Ava’s experience: “She needs help to walk down the road, how can that be too much to ask…”
Mr Carter contacted us, concerned about his 83-year-old mother, Ava. Ava used to be active and outgoing spending hours gardening and always out and about in the community, but medical complications have affected her mobility. "She is a very strong woman, very independent. She never liked other people doing things for her. Now, I'm really worried; she's been feeling so down, stuck at home all the time and lonely."
It breaks my heart to see her sitting in that chair all day. She just wants to go out, but her carers don't seem to have time for it. That’s not life.
Ava lives alone in Plumstead and although she can walk, needs help to do so. Her carers come in every day but say they don’t have enough time to help Ava to go out. As a result, Ava hasn’t been out of her home for years. "Now her daily routine is to be hoisted from the bed to a recliner chair and then put back to bed, and that's all that happens, day in day out." Mr Carter says his mum keeps asking for help to go out and mobilise more. "It breaks my heart to see her sitting in that chair all day. She just wants to go out, but her carers don't seem to have time for it. That’s not life. She needs help to walk down the road, how can that be too much to ask…”
On top of that, Ava hasn’t had a proper bath because she needs help to get in and out of the bath. When asked, her carers say they don’t have the time and can only offer showers and bed-baths. "My mum hasn't had a proper bath in three years. It's not right. She deserves better care and attention than this." Despite reaching out to social services and occupational therapy for help, three months later, he’s still waiting for a review of his mum’s care.
Response from Adult Social Care Team, Royal Borough of Greenwich
“The Royal Borough of Greenwich is committed to ensuring that all residents receive care and support that meets their assessed needs and outcomes in their care and support plans. Care Assessors, Social Work teams and reviewing teams are trained to assess and review people’s needs and care and support plans utilising a strengths-based approach and focusing the person’s well-being and outcomes. Ava’s mum may benefit from making contact with those who oversee her care and support in Royal Borough of Greenwich to see if a review or reassessment of her needs and care and support arrangements is required. This usually happens annually, it may support in determining what additional support, including via local community resources may be available or other support which is required to fully meet her assessed needs and outcomes which are important to her. This in turn may lead to more up to date information being shared with the Care Provider who visits Ava at home and enable them to ensure Ava receives personalised and enabling care and support”
—Sue Chatterley, Associate Director of Midwifery & Neonatal services Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
Response from Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
We were sorry to hear that Ava had difficulty accessing an Occupational therapy assessment to support with bathing. We would advise contacting your GP who can make a referral to the Oxleas Community Rehabilitation and short-term assessment team. The Occupational Therapists within the team are able to assess for and provide bathing equipment. They can also refer onwards to Social services Occupational Therapy if more complex adaptations are required.
