The Telegraph website reports on a number of cases where elderly or mentally ill patients have been forced or pressurised to move into a care home by social services. The article is published in the wake of the recent case of Betty Figg, where an elderly lady was forcibly removed from her daughter’s home by social workers and police after her daughter had taken her away from her care home. One case that is examined is that of Ron Jones, who has Alzheimer’s disease and had been cared for at home by his son, Jim. Social services insisted that Ron move into a care home, where he was obviously unhappy. He was then taken home by Jim. However, Ron went back to the home after social services made it clear that if he didn’t return immediately, he would not get a place in future. Still unhappy in the home, Ron became aggressive and was moved to an elderly care unit. Jim has now had to hire a solicitor to help him get his father back home, commenting: ‘Basically, I am in despair. The local authority…have usurped my role as his son. I just don’t understand why I can’t care for him in our own home. I know a time will come when his Alzheimer’s is so bad that he will need nursing home care. But that time hasn’t come yet.’
The Deprivation of Liberty safeguards, an amendment to the 2005 Mental Capacity Act, have now come into force and enable relatives to challenge a decision to place their relative in a care home or secure establishment. The guidelines require all local authorities to carry out six assessments before deciding whether admission to a home is in the patient’s best interests. Anyone who is concerned that a relative is being held in a care home against their will can ask the home for a copy of the guidelines and a form to fill in which will lead to an assessment of the individual’s interests. You can find out more about the Deprivation of Liberty safeguards at the Department of Health’s website.
posted by Cheselden Continuing Care at
12:36
