Forum Topic

URGENT: care home coronavirus

I’ve just heard that there are cases of Covid-19 in two local care homes:Torkington HouseCreswick Rd Acton, London W3 9HFChestnut Lodge3 Woodfield RdEaling, London W5 1SLI’ve also heard reports of people being unable to contact Chestnut Lodge by phone. Does anybody know what’s going on?

David Marshall ● 1839d7 Comments

I still wish that I had got around to reporting the care home that just spouted the Data Protection rubbish at me to the Information Commissioner for misuse of the Act.  (Not Ealing.)

Philippa Bond ● 1835d

Care homes can be very different - we have known care homes where some of the residents were still driving and were using it more like a hotel than a are home.Any news from these two care homes in Ealing?

Philippa Bond ● 1836d

My FIL never wanted to be "shut up in a care home". It certainly wasn't like that at the time - except that due to the lack of staff it became obvious that when anything went wrong the ambulance was called.  It definitely looks different now and decidedly worse.  After the Liverpool Pathway became obvious and was criticised it was announced that family should be involved in decisions like that so that they were aware.

Philippa Bond ● 1837d

This has all the makings of a public health disaster. We now have old people trapped in care homes who (1) cannot be visited by friends or relatives (2) cannot be contacted by phone, and (3) have been encouraged or coerced into signing Do Not Resuscitate orders. What’s more, there is huge pressure on care homes NOT to admit elderly people to hospital if they become ill.And if anyone should die in a care home, GPs can now sign a death certificate WITHOUT examining the deceased. If we singled out any other group in society for this sort of mistreatment – children, women or black people – there would rightly be an outcry.Are we really thinking critically enough about what’s happening out there? Or are we content to just stand and clap on our doorsteps instead?

David Marshall ● 1837d

You are right - but even in good times we have had problems contacting people in care homes.  There aren't enough staff to keep answering phones and look after their charges.  Those in care homes often aren't able to access or use phones.

Philippa Bond ● 1837d

Philippa, I think that this is serious and I think that if people cannot contact their relatives in local care homes that they should be contacting their local councillors and the police, it isn't a question of "asking questions", hours could mean lives here

Mark Julian Raymond ● 1838d

I hope that the families of everybody concerned will be asking questions.

Philippa Bond ● 1838d