Making Notes

It is helpful if you make notes of all the various pieces of information you learn about your relative. Thus new knowledge will help you find the right care home for them.

The matron of the home you have chosen will need to know as much about the prospective resident as possible. Any information you are able to give will help them make their own assessment.

It will also help the matron to instruct the nurses in their general care of your relative if they decide to admit them.

Use an exercise book to keep all your notes together. The first page might be kept for their personal details.

Personal Details

Even though you probably know most of your relative’s personal details it is a good idea to write them down so that they don’t fly from your memory when you’re asked for them.

Some of the questions you may be asked:

• Your relative’s full name and date of birth.
• Their current address and telephone number.
• Their status, for example whether they are retired.
• Whether you are the next of kin and if not who is.
• The next of kin’s address and telephone number.
• Past and current illnesses.
• Current medications.
• Whether they are mobile, use a walking aid or are confined to a wheelchair.
• If they suffer from any pain, its severity and cause, if known.
• The matron will want to know the name of their doctor, the address and phone number of the surgery.
• The date, time and place of any hospital appointments which may have been arranged for your relative.
• The matron may be interested in your relative’s past employment or profession because this can sometimes be contributory to the cause of some of their current problems.

 

If you are not next of kin you may still be asked for your own address and telephone number so that you can be contacted if necessary, regarding admission arrangements.

Physical Needs

Try to establish how your relative copes with daily living, and whether they have any help from social services such as a home help.

Try to find out in which way they are incapacitated. Are they mobile at all, or do they have any appliances such as a walking aid to help them? Some people have trolleys so they can transport their food and drink or other things and use it to help support themselves at the same time.

If they have been lame for some years they may have calipers for their legs which have to be strapped on each day. They may have a manual or battery operated wheelchair.

Food And Drink

Is your relative able to prepare their own meals, take their food and drink to the table, sit down, eat and drink without help?

Some people need special cutlery and drinking cups to help them eat and drink. Although these are supplied where necessary, they may prefer to take their own with them rather than have to get used to the ones provided.

Do they suffer from any illness that requires a special diet, such as diabetes? Food allergies also have to be considered so alternative foods or special diets can be prepared for them. The matron needs to know in order to instruct the chef and ask them to visit the new resident.

Using The Toilet

Can your relative get to and from the toilet by themselves? Sometimes it takes too long for this to be accomplished and elimination takes place before the toilet is reached. If the matron knows about this problem arrangements can be made for a resident to be taken to the toilet at regular intervals before they are desperate to eliminate. Hopefully this will solve the problem.

Some people are incontinent of urine which is not always improved with treatment and tends to worsen with age. Others are doubly incontinent and need to wear incontinence pads all the time. In most homes these are supplied free of charge but in others a charge may be made.

Incontinence is an embarrassing affair for any adult and they sometimes try to hide it. However, the matron does need to know and will be quite used to this situation and will discuss the matter with you.