I work in what is supposed to be a residential home, however it feels more like an EMI unit.
Of course many people in homes have some form of dementia to varying extents, however I do not think our home should be classed as residential.
On what is now a daily basis I am dealing with residents defecating on the floor in public spaces, into their hands, and so on.
People stripping in public.
I've had death threats today. I am sexually harassed most days and have been groped on many occasions.
I am called every name under the sun.
I am dealing with more and more physical fights. Luckily I am not personally affected by this but I know that many people would be and it is really not easy.
The home have only just started locking doors. Before this we'd find residents in other people's beds, and trashing their rooms.
We have some residents with full capacity and it's also unfair on them. To be quite blunt, it's not nice for them to have to witness someone taking a shit on the floor whilst they're eating their dinner.
People walking down the corridor naked.
Alarms going off constantly because the home does not have keypad entry and some residents constantly try to escape.
I am not blaming the residents at all, it is a terrible and cruel illness and I feel upset for these people every shift because this is no longer who they are. I go home thinking about them all the time.
However I do not believe we are able to cater for this in what is a so called residential home. A lot of our residents need one to one support and none of them have it. We have 36 residents and either 4 or 5 staff each shift .
It's become some sort of conveyor belt,getting them all in bed as fast as you can so they can go out and have a cigarette. No time to spend doing activities.
I am leaving as soon as I have a start date for my new job.
Does anybody else feel like this is the case in care homes?
I know there are better ones out there with the right support. I feel very sad for these residents.