Care home workers poor English

VioletSky

The problem is that care homes are run for profit

They should be a public service and not privatised

Staff should have more training and sometimes that training should involve learning English as a second language

Staff should also be paid a better wage

I agree. Some care home owners have become very rich, other groups are bought by private equity investors.

I've never understood why hospices should have to rely on charitable donations and fundraising too.

No, it should not.

My DH is in a care home. On one visit I had to ask 5 different carers for the comode for him. Three did not know what I meant and could not be bothered to look. Two just walked off and one eventually brought him a toilet riser!! None of them could speak much English.

Another day DH asked for a cup of tea and the carer brought a set of keys!!

Not only is the lack of English scary it should not be allowed when caring for the vulnerable and elderly.

I was working as a SW in the field when care homes and home care were privatized - it was a nightmare. Instead of being able to pick up the phone to the person in charge of either service and chatting about any problems that might have arisen, it was all fragmented and we had to liaise with an assortment of private agencies with high staff turnovers. And with the LA homes and services we knew there was proper staff support, supervision and training - because we were often a part of providing all that.

Also - at the risk of being accused of racism - carers from abroad, apart from the importance of shared culture and a good command of English, have the disadvantage that sometimes they might be hard for a resident/patient to accept, particularly if they have dementia. I know that my late OH was completely terrified by some of his carers, as he thought they were Russian spies, because of their accents. It was difficult for me as these people were there to care for him but sometimes I finished up struggling to do things myself as he was too frightened to have them do his care.

I was involved in regularly visiting friends and family in care homes for about 40 years, from mid 1970s to mid 20teens and the rise in the use of foreign carers in that time worried me and still does.

It has got nothing to do with the quality of the workers, or even their command of the English language, but their lack if any shared cultural background at a trivial level.

When people are old and frail they think and talk of the past. Shops they knew, radio and tv programmes they watched, actors and filmstars of the past. Remembered food and household products. There is a cultural shorthand of shared phrases, words and memories shared by carers and cared when they share a cultural background which contributes immeasurably to the mental health of care home residents.

No matter how kind and gentle a carer is, someone from the Philippines, Romania or India does not have that shared background so necessary for those with dementia and other memory problmes. Having some foreign workers is fine, but for a short while an aunt and uncle where in a care home where without exception all the care staff were Phillipinas. The physical care was superb but there was rarely ay conversation be tween cared and carer, that did not directly relate to care - and that bothered me.

Tenko

Gosh there is some misconceptions here. And as it’s the daily fail I’m not surprised.
I have had experience of carers both in care homes and in the home via my fil and my mother .
They do speak and write English and write up notes , which I have been able to read as they leave the folder in the home , but they have heavy accents which make it harder for people to understand especially if hard of hearing . It’s the accents which are the problem not the lack of English .
CQC require staff to have extensive training and to provide proof if the home is inspected. All care homes and care agencies have to be investigated by CQC .

You win the prize! I wondered how long it would be before someone pointed out “it’s the daily fail”. How very original …… not! 😳

Theexwife

The criteria for working in a care home is often, can you start tonight?

Did the lady's family not check the place out before she went in there?

No it’s not , I have friends who work in care homes and for agencies . They have to have CRB checks and training which includes safeguarding , h & s and numerous other policies which all takes time.

So how do you explain the coroner’s comments Tenko? Her words are quoted. She would be nobody’s fool.

Gosh there is some misconceptions here. And as it’s the daily fail I’m not surprised.
I have had experience of carers both in care homes and in the home via my fil and my mother .
They do speak and write English and write up notes , which I have been able to read as they leave the folder in the home , but they have heavy accents which make it harder for people to understand especially if hard of hearing . It’s the accents which are the problem not the lack of English .
CQC require staff to have extensive training and to provide proof if the home is inspected. All care homes and care agencies have to be investigated by CQC .

Not all care homes are private. We have good ones run by NHS, local authorities and also by third sector/charities. There are also some private ones but part of larger conglomerates.
My mother was in a lovely not for profit place with all the money ploughed right back into the place. It was lovely. The quality showed throughout the establishment. Local university nursing courses sent students on placement there.

Local authorities began selling care homes and domicilliary care in the 80 s, they also sold their children’s homes .
All to private companies looking for profit.
Carers used to get regular training, upgrading and a possibility of promotion.
Thought it was wrong then and still do.

Responsibility lies with the care home operator. If they are desperate for staff, either pay more money for people who can speak English, or close.

The criteria for working in a care home is often, can you start tonight?

Did the lady's family not check the place out before she went in there?

Can they read/write English? How do they write up the visit? Or isn't that necessary?

This also happens when you need carers in your own home.

Carers are sent out who speak NO english.

It is a miserable experience for the elderly and disabled.

sodapop

Worst thing County Councils did was to privatise care homes. Not just for elderly people but for others who need care because they are vulnerable. I agree with you Violetsky

I don't think it was the Councils' choice to privatise care homes, it was the policy in the Thatcher years to make councils privatise or contract out almost all of their services.

Worst thing County Councils did was to privatise care homes. Not just for elderly people but for others who need care because they are vulnerable. I agree with you Violetsky

Care homes are desperate for staff.

its so biased. The refusal to recognise the complex demands of a carer's role and pay a professional wage. This allows the status of the work as very low. Which is an insult. And we all know the biggest influx of immigrants has been to the university sector who squeeze large funds from them and they have been allowed to bring in their dependents. The government would rather save the university sector than the care sector. And if you do sell your house to pay for a care homeyou will be charged at a much higher rate than council placements, so shoring up that too. Let not forget how there was money to bail out the banks. The will is not there. and the old and the poor suffer.

The problem is that care homes are run for profit

They should be a public service and not privatised

Staff should have more training and sometimes that training should involve learning English as a second language

Staff should also be paid a better wage

this situation is all too common.
there is rarely any kind of interview for care work, beyond do you have the right to work here, when can you start.
i do think that emergency services call centres should have an express link to language line on speed dial.
sometimes it is hard for callers to make themselves understood, even native english speakers, and bleeding can sound like breathing over the phone.

This is just too awful. Care homes have an appalling image and no wonder when incidents like this come to light. Just as past generations rightly feared The Workhouse, today's 60+ generation - unfortunately - fear the prospect of The Care Home.

Ok must have misread

aonk snap! My mum is in exactly this situation.
I find myself trying to sort out all kinds of tangles sometimes, ranging from which day it is to how to operate the garage door to the bins.
Part of life's rich tapestry for me I suppose, but could be really dangerous.

I completely agree. It’s such a difficult situation but it urgently needs addressing. My friend’s elderly mother has carers who visit her. They do a very good job but there can be problems with communication especially as this lady has a severe hearing loss. She is hesitant to discuss this with the agency in case they think she is racist. In her case that couldn’t be further from the truth.