Is not effectively shielding a person with dementia a safeguarding issue?

[Zwerty]

The title sums it up really, is putting someone at potential risk of catching coronavirus because they’re not properly being shielded by family/the person they live with a safeguarding issue?

The context being, that the person is shielded because of dementia (and other conditions) but isn’t able to understand what shielding means so can’t advocate for themselves to say “we shouldn’t be doing that!” Or “visiting this place is putting me at more risk”.

Hope it makes sense - would just really appreciate opinions. It’s divisive subject so trying to look at it rationally I suppose.

@Haretodaygonetomorrow
I agree, and mentioned upthread that a care home would be a bad outcome and not what my original post was getting at. My original question was “is this a safeguarding issue?” not “help me with ammunition to get this person into a care home”.

I think focussing in on my B&Q example and reading that as resentment on my part is an incorrect interpretation of what I’m getting at.

The person IS safe at home, as mentioned upthread. And the carer has been offered respite in many ways by family and friends - they are well supported - but that’s not to say more can’t be done.

I know this is a highly emotional topic - for my family, and for people on Mumsnet in similar circumstances. And I have unceasing admiration for those who are in a caring role, in normal times and now. My post wasn’t about disrespecting carers or their decisions. It was about a shielded person not being effectively shielded, and the lack of capacity the shielded person has to decide how “strictly” they should shield as the main issue.

@Zwerty from what I understand upsetting the routine of someone with dementia can do more harm than good if they have no capacity to understand what's happening. Perhaps this person weighed up the risks and decided on the best course of action. If someone is close to end of life (as this person will likely be if the dementia is advanced?), locking them up is not really beneficial. It just makes their remaining time stressful. It's important to remember that extending life by all means possible is not always the most ethical choice

I think we are at the point where the risk of Covid has to be balanced against the risk to mental health and carer stress.

It's unlikely to meet the threshold for adult safeguarding unless it's causing distress to the vulnerable adult or there's a concern the carer is deliberately trying to expose the person to Covid.

Plus if this landed on my desk I could only do what family members could do anyway, give advice around keeping safe and minimising the risk to the household and contact details for community groups who could support.

Personally having witnessed the lives of many people with advanced dementia I would be quietly allowing them to get on with doing anything that still gives them joy while they can, even if that comes with risks.

Honestly living with someone with severe dementia can be hell on earth.

Sufferers very often display challenging, aggressive behaviour; are awake throughout the night (often is states of distress/psychosis) and can be very restless, particularly when sundowning in the evening. We had my grandmother living with us with Dementia and it consumed every minute of our day for years- she would often be trying to escape and would become violent if not allowed to do so.
The only way to calm her down was to take her out for a walk or a car ride so although I believe in sticking to the rules, there are exceptional circumstances.

To answer your question above, yes not shielding a person with dementia who is unable to make their own decision and lacks capacity when they are a live in carer may well be classed as a safeguarding issue however family offering to ‘look after’ family member whilst the carer goes to the shop or to have a bit of time out could also be classed as a safeguarding risk given that family members are aware that shielded people should not come into contact with people outside of their household.
However as I said upthread the carer is doing the best they can in extremely challenging circumstances and I don’t think their every move should be scrutinised.

There’s a reason why residents in care homes have such short life spans. I would avoid one at all costs.

Totally disagree with this. Often people rally when admitted to a care home: for the first time in ages they are eating well and being given good personal and medical care. They would have been really struggling at home, and probably would have just had carers going in or an elderly partner at their wit's end trying to do their best.

And, of course, it is in a care home's interest to have long-term paying residents. My pil were a veritable goldmine for their care home...

Also (and this has been debated well on another thread) what the hell is the point of a long lifespan in a care home? You don't find Captain (Sir) Toms in care homes nor mildly dotty elderly ladies playing bridge. They may be in residential homes. Care homes are populated by people who are very frail and/or badly demented.

Back to OP, what is the point of relative staying in? So they may avoid catching Covid. But they will be sitting staring at four walls and becoming increasingly less like the person they were.

Try caring for someone with dementia for a couple of weeks and see how appealing a trip to the tip or B&Q is then, OP. I am afraid that had my own mother lived to see this pandemic, we would have taken her out as much as possible. Some kind of quality of life when you get to 80 and think your 14 year old grandson is your boyfriend is better than nothing and almost always preferable to sitting around waiting to die. Whether it’s COVID or something else, there comes a point where living whatever life you have is the most important thing. We put animals down way before they get to the state some people with dementia get into.

I completely agree with @Howaboutanewname and do think that it's difficult for anyone who hasn't lived with someone with the condition to grasp how incredibly difficult it is for the sufferer and the family.