Your mum has always managed. She never let the house get run-down, even after a certain age. But one rainy morning she slips down the back step, and the hospital informs her that she cannot do it all by herself now.
Suddenly you’re reading words like “nursing needs” and “assessment”, and nobody has explained them. Sound familiar?
Plenty of families in Sutton Coldfield have stood exactly where you are. However, it is not something frightening; let’s take it slowly.
What is nursing care?
Nursing care is not related to the care of a normal day routine; it’s the care of a person’s health. A registered nurse will be able to dress wounds, administer injections, handle strong medicine and see if someone seems a little off.
A standard care home helps with washing, meals and company. A nursing care Sutton Coldfield does all that too, with a nurse on site day and night. If you’ve searched for a “nursing house” in Sutton Coldfield, this is what you were after. The official name is nursing home, or care home with nursing.
8 Common trigger points for nursing care
Most families don’t wake up one day and know. It builds up. These are the signs we see most often.
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Frequent Falls and Balance Changes
Falls are the leading cause of injuries to many people. It can be a misfortune if you experience a fall. Three in a few months is an indicator of change and a nurse can investigate why. It could be medicine, blood pressure or weak legs.
2. Skin Problems and Pressure Sores
Pressure sores can develop in just a few hours and deteriorate just as rapidly if a person sits for hours in a chair or bed. It takes trained eyes to see red patches or broken skin, not a plaster.
3. Medication Management Risks
Insulin, blood thinners, patches, a dozen tablets at different times. Get it wrong and it’s dangerous. Nurses deal with this every day.
4. Managing Long-Term Conditions
Long-term illnesses count as well too. Small changes can lead to big problems and all three of the conditions require regular checks: diabetes, COPD and heart failure.
5. Eating and Swallowing Difficulties
Problems swallowing & eating are easily overlooked. Coughing while eating, not eating everything and clothing hanging loose. A nurse can plan the proper testing and a more secure nutrition plan.
6. Advanced Dementia Care Needs
Infections, pain and weight loss are other problems that frequently occur with advanced dementia. But when that time comes, kindness isn’t sufficient. Your relatives must get medical treatment too.
7. Repeated Infections and Hospital Visits
Another indication can be repeated infections or admissions to the hospital. If your relative has visited Good Hope Hospital more than recently, the question here is why?
8. End-of-Life Comfort and Support
Sometimes, at the end of life, care turns towards comfort. Nurses will provide management of pain and symptoms, and will care for the family too.
What does a nursing care assessment cover?
A nurse/social worker will ask you how your relative gets around, feeds, sleeps and takes their medicines. They will assess skin color, pain, mood and memory. There are a lot of questions and it can be intrusive. But how they work out what help is really needed is what is different.
Ask to sit in. You know your relative better than any form does.
What should families ask before choosing?
Bring a notebook to take notes on the visit. If you have a question about who staffs the night call, inquire if it’s always a registered nurse. Imagine that the person falls at 3 am. Inquire what will happen at home to alert you to changes and how promptly. Ask which GP surgery the home is located in. Request and read the latest CQC report. Lastly, inquire about fees and what is covered in the fee.
With a good home, there is a clear answer!
Nursing care and NHS funding
The money is a challenge and it’s time to keep it simple.
The NHS may pay a weekly rate directly to your relative’s home if they require nursing care but are not eligible for 100% NHS funding. This is known as NHS funded nursing care. If someone has more complex health needs, they may be eligible for a package of NHS Continuing Healthcare that can pay for all their care needs.
An assessment is available via the GP, via the Birmingham City Council team or via the hospital team. Don’t delay the choice when the money is already tight.
When current care is no longer enough
The care that you have planned doesn’t fit in certain times. A shortage of carers. It’s the nighttime that’s so difficult. You cringe at the sound of the phone.
If this sounds like your home, it might be time to re-evaluate. . That isn’t failure. Needs changed, that’s all.
Nursing care in Sutton Coldfield
People don’t realize how much things are better when they stay local. All the familiar ways of the past, there’s a bench in Sutton Park, a neighbour dropping in. Visit after work without planning a trip and in case of trouble, Good Hope Hospital is nearby.
See homes in person, and multiple times, at various times of day. Listen to staff interacting with residents. No one can pretend to be as warm as that.
The Right Decision Starts with Need
There’s no perfect moment for this decision. You might feel guilty and relieved in the same hour. That’s normal. It just means you care.
Talk to the GP. Ask for an assessment. See a few homes. Choose the Nursing House Sutton Coldfield in which your shoulders fall as you enter the walk. It is not a requirement that you give them all the answers today; only the next step.
