A care home nurse has been suspended after a tribunal found she went to work drunk and needed help from her colleagues to book a taxi home.
Karen Jane Makinson, 59, was "extremely intoxicated" during a shift at Church House Nursing Home in Nantwich, Cheshire, in June 2024, putting residents at a "significant risk of harm", a Nursing and Midwifery Council panel found.
She was swaying as she walked through the 44-bed nursing home, which provides care for residents with dementia, according to the panel. She was dismissed 10 days later. Ms Makinson denied the allegations.
Giving evidence to the tribunal, her colleagues described how she laughed at things that were not funny and struggled to walk downstairs.
Robert Hammond, the care home manager, said he took her car keys from her after refusing to let her drive home, adding that a senior carer had to help her order a cab because she "simply could not co-ordinate to move her fingers on her phone to book a taxi home".
Karen Jane Makinson, 59, was drunk during a shift at Church House Nursing Home in Cheshire, putting residents at a 'significant risk of harm'
During a probationary interview, Ms Makinson admitted she had two glasses of wine at lunchtime some eight hours before her shift and said she may have appeared unsteady on her feet because she was answering a text on her phone while walking.
She also said she was unable to use her phone to book a taxi because she was unfamiliar with the recently downloaded app.
The panel found her account "implausible" and accepted the witnesses' evidence, according to a written judgment. Her actions were determined to have breached the code and amounted to misconduct.
'Very serious misconduct'
The panel said: "The panel was of the view that in attending work as the nurse in charge and the only nurse on shift, providing clinical care to vulnerable residents whilst under the influence of alcohol, was very serious misconduct and fell far below the standards expected of a registered nurse.
"The panel concluded from the evidence that Ms Makinson was extremely intoxicated and that her co-ordination, judgment and behaviour were all adversely affected as a consequence.
"It was of the view that someone who was intoxicated to this extent would be unlikely to recognise a deteriorating patient or respond appropriately if an emergency situation arose, placing residents at a significant risk of harm."
The panel concluded Ms Makinson's fitness to practise was impaired and ordered a 12-month suspension.
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Those who work in professional services are often best placed to spot early warning signs, allowing action to be taken
by Rachel Waller
The
Financial Conduct Authority recently revealed survey data showing that
just four in ten vulnerable customers had made financial services
providers aware of their specific needs. It also found a lack of
training to address such needs, and ineffective monitoring once
identified.
Yet
ironically, those employed in professional services are often best
placed to spot signs of financial abuse — and without their vigilance,
the perpetrators can escape scrutiny.
And
financial abuse is increasing. Hourglass, a specialist charity that
targets abuse and exploitation of older people, cites a nearly 50 per
cent rise in calls from victims. Likewise, the Society of Trust and
Estate Practitioners (Step) reports that 70 per cent of its UK members,
including solicitors and those helping clients with estate and wealth
planning, have observed instances of actual or suspected financial
abuse. About 40 per cent of those surveyed by the society said that
instances of financial abuse have increased in the past two years.
In
my practice I see daily the devastating impact of financial abuse,
commonly including misuse of powers of attorney and coerced debt. Once
the signs have been spotted, there are several steps that can be taken
to protect victims and recover funds.
However, victims are often older people
and there are cases where the financial abuse does not come to light
until after they have died. Although legal action can then be taken to
recover assets on behalf of the estate, that offers no benefit to those
who suffered the abuse.
It
is incumbent on all of us to do what we can for those around us who are
less able to protect themselves from abuse. Step’s “spot the signs”
campaign aims to help identify financial abuse. Signs can include lack
of financial records from a care home, a new person showing unusual
interest in a person’s spending habits, isolation from friends and
family, a decline in living standards, assets being suddenly transferred
without a clear reason, or even a sudden betterment of lifestyle of
someone close to the vulnerable person. If spotted, action can then be
taken.
The
financial watchdog’s report also highlights measures that professionals
who work in the financial sector and professional services can take.
Essentially, it is vital that they are trained to spot the signs of
financial abuse, so that action can be taken to safeguard victims as
soon as possible.
In a shocking case of elder abuse, a British woman has been found
guilty of stealing over £21,000 from her vulnerable grandmother to fuel
her online gambling addiction. This disturbing incident highlights the
growing issue of financial exploitation of the elderly and the
devastating consequences of gambling addiction.
Betrayal of trust: A granddaughter’s heinous act
Charlotte Kidd, a 30-year-old mother of four from England, was
recently convicted of abusing her position as her grandmother’s legal
guardian. Over a two-year period, from September 2020 to November 2022,
Kidd systematically siphoned off her grandmother’s savings, amounting to
approximately €26,000.
As the appointed caregiver, Kidd was entrusted with managing her
grandmother’s finances, including paying for her nursing home expenses.
However, she exploited this responsibility by using her grandmother’s
bank card to fund her own lifestyle and gambling habits. The case has
sent shockwaves through the local community and raised concerns about
the vulnerability of elderly individuals to financial abuse.
The allure of online gambling and its consequences
Kidd’s actions were primarily driven by her addiction to online
gambling platforms. The ease of access and the promise of quick wins
have made these digital casinos increasingly popular, but they also pose
significant risks. In Kidd’s case, the addiction led her down a path of
deceit and criminal behavior, ultimately tearing her family apart.
The court heard how Kidd used her grandmother’s money not only
for gambling but also to cover her personal expenses, including rent,
bills, and even school uniforms for her children. This pattern of
behavior highlights the all-consuming nature of gambling addiction and
its potential to override moral considerations and family loyalties.
The emotional toll of Kidd’s betrayal on her grandmother has been
profound. The elderly woman, already dealing with health issues and
reduced autonomy, now faces additional stress and heartbreak. In her
statement to the court, she expressed disbelief that a family member
could commit such an act, saying, “This situation causes me a lot of
stress… I can’t believe a member of my family could do this to me. It
has deeply hurt me.”
The case has undoubtedly strained family relationships and trust.
While some families come together in times of crisis, as seen in the
story of a woman who rescued a dog chained outside for 13 years, Kidd’s actions have likely created irreparable rifts within her own family.
The incident also raises questions about the adequacy of safeguards
for vulnerable adults. Despite Kidd being the legal guardian, she was
able to misuse her grandmother’s funds for an extended period without
detection. This case underscores the need for better oversight and
protection mechanisms for elderly individuals who rely on others for
financial management.
Legal repercussions and societal implications
The Hull Crown Court, where Kidd’s trial took place, handed down a
sentence that has sparked debate about the adequacy of punishments for
elder abuse. Judge Alexander Menary noted the prolonged nature of the
theft and Kidd’s apparent lack of remorse. Despite the severity of her
actions, Kidd received a 20-month suspended prison sentence and was
ordered to pay £2,500 in compensation to her grandmother.
This relatively lenient sentence has raised eyebrows and prompted
discussions about whether the legal system is doing enough to deter such
crimes. Some argue that stronger penalties are needed to protect
vulnerable members of society and to send a clear message about the
seriousness of elder abuse.
The case also highlights the need for increased awareness and
education about the signs of financial exploitation. Just as the public
was shocked by the tragic death of a tourist couple from tainted limoncello in Vietnam, society must be vigilant about the less visible but equally devastating effects of financial abuse on the elderly.
Addressing the root causes and prevention
While Kidd’s actions are inexcusable, her case points to broader
issues that need addressing. The rise of online gambling and its
accessibility pose significant risks, particularly to individuals with
addictive tendencies. Stricter regulations and better support systems
for those struggling with gambling addiction are crucial in preventing
similar incidents in the future.
Moreover, the case underscores the importance of robust screening
processes for those appointed as guardians or caregivers for vulnerable
adults. Regular checks and balances could help detect and prevent
long-term financial abuse. Financial institutions also have a role to
play in identifying suspicious patterns of transactions that may
indicate exploitation.
As society grapples with these issues, it’s worth noting that not all stories involving the elderly are tragic. Some, like the remarkable case of a woman found alive 52 years after her disappearance in the United Kingdom,
remind us of the resilience and mysteries that surround human life.
However, for every uplifting story, there are countless untold tales of
abuse and neglect that demand our attention and action.
In conclusion, Charlotte Kidd’s case serves as a stark reminder of the
vulnerabilities faced by the elderly and the devastating impact of
addiction. It calls for a multifaceted approach involving legal reforms,
better support systems, and increased societal awareness to protect our
most vulnerable citizens. As we reflect on this troubling incident, we
must strive to create a society where the elderly can live with dignity
and security, free from the threat of exploitation by those they trust
most.
AN ELDERLY man was rescued by a teen after spending more than an hour trapped in the water at Canford Sang.
The man, who was in his 80s, was trying to save his dog from the river
when he got himself into difficulty and was unable to get himself to
safety.
George Marshall, 16, from Bournemouth was working at the nearby coffee van when he was alerted to the man struggling in the water.
George said: “I grabbed a buoyancy tube and ran 400m to find the man who really was stuck.
“He was nearly impossible to get to and was about three metres away from the shore.”
George has been training with Bournemouth lifeguards for four years
but said this was the first time he had to put his knowledge into
practice.
George winning a medal at lifeguarding competition (Image: George Marshall)
He said: “I was really concerned because the water was freezing, and the man was turning purple.”
George tried to pull the gentleman out using a buoyancy aid he found
near the coffee van; however, the string snapped when he tried to pull
it.
Luckily, a passing dog walker had an “extra strong” dog lead, which they wrapped around the float.
“We used the rope to lift the man up, and when he was close enough, I
hooked my arms around him and managed to get him out,” he added.
George called the fire service who arrived within 30 minutes however,
the man was safely on shore by the time of their arrival.
A spokesperson for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service
said: “We were called to Canford Magna at 10.33am on September 7, after
reports that a man was in the water and unable to get out.
“Three fire crews attended, from Ferndown, Westbourne and Christchurch, but no action was required as the man had been helped to safety before we arrived.”
Thankfully, the dog was also brought safely to shore.
George said he was concerned about the lack of buoyancy aids available at Canford Sang.
He added: “The fact that I had the only rescue tube in the park sort of blew my mind.
“Being a lifeguard water safety is very important to me and I think there needs to be more safety measures in place.”
The Daily Echo has contacted the owners of the privately owned Canford Sang for a comment.
Vanessa Aylwin in 2021. Photograph: Courtesy of Michael Aylwin
By the time my wife got a diagnosis, her long and harrowing deterioration had already begun. By the end, I was in awe of her
By Michael Aylwin
My
wife always said she would die of Alzheimer’s. It turns out she was
right about that. For years, I insisted she would not. In the end,
Vanessa clinched our little argument by dying last September, but we had
known her fate since 2019, the year she was diagnosed, at the age of
49. For at least three years before that, though, the realisation dawned
by hideous degrees which way the debate was going.
When
we met, in the mid-00s, the proposition that Vanessa did not have
Alzheimer’s, nor was about to develop it, was an easy motion to defend.
She was dazzling and creative, with a successful career as a marketing
executive. In that context, her preoccupation with this old person’s
disease came across as a little absurd.
We
met on the dancefloor of a nightclub in 2004. I was 32, she was about
to turn 35. Far too old for a place like that, but we were reliving
former glories in honour of mutual friends – a last glance back at our
careless youth. When the management turned us out after a long night of
carousing into the next stage of our lives, Vanessa scribbled her number
for me on a piece of paper. How she would have loved to be able to do
that only 15 years later.
A few weeks into our
relationship, she told me that her mum, in her 50s, was dying of
Alzheimer’s and, a little later again, that she was sure to do the same.
I put her fears down to general fatalism, and spent much of the
following decade insisting she had nothing to worry about. Until I could
no longer find plausible grounds to argue that everything was fine.
A
common question is: when did the disease start? There is no neat
answer. It’s possible Vanessa could feel it coming on long before any of
her symptoms showed. To the outside world, though, Alzheimer’s reveals
itself by subtle degrees, each one plausibly dismissed in the early
stages as “nothing”. And even when they start to become obviously
“something”, there is usually a range of alternative explanations. The
twisted genius of this disease begins with the way it smuggles itself in
under the cover of other conditions. Absent-mindedness, ageing,
menopause, through depression, anxiety and epilepsy – all would be
presented as perfectly plausible explanations, first by me, then by some
serious experts in their field. In retrospect, though, it began with a
zit on her chin. (Click to Continue Reading)
John Tinniswood, who has been retired for more than
half a century, inherited the Guinness World Records title from
Venezuelan Juan Vicente Perez Mora.
World News|Reuters
London:
The world's oldest living man,
111-year-old Briton John Tinniswood, said his longevity was "just luck"
and there was no special secret to his diet - although his favourite
food was fish and chips every Friday.
Tinniswood, who has been
retired for more than half a century, inherited the Guinness World
Records title from Venezuelan Juan Vicente Perez Mora, 114, whose death
was announced earlier this week.
Born in 1912 in Merseyside, northern England, retired accountant and
former postal service worker Tinniswood clocks in at 111 years and 222
days.
He gave a pithy reply when asked for the secret to his
longevity, however: "You either live long or you live short, and you
can't do much about it."
Guinness World Records said in a statement that Tinniswood's claim to
the record was assessed by its experts and by the Gerontology Research
Group, which catalogues the world's confirmed "supercentenarians".
The oldest man ever was Japan's Jiroemon Kimura, who lived to 116
years and 54 days. The oldest living woman and oldest living person
overall is Spain's Maria Branyas Morera, aged 117.
Tinniswood gave a somewhat measured view on the state of the world.
"The world, in its way, is always changing. It's a sort of ongoing
experience... It's getting a little better but not all that much yet.
It's going the right way."
Can you imagine having to
fight in court so that doctors don't withdraw treatment from your
child? That's the position Archie Battersbee's parents are in as
his hospital seeks to end his care.
Archie's mom, Hollie, has repeatedly said that only God should decide when
her son passes from this life.
Join a global movement speaking up for Archie - tell the
court that no doctor, judge, or politician should decide when a child
dies.
In a story that has gripped hearts around the world, Archie Battersbee was
two hours from death this morning when a last-ditch application to the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) was lodged to prevent
his hospital from withdrawing treatment.
He has been on life-support since a tragic accident at home in April, but
his parents have recorded footage of their son moving his hands and
gripping their fingers - contrary to claims he is "brain-stem
dead".
At least two countries have offered to continue Archie's treatment, a
move his parents would be happy to pursue, but health chiefs in
the UK refuse to allow him to even be transferred to hospice care.
A UN committee has also stepped in to urge the hospital not to withdraw
treatment, but the matter now rests with the ECHR.
We must ensure the court knows of the untold suffering this has caused
Archie's Mom and Dad, both of whom should have been spared this draining
fight to keep their son alive.
Please speak up for Archie today - SIGN and SHARE this important petitionto the
European Court of Human Rights.
Yours faithfully,
The LifeSiteNews Advocacy Team
Archie Battersbee's mother Hollie Dance tells Julia about the emotional challenges of trying to extend her son's life support care.
"I'm putting my sons fight before myself and my emotions. I promised Archie I would fight until I can't anymore."@juliahb1pic.twitter.com/HdRPaPbLAc
One plumber who performs good deeds has gone into more than $10,000 debt, but admits that he has no regrets.
James Anderson is a father, a plumber, and to many in the United Kingdom, a “godsend.”
In 2017, Anderson closed his private business and devoted himself
entirely to helping disabled and elderly people with their plumbing
issues- for free (with that said, here are some kindness quotes).
No charge
Anderson made the decision to entirely commit to not-for-profit work
when a receipt that was posted online went viral. It showed that he
charged a 91-year-old woman with acute leukemia £0 for the job.
“No charge for this lady under any circumstances,” he wrote, as shared by Metro UK. “We will be available 24 hours to help her and keep her as comfortable as possible.”
He’s in debt
To do this saintly work, Anderson has gone into £8,000 of debt- but he isn’t too worried about it.
“To me, debt is debt… I would rather owe some money to somebody and another person be alive and happy and safe,” he told Metro UK (Here’s how to get out of debt).
It’s an ethos that’s in my heart and it will always stay there.
James Anderson
A ‘godsend’
To pay for his supplies and costs, Anderson launched a fundraising campaign that pulled in £49,309 over the 42 days it was live.
During the campaign, he filmed heartwarming videos with some of the people he helped, including this one:
Anderson’s work might not be as popular as supporting those impacted by war or hunger, but it’s necessary nonetheless.
“I don’t want any person who is elderly and disabled in this country,
in this day and age, to die or suffer because of a cold home or a lack
of funding to repair the boiler,” he said. “It shouldn’t be happening–
that number should be down to zero. Simple as that.”
Help others in unexpected ways
There is a serious problem in our society when disabled people and
our elders- our moms and dads, sisters and brothers- don’t have enough
money to fix their broken toilets or showers. Sadly, without someone
like a child to look after them, these people can be forgotten (here’s
how to deal with loneliness).
Fortunately, the world still has people who use their skills for
good, like James Anderson did. The lesson here is to help someone in
need- it can really mean the world to them.
An elderly stroke victim who died after suffering malnourishment and
pressure sores experienced “significant failures” in basic care at a
nursing home, an inquest has been told.
Bed or chair-bound
Dorothea Hale, 75, died in hospital weeks after being admitted from the
Grosvenor House nursing home in Abertillery, Monmouthshire.
On
Wednesday, coroner Geraint Williams highlighted a number of failures by
care staff during the mother-of-two’s four months at the home between
July and November 2006.
But he said a lack of evidence that better
care would have prolonged her life meant he could not record that her
death in January 2007 was contributed to by neglect.
Dorothea Hale, who died after suffering dehydration, malnourishment and
pressure sores during a four-month stay at a nursing home (Family
handout)
The four-week inquest into Mrs Hale’s death, held in Newport, was
blighted by a substantial number of “critically important” missing
records and documents from the home, as well as the refusal of some
ex-staff to give evidence.
Mr Williams said he was not given an
explanation for the missing records, and said in the case of the
development of pressure sores on Mrs Hale’s body meant he was unable to
say “where the ultimate responsibility for the identified failures in
Mrs Hale’s care actually lies”.
The grandmother had a peg tube
feeding system fitted before moving into Grosvenor House as she had
difficulty swallowing after suffering two strokes which left her
paralysed down her left side and needing full-time nursing care.
But
after moving into the home she was put on an oral feeding regime
despite her sometimes refusing to receive any food, leading to her
becoming malnourished and possibly dehydrated.
Mr Williams said a
failure by staff to seek a referral from clinicians to reintroduce Mrs
Hale to peg feeding “amounted to a significant failure in the provision
of basic medical care”.
Dr Antony Hawthorne told the hearing that
Mrs Hale’s eventual reintroduction to peg feeding on November 1
triggered “refeeding syndrome”, a serious and potentially fatal
metabolic disturbance.
Mr Williams said “significant” pressure damage was found on Mrs
Hale’s body after she was admitted to hospital on November 17 and had
developed while she was at Grosvenor.
He said it was contributed
to by a lack of nutrition, refeeding syndrome, and “inadequately
relieved pressure” while sitting or lying down.
The coroner said
there were “a number of significant failures to provide or procure for
Mrs Hale the basic medical attention that she obviously needed”.
He
said the failure escalate the treatment of her pressure damage “was a
gross failure to provide or procure basic medical care”.
But the evidence available did not allow him to say that earlier escalation “might have saved or prolonged Mrs Hale’s life”.
“Therefore I conclude that as a matter of law I may not find that Mrs Hale’s death was contributed to by neglect,” he said.
Two
staff members were investigated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council in
connection with Mrs Hale’s death and were both found unfit to practice
and struck off the NMC register, Mr Williams said.
Mrs Hale’s
cause of death was given as a combination of her stroke, pressure
ulceration, lack of adequate nutrition and refeeding syndrome, and other
blood clot complications as well as a rupture of chordae tendineae in
her heart.
Mr Williams recorded a narrative conclusion, and said
he did not need to issue a prevention of future deaths report because
after 15 years “the legislation, regulations and equally importantly the
philosophy and practice of state agencies has changed markedly”.
Ms
Hale’s death featured in Operation Jasmine – a police investigation
into neglect of elderly residents at several care homes in South Wales.
The inquiry lasted nearly a decade and cost over £11 million with detectives looking at 63 deaths.
Earlier
this year, a coroner found the deaths of five residents at the Brithdir
nursing home in New Tredegar, South Wales, which featured in Operation
Jasmine, were contributed to by neglect.
Laura Booth became malnourished after she was admitted to Sheffield hospital for eye operation in 2016
Laura Booth, who died in October 2016. Photograph: PA
The death of a young disabled woman following a
routine eye operation was partly caused by malnutrition as a result of
neglect, a coroner has ruled.
Laura Booth, 21, was admitted to the Royal Hallamshire hospital in Sheffield in September 2016 for a routine eye operation. She died the next month, on 19 October.
Booth
had a number of learning difficulties and life-limiting complications,
having been diagnosed with partial trisomy 13, a rare genetic disorder,
shortly after she was born.
Her mother,
Patricia Booth, told the inquest that her daughter stopped eating
shortly after she was admitted to hospital, and that doctors ignored
Laura’s attempts to communicate with them.
She said her daughter consumed only rice milk and
blackcurrant juice in hospital, and she kept telling doctors: “This
isn’t right, she can’t survive on no food.”
The
coroner, Abigail Combes, concluded that Laura Booth became unwell while
a patient at the hospital and, among other illnesses, “developed
malnutrition due to inadequate management for her nutritional needs”.
Combes said that Booth’s death “was contributed to by neglect”.
She
said that although Booth’s nutritional intake was a “concern from her
admission” to hospital, on the basis of the NHS trust’s records, feeding
charts in order to ensure Booth was receiving her nutritional needs
were not commenced. She said the only reference to a food chart being
commenced was 11 days prior to Booth’s death, and despite this, feeding
charts were not established.
Combes said: “I
am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that had Laura received
adequate nutrition during her admission, the outcome on the 19 October
2016 would have been altered.”
She said that
on this basis she would be amending the medical cause of Booth’s death
to include malnutrition. She said attributing Booth’s death to natural
causes did not “adequately reflect the circumstances”.
The
coroner apologised to Booth’s parents for the “concerted” effort they
had had to make to get a full inquest. She intends to write to the chief
coroner with the suggestion that coroners are routinely trained on the
principles of the Mental Capacity Act.
The
family said Booth was a “much-loved and longed-for daughter who
completed our family” and had “brought so much joy to our lives”.
They
added: “No one seems to understand that the risks of not feeding Laura
meant that she was starving as she died in front of us. We cannot tell
you how painful that is to live with.
“This
has to stop. It’s not right that learning disabled people die decades
prematurely. It’s not right that Laura was malnourished. We also don’t
think it’s right that the only reason Laura’s inquest was opened was
because a journalist contacted the coroner. How many other people are
dying without anyone ever finding out why?”
Kirsten
Major, the chief executive of Sheffield teaching hospitals NHS
foundation trust, said: “We regret what happened and we have already
overhauled our nutrition service and processes so there is now a clear
lead decision-maker to review and expedite actions for patients with
complex nutritional needs. We are truly sorry for what happened, and we
will be responding to all of the coroner’s recommendations to prevent
this situation happening again.”
A dapper 103-year-old is following in the footsteps of Captain Sir Tom Moore and walking to raise money for charity.
Tom Jones, "not the singer", has been pictured doing laps around the garden of his care home while wearing a tuxedo and sipping a cocktail.
He has been living at Groveland Park care home for the past nine years, where staff say he is a “big character” beloved by all.
The
great-great grandfather decided to embark on 1,000 laps of the garden
as a way of expressing gratitude to health and care workers after
receiving both doses of the vaccine.
Tom, left, with Nicola Jones / PA
He said: “I was so happy that I can help in a way.
“I wanted to highlight the NHS, the care home and the GPs.”
The
fit and healthy centenarian has been taking to the garden every day and
donations to his chosen charity have been stacking up.
So far Mr Jones has raised more than £1,800 for Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice – smashing his target of £103.
“I did 1.44 miles on Wednesday and that’s not bad for 103”, Mr Jones said.
Groveland Park care home manager Nicola Ireland is full of praise for Mr Jones.
She said: “He’s incredible.
“He’s amazing, he’s really on the ball.
“For a gentleman that’s 103 he’s very fit, he’s very knowledgeable, he’s got full capacity.
“He just lives life to the full.
“He did say he would like to do 1,000 (laps) and we sort of said ‘Tom you’re 103’ but who knows?
“Tom does what he wants to do, he’s a big character.”
Machines can hold simple conversations and have been found to improve mental health
The wheeled robots, called Pepper, have been successfully trialled in the UK and Japan.
Robots that can hold simple conversations and
learn people’s interests are to be deployed in some UK care homes after
an international trial found they boosted mental health and reduced
loneliness.
The wheeled robots, called
“Pepper”, move independently and gesture with robotic arms and hands and
are designed to be “culturally competent”, which means that after some
initial programming they learn about the interests and backgrounds of
care home residents. This allows them to initiate rudimentary
conversations, play residents’ favourite music, teach them languages,
and offer practical help including medicine reminders.
The
researchers, led by Dr Chris Papadopoulos at the University of
Bedfordshire, said the trial was not intended to explore the replacement
of human carers with robots, but to help fill lonely periods when,
because of a stretched social care system, staff do not have time to
keep residents company.
The trial, in the UK
and Japan, found that older adults in care homes who interacted with the
robots for up to 18 hours across two weeks had a significant
improvement in their mental health. There was a small but positive
impact on loneliness severity among users and the system did not
increase feelings of loneliness, academics found.
The robots’ limitations centred on their
conversations feeling superficial and lacking “richness”, users said.
They lacked personalisation and sometimes did not show enough cultural
awareness, and their head movements and hand gestures were sometimes
distracting. The analysis was part of a £2.3m research project funded by
the European commission and Japanese government.
Advinia
Healthcare, a trial location and one of the largest providers of
dementia care in the UK, said it was “working towards implementing this
into routine care of vulnerable people to reduce anxiety and loneliness
and provide continuity of care”.
“This is the
only artificial intelligence that can enable an open-ended communication
with a robot and a vulnerable resident,” said Dr Sanjeev Kanoria, the
Advinia chairman. “Now we are working towards bringing the robot into
routine care, so it can be of real help to older adults and their
families.”
He said the robots would not
directly lead to job cuts but would be worth using because happier
residents mean less work for staff and improve satisfaction ratings,
boosting occupancy.
The initiative comes amid a
continuing staffing crisis for UK care homes exacerbated by the
coronavirus pandemic, during which more than 18,000 residents have died of confirmed or suspected Covid-19.
Before
the outbreak, the care industry had at least 120,000 vacancies and the
largest operators this week told MPs that staff are suffering “burnout”,
and the strain is being increased by the financial difficulties many
operators are facing, after costs soared and occupancy levels fell.
A
single robot loaded with software costs about £19,000, about £1,000
more than the average salary of a care worker in south-east England. But
cheaper robots could also be used.
Care
England, which represents the largest providers, said the robots were
not likely to replace staff but might help create deeper and
higher-quality relationships with residents.
“In
the UK alone, 15,000 people are over 100 years of age and this figure
will only increase,” said Irena Papadopoulos, a professor of
transcultural health and nursing at the University of Middlesex.
“Socially assistive, intelligent robots for older people could relieve
some pressures in hospitals and care homes. No one is talking about
replacing humans – the evaluation demonstrates that we are a long way
from doing that – but it also reveals that robots could support existing
care systems. While results demonstrate that our experimental robot was
more culturally competent to users, they also reveal that there is room
for improvement.”
Vic Rayner, the executive
director of the National Care Forum, which represents charitable care
providers, said: “Robots in social care should not be seen as part of a
frightening futuristic vision. They offer key additions to how care is
delivered that need to be explored further and understood. Covid-19 has
shown us that rather than being a sector which does not understand
technology, it is in fact one that is ripe to explore how technology can
improve efficiency, support data flow and enhance communication with
families and loved ones.”
Care homes were told to introduce blanket “do not resuscitate” (DNR) ordersfor all residents at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new report.
A
survey of 128 care home managers and nurses by the Queen’s Nursing
Institute charity found that one in ten of the institutions was ordered
by NHS bosses to introduce DNRs without permission from the residents,
family members or fellow staff, in order to free up hospital beds.
Half of the staff members who said they had been asked to
change DNRs worked in homes for the elderly, while the other half worked
in homes for younger people with learning or cognitive disabilities, The Times reports.
A
fifth of the survey respondents also said that they received residents
from the hospital sector who had tested positive for Covid-19 during
March and April.
An unnamed
respondent told the researchers that care homes “were advised to have
[DNR orders] in place for all residents”, adding: “We acted in
accordance with medical advice and resident wishes, not as advised by a
directive to put in place for all by a clinical care group
representative. We challenged this as unethical.”
Report author Professor Alison Leary has described the findings as “worrying” and is calling for a public inquiry.
“These decisions were being made by NHS managers not clinicians,” Leary, a professor of healthcare and workforce modelling at London South Bank University, told The Telegraph.
She
added that “the way the situation for care homes has been handled needs
a retrospective view, particularly because winter is coming, which is
always a difficult time” for the elderly and other vulnerable people.
Reports
over the treatment of residents in care homes hit by Covid outbreaks
sparked widespread outrage back in April. In response to the public
anger, ministers forbid the use of blanket DNR
agreements and instructed the Care Quality Commission to “urgently” tell
homes to tear up agreements that “would stop residents getting access
to full healthcare if they choose it”, as the London Evening Standard reported at the time.
As I wheeled my grandad Martin up the
ramp and into a taxi which would take him away to the care home, I
repeated the white lie my family had agreed might make this painful
scenario slightly easier.
"You're going to see the physio who will look after your leg and then you'll be able to get better."
Thankfully his dementia meant that he
couldn't fully understand what was happening or where he was going. In
fact, he seemed to quite enjoy the novelty of being outdoors for the
first time in months. But my granny and I were raw with emotion.
Grandad, nonplussed as to why I might be
crying, instinctively reached out to stroke a part of my cheek not
hidden behind my face mask. Granny blew him a final kiss and the taxi
pulled away, leaving me, Granny and my brother-in-law silent in the
middle of the street, awash with guilt and relief.
Well into his 80s, my grandad still looked
immodestly young and was frequently challenged for his pensioner ID when
boarding a bus. During retirement he spent many years volunteering at
an elderly care home, caring for people who were often much younger than
him.
But as his 10th decade arrived, so did
dementia and things started to fall apart. He'd lose track of his words
mid-sentence. Making a cup of tea became a challenge. One time the fire
brigade descended after he fed a cracker into the toaster. Family rescue
efforts were appreciated by my 92-year-old granny, but in truth they
were just stop-gaps - like fixing plasters on a broken leg.
"Ageing isn't for sissies," she warned me.
When lockdown began, the situation only
worsened. Grandad had no understanding of the virus and the changes and
restrictions it brought. In late June, my grandparents quietly
celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Just three days later, Martin
moved into a care home. The decision was agonising, but by that point,
unavoidable.
Our family's situation is not uncommon: more
than 300,000 people with dementia are living in care homes across the
UK, according to Alzheimer's Research UK. Covid guidelines, which allow
limited visiting, at a distance, are designed to keep this vulnerable
community safe. But the flipside is families being kept apart from their
loved ones, unable to do anything to counter their decline.
Image copyright
Family handout
Image caption
Julia Hailes with her mother, Minker: "It felt like I'd lost her"
Julia Hailes, a writer who lives in Dorset,
has struggled to remain in meaningful contact with her 90-year-old
mother, Minker. Minker's worsening dementia meant her move to a care
home was, at first, a lifeline for her family. But the pandemic has
changed everything.
"Before lockdown I would visit mum and she
still knew who I was. I'd go and read her poems, we'd sit and listen to
music," says Julia. "Now everyone's being kept in their rooms. It's
vital for people with dementia to have structure in their day, so that
isolation is in some ways worse than death."
Video calls often do little for those with
dementia. The notion of holding a "moving picture" of a loved one, as
they talk, sounds promising. But it can be a hollow, even disturbing
experience.
"Mum's care home introduced FaceTime calls,
which I did a few times," says Julia. "But it was horrendous. What good
is that when someone is in such a confused state? Part of how I connect
with her is holding her hand and giving her a kiss. Weeks later I was
eventually allowed to visit Mum in the garden. By that point it felt
like I'd lost her - she wasn't even able to speak anymore."
Image copyright
Family handout
Image caption
Tom Brada, and his grandad Martin
Dr Hilda Hayo, of the charity Dementia UK, says for people with dementia, technology is no match for human interaction.
"Physical contact is such an essential tool
in looking after someone with dementia. If someone is agitated, stroking
their hands or putting your arm around them can be really helpful. So,
for families, not being able to do that is really damaging."
This resonates with my own grandad's
experience. Video calls left him more confused than when we'd begun; he
could scarcely focus on the screen and struggled to understand where our
voices were coming from. The only thing which seemed to cut through was
the repetition of a simple message, "I love you, Martin". To which he
could still reflexively respond, "I love you too, Bubala."
By the time his home was able to permit
visitors, his stark decline was clear to my granny. Sunken-cheeked and
unable to speak - he was barely recognisable as the man who had left
their home just six weeks before.
The dementia of Philippa Thomson's mother,
Marjorie, is so advanced Philippa knew better than to attempt a video
call. Before lockdown her in-person visits to the care home would have a
restorative effect on her mother.
"We would do relaxing things like colouring
in or simple jigsaw puzzles," she says. "I would sit and hold her hand,
or brush her hair. And over two-and-a-half to three days, I would see
her coming alive."
Government guidelines in England only allow
for one person to visit each resident indoors; two if it's outside. But
with two older sisters, Philippa has recently been unable to see her
mother.
"The carers are amazing, but no matter how
good they are, they can't offer that same intimacy or affection. I do
feel a huge amount of guilt and frustration. My mother is 97 years old
and it's not any kind of life that she's got."
Image copyright
Mark Harvey
Image caption
Donna Pierpoint, care home manager
Care homes have borne immense pressures over
the past few months. Aware of the burden on both the residents and their
families, many made great efforts to maintain a thread of
communication. Donna Pierpoint, the manager of a nursing home in
Sheffield, described her role in restricting family visits as being "a
cross between a prison governor and a headteacher".
In the meantime she's focused the home's efforts on keeping residents as well looked after as possible.
"If someone is being isolated in their room
then, you've got to take the stimulation to them," says Ms Pierpoint.
"Our staff will go to their rooms and read letters from their family, go
through old photographs."
She sends out a weekly email to keep relatives in the loop and uses social media.
"We post pictures on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram. We celebrated VE-Day on May 8th. We had a wonderful day and
posted pictures so our residents' families could see we were having a
good time."
On 1 August my grandad died at his care home.
The majority of his 92 years were happy ones, but his final months were
not. The home came to the rescue for my family at our time of need and
looked after my grandad wonderfully in gruelling circumstances.
But as relatives, there's a lingering guilt
that we were unable to provide that support ourselves. We did everything
we could to let my grandad know how much he was loved. But we cannot
shake the sense that the lack of our loving physical presence may have
worsened his decline.
Of all the types of love,
a mother’s is the strongest. … A mother’s love is unconditional and eternal.
A mother will do anything for her children, regardless of their age!
A 98-year-old mom went
viral after moving into the same nursing home her 80-year-old son was in order
to take care of him.
Ada Keating is an exceptional woman who wanted to stay by her son`s
side when they needed each other the most. Even in her age, she knows
best, and it seems that both of them are grateful for the closeness in
the picture below.
Tom Keating, Ada’s son, moved to the Moss View care home in Huyton,
Liverpool as he needed more care than what could have been given to him
at home. The next year, his mom decided to move into the same nursing
home because she couldn’t stand being without him. Mother and son are
so grateful they get to spend their time together, playing games and
watching TV to pass the time.
About the Keatings
Ada and Tom have always been very close, mostly because Tom never
married but lived with his mom for all his adult life. As Ada explained,
they have certain daily routines, so he knows what to expect. “I
say goodnight to Tom in his room every night and I’ll go and say good
morning to him,” she said. “I’ll tell him I’m coming down for breakfast.”
They have a very deep bond even in their old age. When I go out to
the hairdressers he’ll look for me to see when I’m coming back,” she
said. “When I get back he’ll come to me with his arms outstretched and give me a big hug. You never stop being a mum.” Tom added, “They’re
very good here and I’m happy to see my mum more now she lives here.
Sometimes she’ll say ‘behave yourself.’ She’s very good at looking after
me.”
Tom is the oldest of 4 children; he had 3 sisters, Janet, Margi, and
Barbara who passed away at 13. Tom worked as a decorator and painter
before he retired while his mom worked as a nurse at Mill Road Hospital
before her retirement. Their family members visit them often and are
very happy to see them together. “There’s no parting them. It’s reassuring for us that they’re both getting looked after 24/7,” Debi Higham, Ada’s granddaughter said.
Philip Daniels, the manager at this nursing
home, said he is very happy the mother and son can be together at his facility.
“It’s very touching to see the close relationship both Tom and
Ada share and we are so pleased we were able to accommodate both of
their needs,” he said.
He added, “It’s very rare to see mothers and their children
together in the same care home and we certainly want to make their time
as special as possible. They are inseparable.”
Fraudsters are knocking on the doors of the elderly and scamming them
out of their savings by impersonating officials during the coronavirus
crisis, a body has warned.
Exploitative criminals are committing
burglary or fraud by pretending to be Government, council or medical
officers, the Local Government Association (LGA) said.
People are
also being targeted with phishing emails offering quick remedies and
vaccination kits, while others are asked to donate to fake charities.
And
emails which appear to be from travel companies are asking people about
cancelled holidays in a bid to get their payment details.
Other
vulnerable residents are paying over the odds online for essential
goods, such as hand sanitiser, only to never receive the product because
it was being sold on a fake platform.
It comes as reports of scams increased by 400% within the space of a month in the City of London.
The
police force said there had been 105 reports to Action Fraud, the UK’s
national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, with total losses
reaching nearly £970,000.
The LGA is urging elderly, isolated
residents not to accept services from strangers who offer to run
errands, such as collecting prescriptions or shopping, if they ask for
cash or card details upfront.
Councillor Simon Blackburn,
chairman of the LGA’s Safer & Stronger Communities Board, said: “By
tricking elderly and vulnerable people in self-isolation to part with
their cash, fraudsters are playing roulette with the lives of those most
at risk.
“Keeping the elderly and those with underlying health
conditions safe is every councils’ top priority and councils will do
everything in their power to prosecute fraudsters and seek the toughest
penalties for criminals taking advantage in this despicable way.
“Councils
have plans in place for dealing with the very challenging circumstances
presented by the coronavirus and will continue to review how best to
use their staff and mobilise community resources to ensure that the
elderly and vulnerable are given the support they need.”
Examples
of exploitation include scammers impersonating officers at Rochdale
Borough Council and offering to run errands for the vulnerable.
Birmingham City Council has prosecuted a retailer selling harmful
hand sanitisers, while a neighbourhood watch group in Lewisham and
Blackheath reported people knocking at doors of elderly people saying
they are from the Health Authority doing mandatory testing for
coronavirus.
Anyone who thinks they may be a fraud victim should speak to their bank immediately and contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.
It
comes as Age UK launched an emergency fundraising appeal to raise £10
million so it can help older people through the pandemic.
Its helpline has seen a 30% increase in demand, while another service, the Silver Line helpline, has seen 40% more calls.
The charity said its biggest worry is for the millions of older people who do not have family and friends to rely on.
Laurie
Boult, fundraising director at Age UK, said: “The reality is that in
the weeks and months ahead older people are going to need Age UK in huge
numbers, and to an extent we have never seen before.
“We are
determined to rise to the challenge and be there – to provide comfort,
hope and practical support. But we can only do it if we have the funds
that it will take.”
As
our population continues to age, loneliness among senior citizens is
becoming an increasingly problematic issue. According to a report
conducted by the Administration for Community Living and the Administration on Ageing, nearly thirty percent of older adults in the United States live alone. That equates to almost fourteen million people [1].
Researchers are quick to point out that this doesn’t necessarily mean
that all of these people are lonely, but it raises some important
questions about social isolation and loneliness among elderly populations [2].
Why Are Seniors Lonely?
There are a number of reasons why an older adult might be more prone
to loneliness than someone who is younger. One of the primary causes of
loneliness is that as people age, their social circles tend to shrink.
Friends and family members move to other places, and gradually begin
to pass away. Age can often bring about mobility issues, which can make
it difficult even to get together with people who live nearby, and
issues with hearing or vision can make communicating seem more of a
hassle than it’s worth.
What’s
more, many senior citizens experience feelings of embarrassment if they
require the use of a cane or a walker or any other device that they
need to assist them with everyday tasks. These devices are obvious signs
of aging and can leave the user feeling ashamed, and therefore less
likely to want to leave their homes.
It is difficult enough when one person is feeling this way, but often
many of their peers are dealing with similarly difficult feelings,
which creates an even stronger barrier for bringing them together [3].
How Does Loneliness Affect the Edlery’s Health?
The National Poll on Healthy Aging has determined that one in three older adults are lonely,
and it is having a detrimental effect on their health. The authors of
the report explain that loneliness can impact memory, physical
well-being, life expectancy, and mental health.
“In fact, some research
suggests that chronic loneliness may shorten life expectancy even more
than being overweight or sedentary, and just as much as smoking,” they said [4].
Social isolation and loneliness have been linked to a higher risk for
high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weaker immune system,
anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer’s Disease [2].
Conversely, those who engage in regular social activities appear to live longer, experience an improved mood and tend to have a stronger sense of purpose, which has been shown to improve cognitive function [5].
Donate Your Words
A study in the UK recently found that nearly one in five older adults
had conversations with only three people during a one-week period.
What’s even more alarming is that of that group, nearly nine percent
regularly go an entire week without speaking face-to-face with a single
person. That means there are approximately 225 thousand elderly adults
going without social contact regularly [6].
Caroline Abrahams, charity director for an organization called Age UK,
explains that these statistics show that hundreds of thousands of older
adults won’t even share a simple “hello, how are you?” with someone
this week. It is something that many of us take for granted, but can
really brighten the day of an older person [6].
The organization has partnered with Cadbury Dairy Milk to launch a new campaign called “Donate Your Words”, to help combat loneliness in senior citizens.
The campaign is educating the public about loneliness among older
populations and is encouraging them to simply say hello to an elderly
neighbor, invite them over for a coffee or cup of tea, or even offer to
help them with some daily tasks.
They also encourage people to call older relatives on the phone and
offer ways in which local people can get involved with Age UK [7].
“You’ve got to really dig deep
and find out what their interests were before and get them to try and
awaken those forgotten activities,” she says [3].
Finding out what an older person likes to do can provide you with a
blueprint for a “loneliness eradication plan”. Encourage them to
participate in activities that align with their interests- sometimes
older people just need a push to get involved in activities again [3].
Another way to connect with an older person and to spend time with
them is to get them to teach you something. Perhaps there’s a skill they
have, like sewing, that you could learn from them, or maybe they have a
famous apple pie recipe they could teach you. This is a fun way to
spend time with them, and giving them the opportunity to share their
knowledge with you can give them a purpose [3].
Don’t be afraid to encourage other friends or family members to reach
out to the elderly person in your life, too. Our days tend to get very
busy and our schedules fill up quickly, but if you remind others to take
twenty to thirty minutes a couple of times a week to reach out to your
elderly mother, aunt, or neighbor, it will go a long way in bringing joy
into that person’s life [3].
Aging can be difficult, but we have the power as a collective to help
the older generation enjoy their time during old age, simply by taking
an interest in them and engaging with them regularly.
A simple hello to your neighbor as you leave for work in the morning,
or a quick phone call to your aging mother can make a massive
difference in their day, and may even help prolong their life.
