Disgraced at nursing home!

[aayspa]

Went to visit one of my ladies I see at a nursing home this afternoon for her monthly manicure and as it was rather hot she had no shoes on and to my disgust this is what I saw!

Her poor feet are covered in dry scaly skin, scabs, bleeding abrasions, red and sore looking patches and her nails are extremely thickened and yellow, possible fungal infection but its the skin that was most shocking!

I asked her if she was ok and if her feet were sore or itchy etc but she said they were fine although in all honesty she probably isn't with it enough to tell, she suffers heavily with depression and Alzheimer's is kicking in.

When I left I mentioned her poor feet to one of the staff who just said yes she has bad skin everywhere there's nothing we can do which I proceeded to tell her there blatantly is as it is their job to to care and look after their patients. This is not a cheap nursing home by any means and I would expect a decent level of care to be given! Said I would contact her daughter immediately to which she just rolled her eyes and said ok and walked off!

On contacting her daughter she didn't seem too bothered either. Her attitude was a little like she didn't care. She pays for the home and the rest is their problem not hers.

I feel terribly saddened that this poor lady has gotten into this state and no-one seems to give a damn! I am no doctor so obviously I can't diagnose but I know that she should not be left like this. I have never seen her like this before so clearly something is wrong but what can I do?! If the daughter and the staff don't care who will? Just me?!

I'd hate to to think of anyone being left like this never mind my own mum. Grrrr I'm so angry!

 

[geeg]

Poor old lady.
Is there any way to report her situation to an authority who can get some help to her?

Don't they have regular visits from a podiatrist there?

 

[clairgill]

Your local authority should have an adult safeguarding board. They have a responsibility in the area for having an overview of vulnerable adults in the authority. Try contacting them and raise your concerns. There should also be a social work team that take referrals about the elderly/vulnerable when you have concerns for their well being. I agree with your concerns; I'm sure there are things that can be done for skin issues and a chiropodist should look at her foot as that toenail doesn't look healthy x

 

[aayspa]

Thank you for your replies.

No Geeg they don't have visits from a podiatrist/chiropodist. I'm even thinking I'll send one in myself! She is so lovely bless her.

I agree the nail doesn't look healthy, her big toe nail on her other foot was worse. Extremely thickened and yellow.

I will try to get in touch with the local authorities and see what they have to say. In the meantime does anyone have any diagnoses that so i can tell the authorities what I think is the problem?!

Thanks for your support, glad it's not just me being attached to my clients x

 

[squishorz]

This is really sad
I hope you can get through to the appropriate authorities and that they act swiftly! Poor woman x

 

[Lizzie Fin]

That is absolutely shocking and the response you got from both the staff member and the daughter is disgusting. Can't help you with what it might be, but good luck in reporting it.

 

[geeg]

Didn't think a nursing home could exist without a regular visiting chiropodist/podiatrist as feet problems are very common among the elderly. Shocking !! Who tends to their feet??

I don't think you need a diagnosis ... just describe what you have seen, you have the photos and go from there. They are self explanatory.

 

[RayneBow]

Omg that's so terrible

 

[PaulineM-Mobile]

This ladies feet look very dry, possibly due to medication. It would not take much care to fix it. I soak and some moisturiser. The nail may need further treatment.

I would be very careful here. You have addressed the issue with the appropriate people. My concern is you have taken pictures of a patient and pursuing issue that the patient does not want you to. If she only has the early onset of Alzheimer's, it is likely she is able to consent or NOT to what your doing.

Also a little note. I'm a nurse. I see several patients with poor poor foot hygiene & care much much worse than this on a daily basis.

I wouldn't go in guns blazing. Go back see her have a chat. Ask her if she wants you to pursue this. Speak to her daughter again. Perhaps this is an ongoing/ long term condition hence her family and staff not overly concerned.

Good Luck to you and the lady whatever the outcome

P x

 

[marion]

Went to visit one of my ladies I see at a nursing home this afternoon for her monthly manicure and as it was rather hot she had no shoes on and to my disgust this is what I saw!

View attachment 37865

I asked her if she was ok and if her feet were sore or itchy etc but she said they were fine although in all honesty she probably isn't with it enough to tell, she suffers heavily with depression and Alzheimer's is kicking in.

When I left I mentioned her poor feet to one of the staff who just said yes she has bad skin everywhere there's nothing we can do which I proceeded to tell her there blatantly is as it is their job to to care and look after their patients. This is not a cheap nursing home by any means and I would expect a decent level of care to be given! Said I would contact her daughter immediately to which she just rolled her eyes and said ok and walked off!

On contacting her daughter she didn't seem too bothered either. Her attitude was a little like she didn't care. She pays for the home and the rest is their problem not hers.

I feel terribly saddened that this poor lady has gotten into this state and no-one seems to give a damn! I am no doctor so obviously I can't diagnose but I know that she should not be left like this. I have never seen her like this before so clearly something is wrong but what can I do?! If the daughter and the staff don't care who will? Just me?!

I'd hate to to think of anyone being left like this never mind my own mum. Grrrr I'm so angry!

Was there any sign of this condition a month ago when you last saw her? It seems like it's been like this for longer than a month

 

[Panoramic]

I was a senior care assistant in a nursing home for a few years.

I am fed up with people blaming the care profession.

12 hours a day, very little wages etc.

Yes these feet are inexcusable but I would put money on it that there are quite a few that are like that.

To me it looks like a circulatory issue hence the skin texture.


May I asked why you contacted her daughter? That should be left with the nurse in charge.

 

[sophiegees]

Regarding the toenails, many older people have nails like this. They can be thinned with a drill which is a very simple process, but it will thicken and discolour again. Many choose to not bother and just leave them if they are not causing any discomfort.

However if the lady would like them thinned then she or her family could arrange for someone to do this.

I would hope that she was under a doctors care for her skin problem. But even in an NHS hospital setting they will not deal with toenails unless the person is considered at risk - eg neuro-vascular lower limb problems.

I too would hate to think of am older vulnerable person being neglected, but hopefully this may not be as bad as you think in terms of care.

 

[NailsBySarah13]

I'm a care and support worker as well as a nail tech and if I were you I would report the home to the CQC (care quality commision) Hun that's the best way, better to be safe than sorry too much abuse going on in these foul disgraceful places

 

[Christy.]

I was a senior care assistant in a nursing home for a few years.

I am fed up with people blaming the care profession.

12 hours a day, very little wages etc.

Yes these feet are inexcusable but I would put money on it that there are quite a few that are like that.

To me it looks like a circulatory issue hence the skin texture.


May I asked why you contacted her daughter? That should be left with the nurse in charge.

You should know what you are signing up to when you enter that profession. It is their job to make sure they are well looked after in all aspects and to seek help if it is out of your means.

If that was my mam I would want to know if she wasn't taken care of in the way she should be.

You can't blame low wages and long hours for neglecting something that could treated.

 

[aayspa]

I was a senior care assistant in a nursing home for a few years.

I am fed up with people blaming the care profession.

12 hours a day, very little wages etc.

Yes these feet are inexcusable but I would put money on it that there are quite a few that are like that.

To me it looks like a circulatory issue hence the skin texture.


May I asked why you contacted her daughter? That should be left with the nurse in charge.

Please do not take offence, I was not accusing you or saying that the care profession do not do a good job. I have first hand experience that they do a wonderful job in some cases.

This is not a wonderful job! It doesn't matter that people work 12hour days for little pay, many professions are in the same boat but that is not an excuse for neglect! Yes the hours and pay are terrible I accept that but it doesn't mean you can leave people to suffer. I'm sure you wouldn't.

You have admitted that these feet are inexcusable yet you don't seem surprised and have said there are many other cases like this, do you find that acceptable? I sure don't.

If you had read my post you would see that I contacted the daughter after speaking to a member of the care team who really just didn't care and passed it off as something they couldn't do anything about! If I had not contacted her daughter (the person in charge of her mums care and who employs me to give her a manicure once a month hence her being my point of contact!) then nothing would be done because the nursing team didn't care! As it happens neither does the daughter. So what exactly would you have me do now seeing as its not the care professions fault and the daughter feels its not her responsibility?!

No one should be left to suffer and unfortunately in this case it is down to me to help see that she is no longer neglected and left with poor foot health and bleeding scabs and abrasions!

 

[geeg]

I was a senior care assistant in a nursing home for a few years.

I am fed up with people blaming the care profession.

12 hours a day, very little wages etc.

Yes these feet are inexcusable but I would put money on it that there are quite a few that are like that.

To me it looks like a circulatory issue hence the skin texture.


May I asked why you contacted her daughter? That should be left with the nurse in charge.

Care is a vocation .,.. who else would you blame? The elderly person, the system, the family?

If one loves people enough to do the job, then one wouldn't watch them suffer, with no one to care for their needs. It could be any one of us one day; our parents or friends.

 

[aayspa]

Was there any sign of this condition a month ago when you last saw her? It seems like it's been like this for longer than a month

Unfortunately I do not often see her feet as she always has shoes on. However the last time I saw them, probably a few months ago now they were not in this state. Yes the nails were thickened and yellowing but that is not my main concern right now it's the skin and bleeding abrasions that I'm concerned about. Nails could be easily sorted if its something she was concerned about but she doesn't seem to care about anything where she is so depressed! It's so hard to know where the line is and how to approach the situation x

 

[smallandcute]

If you feel there is neglect within the care home then you need to report it to the care quality commission although be aware they may not listen. My mum wistleblowed to them over a care home in which staff ended up going to prison for neglect and management not keeping things above board legally and they didnt want to know, the cqc were trying to cover their own backs as there was so much evidence against them not following procceedures they should have done and trying to make out that when my mum spoke to them it was the first they knew of this particular care home and their lack of care but wasnt then the cqc tried to blame my mum and others and wanted their occupation registrations after they exposed the failings of the cqc.

I would also ring the daughter back saying that the initial phone call was down to shock of her mums feet and staff but you would like your mum to have a podiatrist visit your mum for foot care and once better would she like a pedi with you as well as the mani, that way you can keep an eye on her feet etc and its a bit of pampering for your client and the daughtrler knows that her mums feet are being taken care of too.

Hope this situation gets sorted soon x

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek mobile app

 

[PaulineM-Mobile]

Unfortunately I do not often see her feet as she always has shoes on. However the last time I saw them, probably a few months ago now they were not in this state. Yes the nails were thickened and yellowing but that is not my main concern right now it's the skin and bleeding abrasions that I'm concerned about. Nails could be easily sorted if its something she was concerned about but she doesn't seem to care about anything where she is so depressed! It's so hard to know where the line is and how to approach the situation x

Without consent, you should not take this any further.

 

[geeg]

Without consent, you should not take this any further.

Surely there comes a point where the well being of the patient is more important than the protocol?