I wanted to add to the below blog but wrote it later I will leave this here.
The home I worked in was dirty and smelt by 4pm the back corridors smelt like awful. Form early on I found shit on the floor and walls of the toilets which residents would use in bare feet and socks. Some people were left in bed to sleep all day not a problem for you and I after a Saturday night but try weeks of it and the results id ulcers, dehydration, increased confusion and depression. The staff are amazingly caring but seemed poorly trained to deal with these people.
I heard the manager inform me she did not like some of her patients being put on meds to control their moods. Again seems nice hey? However it means the trouble makers almost run the place little old ladys seem to sit in fear of losing their chairs or snacks and staff face violence and abuse.
I downloaded the report for this care home online and all the above points (apart from the shit) were raised but clearly have not be corrected.
I'm not sure what to do?
Monday 31 January 2011
Bad smells are not always shit....but this one was.
Liver or pork? Fuck off.
Today I worked at a Residential care home that specialises in dementia care. It took me 40 mins to cycle there, 5 mins to get in, and 30 secs to figure out this was going to be a shit awful day.
The unit I worked on has 30 residents, both male and female, from 63 to 92 years old. All require help and support with day to day tasks. Some are incontinent and dribble, some talk to you like your old teacher and you wonder why they're there until you find out they eat tissues and their own poo. The staff are hard-arsed ladies with hearts of gold and jewelry to match and one dodgy looking rat-faced man that I think offered to cut down a tree in my garden last year for 50 quid.
The building is a nice enough: one level rat run, built by the cheapest bidder to last 3 years, 7 years ago. The corridors, flanked with black and white pictures of old film stars, do little to brighten the place up, in fact I found them depressing. Not only are most of these stars dead, but I bet they didn't spend their last days wearing odd slippers and trying to finish their lunch quickly before the poo lady comes and licks their fork. .
The large lounge has rows of high back blue chairs and a massive flat screen tv. It sort of looks like a retro cinema or possibly the "Star Trek Next Generation" mess hall set, full of "Shaun of the Dead" cast members. Three things add to this feeling:
Today I worked at a Residential care home that specialises in dementia care. It took me 40 mins to cycle there, 5 mins to get in, and 30 secs to figure out this was going to be a shit awful day.
The unit I worked on has 30 residents, both male and female, from 63 to 92 years old. All require help and support with day to day tasks. Some are incontinent and dribble, some talk to you like your old teacher and you wonder why they're there until you find out they eat tissues and their own poo. The staff are hard-arsed ladies with hearts of gold and jewelry to match and one dodgy looking rat-faced man that I think offered to cut down a tree in my garden last year for 50 quid.
The building is a nice enough: one level rat run, built by the cheapest bidder to last 3 years, 7 years ago. The corridors, flanked with black and white pictures of old film stars, do little to brighten the place up, in fact I found them depressing. Not only are most of these stars dead, but I bet they didn't spend their last days wearing odd slippers and trying to finish their lunch quickly before the poo lady comes and licks their fork. .
The large lounge has rows of high back blue chairs and a massive flat screen tv. It sort of looks like a retro cinema or possibly the "Star Trek Next Generation" mess hall set, full of "Shaun of the Dead" cast members. Three things add to this feeling:
1. The sliding patio doors at either side, allowing residents to go in and out for air, and staff for smokes only lack that swoosh sound
2. Everybody is either falling over, holding onto chairs, or shaking as if the place is shaking from another Klingon bird-of-prey attack
3. The call bells from residents needing help and the telephone are rigged to an almost completely ignored RED ALERT siren.
The afternoon's entertainment would have bored the shit out of my 2 year old god-daughter, with colouring books and magnetic darts on offer as the only mental stimulation for people who can't go out into the real world anymore.
With the staff hogging the darts, and the only person colouring being poo lady (who I'm pretty sure ate more crayons than the average nursery school would use in a year), I guess the residents weren't too impressed either. Still, at least her poo would look more appealing 6 hours down the line and would probably have more colour than the food served at lunch.
The afternoon's entertainment would have bored the shit out of my 2 year old god-daughter, with colouring books and magnetic darts on offer as the only mental stimulation for people who can't go out into the real world anymore.
With the staff hogging the darts, and the only person colouring being poo lady (who I'm pretty sure ate more crayons than the average nursery school would use in a year), I guess the residents weren't too impressed either. Still, at least her poo would look more appealing 6 hours down the line and would probably have more colour than the food served at lunch.
Sunday 30 January 2011
A wasted weekend
Well, it's Sunday night and I look forward to a week of cleaning up shit and playing bingo with old people.
The weekend got away from me and I spent most of my time gaming, killing GI's or Gooks. How the fuck I can be thirty is beyond me.
I have met some lovely people over the last couple of days. I must make more effort to see them and warm in their light.
The weekend got away from me and I spent most of my time gaming, killing GI's or Gooks. How the fuck I can be thirty is beyond me.
I have met some lovely people over the last couple of days. I must make more effort to see them and warm in their light.
Saturday 29 January 2011
Aftermath
Well another week of uni ended with a bang!
Lectures on how to leave people at home if they don't need to go to hospital or if they don't want to go in. Interesting stuff really, it seems we can leave people in their homes if they don't need to go if we feel clinically confident that they are not about to die. However, if they ask to go (even if they are fit and well) we have to take them in? TAXI?
After uni drinks were hilarious as the huge tension that has been building up though the week exploded into shouting matches and abuse. At one point I thought fists were going to be thrown. It all quieted down and after about 10 jugs of cocktails, I found myself dancing around and jumping up and down (till 3am :-) Even learned to waltz, thanks to a small ginger girl who turned out to be a dance instructor.
I woke up on my floor with 3 people in my house who I feed and watered and kicked out into the cold at mid day.
It appears I have become a nice guy? A mediator and hand holder rather than a drunk that punches charity workers. Where has my anger gone?
Lectures on how to leave people at home if they don't need to go to hospital or if they don't want to go in. Interesting stuff really, it seems we can leave people in their homes if they don't need to go if we feel clinically confident that they are not about to die. However, if they ask to go (even if they are fit and well) we have to take them in? TAXI?
After uni drinks were hilarious as the huge tension that has been building up though the week exploded into shouting matches and abuse. At one point I thought fists were going to be thrown. It all quieted down and after about 10 jugs of cocktails, I found myself dancing around and jumping up and down (till 3am :-) Even learned to waltz, thanks to a small ginger girl who turned out to be a dance instructor.
I woke up on my floor with 3 people in my house who I feed and watered and kicked out into the cold at mid day.
It appears I have become a nice guy? A mediator and hand holder rather than a drunk that punches charity workers. Where has my anger gone?
Thursday 27 January 2011
second day
Well here it is a day two.
Felt a little tired and needy today. Maybe even tearful. Wait, need a tea... er no milk, so powered then. Luckily I have built up a tolerance to powdered crap from cycle touring but anyway still tastes like shit...where was I? Tearful, yes. Guess I'm just tired. Not rushing off to bed at the mo which for me is a bad sign. I have always thought how quickly you get so sleep is a clear indication of the state of your soul. To much on your mind or conscience keeps you brain buzzing long after you body has given up. My mind is full of things I should have done, bills un-paid, phone calls un-made, and letter un-written. I'm not that busy, just lazy.
So, what did I do today.
After getting up, I changed into clean clothes (this is rare for me I must admit), and headed into uni for what I knew would be a wasted morning of self avoided study and chatting. I am happy enough to waste this time. At least at uni I am around people. Lectures followed in the afternoon which turned out to be quite good and reassuring in regards to treatment plans for diabetic patients. Hypo? Sugars! Hyper? Water!
We were given MORE assignments and work books and I felt myself being a little overwhelmed. I did quite well in my last assignment but am not sure if that was my doing of my sisters help? She is the brains.
I found myself looking at my peers today, seeing them in 5 years time and really being able to imagine what type of paramedics they will be. I can feel some already not giving a shit about there patients other than to test the knowledge on. There is a real idea of elitism already. "Stupid patients with their heart attacks and diabetes, old ladies that smell of piss and fall over." It's hard sometimes to remember these people are us. These people are are mothers, fathers, grandmothers...
I'm tired today because I cannot sleep
I cannot sleep because I'm tired of being lazy and I'm lazy because? I don't know maybe I'm just tired.
Felt a little tired and needy today. Maybe even tearful. Wait, need a tea... er no milk, so powered then. Luckily I have built up a tolerance to powdered crap from cycle touring but anyway still tastes like shit...where was I? Tearful, yes. Guess I'm just tired. Not rushing off to bed at the mo which for me is a bad sign. I have always thought how quickly you get so sleep is a clear indication of the state of your soul. To much on your mind or conscience keeps you brain buzzing long after you body has given up. My mind is full of things I should have done, bills un-paid, phone calls un-made, and letter un-written. I'm not that busy, just lazy.
So, what did I do today.
After getting up, I changed into clean clothes (this is rare for me I must admit), and headed into uni for what I knew would be a wasted morning of self avoided study and chatting. I am happy enough to waste this time. At least at uni I am around people. Lectures followed in the afternoon which turned out to be quite good and reassuring in regards to treatment plans for diabetic patients. Hypo? Sugars! Hyper? Water!
We were given MORE assignments and work books and I felt myself being a little overwhelmed. I did quite well in my last assignment but am not sure if that was my doing of my sisters help? She is the brains.
I found myself looking at my peers today, seeing them in 5 years time and really being able to imagine what type of paramedics they will be. I can feel some already not giving a shit about there patients other than to test the knowledge on. There is a real idea of elitism already. "Stupid patients with their heart attacks and diabetes, old ladies that smell of piss and fall over." It's hard sometimes to remember these people are us. These people are are mothers, fathers, grandmothers...
I'm tired today because I cannot sleep
I cannot sleep because I'm tired of being lazy and I'm lazy because? I don't know maybe I'm just tired.
Wednesday 26 January 2011
The beginning
The birth of my brain on a page for nobody to read!
I have talked to a friend recently about starting a blog (this blog) so I can document my life. I am no different than any other blogger on here. My spelling is bad and my grammar is worse. I have had a pretty cool life traveled, had the odd girlfriend and so heart break. Lost the odd family member so emotional break. I try to be nice to the world and people and like to think I have strong morals? But I also know that's a lie. I know I will break them to suit myself. I have lied, cheated, stolen, and been cruel. I want to be better.
I am training to be a paramedic. Not really the statement you would expect to follow the last but hey, this is the truth, so there it is.
Today I learned some interesting and terrifying medical information on pregnancy. Watched a counselor failing to teach a class.
I ate badly and watched Charlie Broker tell me on TV that TV is ruining my life?? Had a nap, played squash (badly), and now have made myself write this. I will lie two more times before bed and then sleep.
I have talked to a friend recently about starting a blog (this blog) so I can document my life. I am no different than any other blogger on here. My spelling is bad and my grammar is worse. I have had a pretty cool life traveled, had the odd girlfriend and so heart break. Lost the odd family member so emotional break. I try to be nice to the world and people and like to think I have strong morals? But I also know that's a lie. I know I will break them to suit myself. I have lied, cheated, stolen, and been cruel. I want to be better.
I am training to be a paramedic. Not really the statement you would expect to follow the last but hey, this is the truth, so there it is.
Today I learned some interesting and terrifying medical information on pregnancy. Watched a counselor failing to teach a class.
I ate badly and watched Charlie Broker tell me on TV that TV is ruining my life?? Had a nap, played squash (badly), and now have made myself write this. I will lie two more times before bed and then sleep.
More to follow.
If you wish to follow.
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