individual.
I think it's bad practice only to have one member of staff when they get them up anyway, these are vulnerable people that they are working with and with the prices they charge for a place in a home then I'd expect two members of staff with a resident at all times.

As someone who worked in care you should question what time night shift are actually getting them up, before they were called up on it some night shift workers were getting people up at 4.30-5.30 as they were doubles there was no breakfast until 8.30. A.so if there is only two staff on nights who do you think is watching and caring for people who are already up whilst they are dog doubles.

Doing not dog

Interesting views here. I do understand that care staff are often overworked and not paid well, and I have a lot of admiration for what they do in difficult circumstances. The ones we've met have on the whole been lovely and seem to accommodate people's wishes which is why we chose it.

I'm planning to chat to the key worker when he's on duty to discuss the routine issue, didn't seem fair to bring it up with the carer as she said it was new rules so my thinking was the decision has been made at a higher level.

Interesting too that some of you have heard of this 'doubler' or 'double up' term - it's not one I've ever heard before and I can't say I like it, seems dehumanising to me and mum was in the lounge with us when it was used. Like I said, I know the carers work hard in stressful circumstances but it reminded me of when my uncle was in an institution for people with learning disabilities in the 70s and the residents were referred to by many as 'high grades' and 'low grades'.

They should always refer to her by name, or Mary,Barbra,Debra are doubles in handover. However very unproffesional way to refer your mother!

Ask to review the documents which say what time they are getting her up, if your mother can communicate ask her what times she is getting up.

There is a lot of pressure on night shift to get people up by a certain time between the two of us we had 14 people and only two hours this includes cleaning thier room.

A lot of people are missing the point. The member of staff who spoke to you should have said something like “Mary needs two caters to help her out of bed so we have to ask the night staff to help with that and get her, and the others who also need two people, up a bit earlier”. By using the term “doubler” to you this staff member has now revealed how they refer to the patients when they talk about them amongst themselves and shown no compassion for you or her. It’s not the worst term in the grand scheme of things but it still brings home to you that your once-vital Mum is now in a setting where she is dehumanised. However I suppose it has at least meant they have been unable to hide their attitude and you are now on alert for other instances.

As an ex nurse I honestly think some people here live in cloud coo coo land.

Care homes are staffed and generally understaffed by some of the hardest working lowest paid group of usually women in society.

Do you all want to pay more tax? No thought not and even if some like me say yes saying that in an election is a massive fail.

Op doubler wasn’t used to her face. It was tactless to use it to you but probably not meant nasty. Most staff meetings before shift refer to the ‘gall bladder lady in bay 2 or the CA tosis in bay 1’ not to their faces.

Op if your mum is generally ok, happy, clean and fed you are lucky with your home.

Yes that’s a low bar but it’s realistic. If we want excellent social care it’s gonna cost millions more In tax.

And take everyone to breakfast

With respect, neither your understanding or your admiration (or any one elses for that matter) changes reality. Unless you know that the staff are wasting time on other non-essential tasks, or are dossing about, or taking sickies - then there may really be no other way of doing things. The level you need to be taking this up with is way higher than her keyworker.

YANBU it's a horrible way to refer to a resident! Complain.

On a much less hurtful note, I used to get VERY irritated at my neighbour who used to refer to all the parents at her place of work (a nursery) as "Mum"

"Well Mum didn't want Chloe in the sand because of her skin issues..." and "Mum came in and asked if Oliver could not play with William as he's hurting him every day"

Frigging hell. Just say "Mrs Thomas" or "Ms Jones" or whoever they are.

It shows a lack of care.

Jessie

Utter bollocks. Nursing staff use terms amongst themselves as do all professionals and at no detriment to their patients. It’s what most professions do but clearly not all terms are meant to be shared with patients and rels because they are usually unfathomable unless you are in that profession.

Ajas

So much wrong with your post.

Your neighbour shouldn’t be sharing this with you and equally why would you think you should know intimate name details of children.

Jesus honestly you do wonder if people like you and your neighbour have ever heard of confidentiality

seasawride no need to be so rude! My point is that use of the term to the relative’s face was a lack of compassion, not use of the term itself. All jobs have jargon, of course they do. But people should know when not to use it.

It shouldn't be an issue, but, OP is your mother paying privately? The cost of a private care home place is sky high and the residents should 100% be getting tailored person centred care. Sadly local authorities pay very little. If the care home is full of local authority funded residents it may be a struggle for them to deliver excellence all round.
BarbarianMum - CQC compliance is not optional, and making people get up when they don't want to is a pretty serious breach.

Honestly I'm not sure what you expect. Unless you are paying top dollar they are most likely extremely underfunded. This is likely the only way they can ensure that your mother's needs are met without compromising the needs of other patients. I know that this is not what you want to hear but your mother is no more of less important than anyone else living at the home.

I think that baring what I have said above in mind you should have a chat with the manager and see if there is anything you can do to make it possible to accommodate her routine better. Maybe you could pay a bit extra to allow an extra member of staff to be employed for however many extra hours this requires. I would also reccomend raising concerns that you have not been told about this until you asked. You made it clear that a late rise was a fundamental part of your mother's routine and they agreed to accondate that. When they reneged on that agreement they should have informed you. The context dies not excuse what is essentially lying.

Care home inspector here.

As quoted previously this is institutional/organisational abuse.

This is your Mother's home and the staff are there for your Mother. You do not organise care around the needs and convenience of staff / staffing levels and shift patterns no matter how difficult it may be re recruitment/low pay etc.

Referring to your Mother as 'a doubler' indicates to me that the culture of the home is in question and needs to be seriously reviewed. This won't be just happening to your Mum and often it will be those residents who have no representation or voice who this will be happening to.

Please take this further. Ask to see your Mum's care plan and note what it says about morning routine and if this was followed.

I would complain to the care home manager and the director of the company (if it is a larger organisation). Complain verbally but also submit a written complaint.

Ask for a copy if their safeguarding policy and see what is says about organisational abuse.

Report this as a safegauarfing concern to both the local council and CQC.

A care home where I worked was criticised by CQC because the inspector overheard one of the care staff referring to a group of residents using the term ‘the softs’ - meaning people who were on a soft diet.

This place also referred to the heavier people who needed hoisting and two carers as ‘the heavies’.

It is totally unacceptable to refer to people using these derogatory terms. The home should be individualising people’s care as well, not getting them up early because they need two carers. Night staff usually knock off at 08:00 so, chances are, your mum was got up around 06:00.

If the public knew what went on in these places there’d be hell on.

jessie

You said it’s dehumanising! It’s not as used between professionals.

You start the day with s patient report. It’s vital to know if this patent is a doubler because if they need help to go to the toilet etc it’s no good you keeping them waiting while you faff around trying to do it by yourself so you know you will need another staff member. It’s purely short hand to convey a need.

Of course it shouldn’t have been shared with the relative but it’s not the crime of the century.

Dolly

I expect t there are hundreds of short hand medical and nursing terms you havnt heard of! Why would you know them*

My mum has altzimers and dad cares for her. Hand on heart I couldn’t and if dad goes I have to put her into a home just like you did.

If mum is fed, they are kind, she’s reasonably happy and clean then that’s all I would ask. It’s a bloody tough job looking after the elderly even in a care home situation.

Oh come on Seasawride, it has nothing to do with taxation. It's all about maximising profits.

Those with involved Families, in Care Homes, always get treated slightly better, or arsey SW's who do their jobs properly.

Op, you need to find out what time she is getting up. When I worked in Care Homes, we would start at 5.30. Which is part of the reason why I got out of Care Homes.

It's all about staffing levels and the duties on them. staff wages eat into profits, so they are kept to a minimum. That's without over-occupation of those that come under 'Nursing' rather than residential and the delay in getting people moved over.

I speak as someone who worked in Residential and whose SIL owned a Care Home.