My elderly mum, who suffers from dementia and is in a care recently had a fall and broke her hip. Now out of hospital and back at care home, the staff regularly take mum from her medical chair and sit her on an old sofa (which a patients relative donated). The sofa has no support for mum’s hips/legs, etc. can i request that they stop this practise and keep her in the medical chair provided by the care home.

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear Gillian,

Thank you for your email.

I do believe that this should be a straightforward matter to deal with.

You should speak to the Registered Manager of the care home and explain your concern and I am sure that the Registered Manager will understand what you are saying and make the appropriate changes in the care plan.

It is sometimes difficult to understand why such actions are taken when to you it seems to be quite clear that your Mother should be in a chair which makes it much easier for her to stand up and sit down.

It may just be that your Mother regularly used this sofa before she broke her hip and it is where the staff are used to see her sitting.

Is it possible that your mother asks to sit in it, or if asked she would like to sit there she says yes?

Either way, have a chat with the Registered Manager. If for any reason she continues to be placed on the old sofa, please come back to me as soon as possible and I will tell you the next steps to take but I don’t believe that that should be necessary.

All good wishes to you and your Mother.

Sheila