To think you can't just leave somebody without a carer?

[Mixedupworld]

I have a carer twice a day to help me with personal care. My carer was due 7.30am. If they are running late I get a phone call to say so. By 8 I'd not heard anything so I rang the company. I was told they couldn't find out what was going on until the office opened at 8.30. I rang again 8.30 and after a bit of back and forth it turns out my usual morning carer needs to self isolate due to possibly being in contact with somebody who has coronavirus. Ok so when will I expect somebody to come out to me? I was told there is nobody else, they are short staffed and nobody will be coming until my bedtime call at 8.30pm.

I'm paraplegic, can't move from my waist down. I can probably get myself out of bed but then I'm stuck in my night clothes all day. I can change and wash my top half but can't do my bottom half. I have chronic back pain in my upper back so it will take me a long time to get up and dressed. I work from home but have 3 zoom meetings today. I'm CEV so can't have anybody other than my carers in to my apartment. If I can't get out of bed then other than half a packet of biscuits and enough water in my flask for one more cup of tea, I have no food or drink all day.

I'm fuming

That is absolutely awful. The care company should definitely get someone to you. Could you call back and re-explain all of the above to see if they can get someone in to you urgently.

How is the care organised? Through social work? I’d be on the phone to them complaining and seeing if they could organise emergency care. And then I would be putting in a massive complaint to the company that organising the care plus who ever inspects them. It’s just not good enough at all.

That sounds entirely unacceptable. I’m sorry, OP.

Have you had any issues with the care agency before?

I’m sorry I don’t have any more practical advice than phone a friend (not ideal I know, embarrassing for you) or keep phoning the care agency until they figure something out.

Awful, I’m so sorry.

Oh OP! That's awful for you 😥 just a handheld until someone with more experience in the carers system comes on to give you ideas on who to phone etc to get you help x

Completely unacceptable. Call back and demand somone comes! I'm so sorry this must be really awful. What is CEV sorry?

Is your care funded by social services? Maybe a phone call to their duty desk would put a rocket up the care agency's backside. The agency risks losing their contract if they can't provide the service.

If I knew you were nearby, I'd offer to help. But I suppose you have to be extra careful about who gets near you and what they might bring.

In situations like this of course you can have someone come in - its an emergency as you say you cant go 24 hrs without help. Finding someone might be an issue.

Zoom - go voice only, say you are not able to camera today. You can still see them etc. But also if your top half is OK then it works you change how the camera focuses on you to limit it to face/head only

I think if I were you I would try and sort some sort of back up plan as this is likely to happen more as more people have to isolate. If that is a friend or neighbour that you know also isolates or has a low circle of contacts etc.

For the future you need an emergency stash of snacks and water bottles somewhere close to where you usually are.

I do understand your frustration and the vulnerability you feel being reliant on an agency that frankly doesn't give a shit by the sounds of it

Even if you're care isn't funded by social services, they're the ones with the statutory duty and should be able to step in when usual arrangements break down for any reason.

Give them a call.

That is unacceptable of them. I am so sorry that they have left you in this situation.

How long have you been with this company? I would call back and say what you have said here. Not having a carer is not an option. Can they at least get someone to you later in the day?

Agree with PP, do you have an active social worker? If so call them and explain what's happening. If not, have a look at your local council for a front desk type number for Adult Health and Social Care. There may be a rapid response social worker who can help or perhaps one call from the council in-house carers. Stress upon everyone you speak to how urgent and serious this is.

Once you are safe and have had the care you need I would be putting in a formal complaint to the company and to CQC.

I'm sorry. I have no advice but that is just unacceptable.

That’s really awful! I agree with pp about having food / drinks to hand in case this happens in the future.

Im not sure what CVE means but is there anyone who can come and assist you with at least some food and water? People can break lockdown to help a vulnerable person.

It's not acceptable but I think it happens quite a lot. My Nan had carers 4 times a day after breaking her hip. Very often they just wouldn't turn up. Luckily we live nearby do could go and help her.

Poor you!
As above put in a call to your local authority adult social care helpline, they have a duty of care to put in emergency help for you. Request a review assessment at the same time and get them to put in a contingency plan for you. Hope it gets sorted!

I’d be fuming too, that’s absolutely unacceptable. Have you got friends or family nearby? I’d get someone to come and help you in as safe a way as possible. So both wear masks, get them to open the windows as soon as they arrive and just do the basics as quickly as possible.

Completely unacceptable OP.
The company is woefully unprepared if this is their response. Leaving you without food and drink, plus without proper care for your skin puts you at even more risk.
I would say call adult services, who will arrange for a carer visit, and then unfortunately you will need to develop a backup plan.

OP get on the phone to the care company & raise hell. Speak to the boss if needs be they will come out & do the call. Tell them it is not acceptable.
Also get in contact with your social worker.
I'm sorry you are in this position as a previous carer I used to occasionally on a bad day still be getting people out of bed at lunchtime.

For those asking- CEV is clinically extremely vulnerable.

Back on the phone to the care company to raise hell, and also a call to social services if your care was arranged through them. This is awful, OP. I hope you get it sorted

@Submariner

How long have you been with this company? I would call back and say what you have said here. Not having a carer is not an option. Can they at least get someone to you later in the day?

Agree with PP, do you have an active social worker? If so call them and explain what's happening. If not, have a look at your local council for a front desk type number for Adult Health and Social Care. There may be a rapid response social worker who can help or perhaps one call from the council in-house carers. Stress upon everyone you speak to how urgent and serious this is.

Once you are safe and have had the care you need I would be putting in a formal complaint to the company and to CQC.

I am very sorry you have been treated so badly.

This advice is from Submariner is what I would have written too.

The Local Authority (Council) will also have a Quality team within Adult Social Care who will be monitoring care providers. It is worth contacting them as they will tell your care provider that this is unacceptable and for them to get somebody to you.

Take care.

Please ring them back. These agencies always have people in the office, one of those people should come out to you.

Extra funding has been allocated to LAs to commission extra domiciliary care hours. At the moment Social Work are bombarding domiciliary care agencies with new referrals. Much of it for care packages that previously didn't meet the usual criteria. So, someone could be called to cover your call because many staff will be making calls to people with substantially less critical need. Agencies should have a contingency plan in place, they are required by law to risk assess and plan for staff shortage, weather conditions, Etc,....as I'm aware from government own guidelines no guidance has been issued to domiciliary care agencies in respect of Covid planning, yet.......

I would ring SW and report the agency for negligence and non compliance. Follow up with CQC. It becomes a safeguarding issue because they have failed in their duty of care.

If it's a company, can you get hold of someone senior to sort this out? They must know it is inhumane, dangerous, and a very serious failure on their part.

If they won't sort it out, I would consider reporting them to the Care Quality Commission.

What a dreadful situation to be in. Hope you can get through to this evenings visit comfortably.

With lots more test being done, more and more carers are going to have to isolate. There is a high risk that care companies will have several carers off at once and really struggle to provide an adequate service.

People with carers or who have family members with carers need to try and make plan B and plan C arrangements for this winter. It totally sucks but with constant government underfunding it was inevitable that the shit would hit the fan at some point.

@Fischliweiss Covid Extremely Vulnerable.

OP - This is humiliating and very hard. My sympathies, for they are worth. @MiniTheMinx advice sounds good.

If anyone else was wondering, I looked it up and CEV seems to mean 'clinically extremely vulnerable' to Covid 19 alama.org.uk/covid-19-medical-risk-assessment/public-health-england-individual-guidance-for-covid-19/