Help please! Mum needs cream applied daily

[OldSpeclkledHen]

Hiya

DM needs a cream applied ideally every day to her leg (or at least 3/4 times a week) She is unable to do this herself (she is overweight and basically cannot reach properly)

I asked the Dr about the district nurse, he grumbled that this is not something she would do. Is he correct?

She lives alone, I live 40 miles away and visit weekly.

We'd potentially pay for some one to call in and do this, but have no idea where to start?!

Am crap at this adulting malarkey

Thanks in advance everyone xx

Sounds like she needs some home care

www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/care-services-equipment-and-care-homes/homecare/

We had this with Ddad - cream and pressure stockings which were so tight Dmum couldn't manage to get them on. Local authority provided carers to do it every morning - they also assessed to see if any other help was needed.

District nurses generally only visit patients who are housebound. So if your mother is mobile, albeit not able to reach her leg, she may be expected to visit the GP (or hospital etc) herself. It's inconvenient but the NHS is really overstretched.

If she is housebound you could speak to a different GP or in my area the district nursing service accepts referrals directly from patients or carers.

Contacting social services for a care needs assessment might also be beneficial.

The DNs (certainly in my parents area) have a really high threshold before they will accept you. Mum qualifies as a diabetic on insulin with dementia, but they won't do dad (insulin, leg ulcers, on warfarin) as he can go to the supermarket on his scooter - even though the doctors is twice as far and he really struggles to walk from the door to the treatment rooms. And they complain about mum being on her own while he's out...

Anyway, a carer would apply the cream, when dads legs aren't bandaged their carer does his. They have an independent carer who is amazing - ask around locally, the vicar can be a great contact or if theres a proper pharmacist (ours knows everything!), or if you can get the district nurses on the phone they might tell you - or as dads did, said they couldn't recommend anyone, but someone might give them a call if that was OK.

Fab! Thank You!

Yes, she's practically housebound now...

I'll get back onto social services xx

Am crap at this adulting malarkey No you're not. You're just starting the learning curve. None of us knew anything when we started out.

Absolutely MereDinto, there's no classes for this, no books on 'how to stop your mother wearing her pyjamas outside' or 'when Waitrose stop doing disposable cups and she shouts for hours everyday that she needs her drink', and very little peer support. We all muddle our way through everyday and find coping strategies eventually.

I've found just knowing I can come on here and whinge about things helps amazingly, and someone always has some suggestions. Or virtual gin and a handhold.