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What the heck do I do?

(60 Posts)
sodapop Fri 30-Aug-19 16:32:11

My mother in law was the same Luckygirl it was difficult hearing the racist remarks coming out of the mouth of a 'sweet little old lady'.

I'm sure its not a new problem for agencies and hospitals. Surely the staff realise its the illness talking. I worked in mental health services for a long time so I learned how to separate the illness from the person.

mostlyharmless Fri 30-Aug-19 14:51:33

Such a difficult situation for you Luckgirl. You have my sympathy.
Care agencies will have met these sort of problems before. My late fil with dementia, had very embarrassing behaviour issues and was thrown out of one lovely care home. We were very lucky to eventually find another home that would take him.
I hope you can find a solution.

Jane10 Fri 30-Aug-19 14:38:45

Gosh that's a tough problem. As if things weren't hard enough. What happens if whoever turns up is black? If they just get on with the job might he get used to them and forget his prejudice as he finds out about them as a person?

Barmeyoldbat Fri 30-Aug-19 14:37:49

Sorry I am really of no help here but I wish you all the best and hope you find some way out.

Luckygirl Fri 30-Aug-19 14:18:45

In fact we live in the middle of the Herefordshire countryside and you can count the number of black people living this area on two hands - all the homes I visited looking for respite had all-white staff. So for him, in this context, it feels unfamiliar for him; and he is so vulnerable at the moment.

annsixty Fri 30-Aug-19 14:14:04

The weekend agency carers at my H's care home were all black as were most of the staff in hospital Drs and nurses alike.
It will not be solved by him not being at home, just not so awkward for you and the carer.
So sorry for you

lovebeigecardigans1955 Fri 30-Aug-19 14:01:19

How awful for you both.

There is also the difficulty that if he was in a hospital or care home many of the staff will be black. You will still be up against a brick wall.

My sympathy.

ninathenana Fri 30-Aug-19 14:01:17

Luckygirl a sad situation indeed. I have no advice to give but did not want to "read and run"

Doodle Fri 30-Aug-19 14:00:35

I think the explanation that it is his illness can be spoken luckygirl. My brother (who was the most polite person you could meet) when in late stage dementia looked at another patient in the ward and said good grief what’s that. Yes it is embarrassing but presumably he can’t help it. Can you not explain to the agencies and see if they have anyone who can help. So sorry for your stress.

Luckygirl Fri 30-Aug-19 13:54:47

OH with end-stage PD is at home and we can only manage with live-in care. Finding this at a price that does not totally bankrupt us is an on-going challenge and a continuous day and night headache.

Here's the problem - and I duck below parapet here - my OH will not accept a black carer. I know, I know, it is dreadful and so embarrassing for me when I have to have this discussion with care agencies.

He is/was not a racist man - but he was brought up in a place where he has terrible memories of race riots etc. as a young child. His father was also a raving racist and Enoch Powell supporter.

He has not been like this throughout his adult life, but now that he is suffering with intermittent paranoia from his illness and the drugs he has to take, this unfortunate prejudice has reared its head.

He worked in the NHS and had many colleagues who were black of course, but this current problem is a result of his illness. When we had a Bulgarian Turkish carer, he would wake at night thinking she was a communist spy!

I am tearing my hair out with this as so many of the carers on the agencies' books are from Africa or British people of African heritage.

I have just had a firm (but I hope not threatening) conversation with him and said that he may have to be more flexible if he wants to stay at home - I know his behaviour is caused by the illness, but I am in an impossible situation. I do not want to provoke a worsening of his paranoia, but I am up against a brick wall here.

Help!