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| My ol' Mother a couple or so years back |
In the UK, NHS hospitals are non-profit institutions whose chief concerns are administering to those who are ill and ailing and in need of medical treatment or lifesaving surgery. Making money doesn't even enter into it, something for which all of us in Britain should be thankful for.
Care Homes, on the other hand, are all about making dosh by exploiting those who can't look after elderly and infirm relatives (or themselves), and doing so at the cheapest possible option (to them) in order to maximise their profits. Their raison d'etre is simply to make money, and any good that comes from that is merely a by-product in their pursuit of financial acquisition.
Some care workers will be conscientious and do their best in their administrations of care, but far too many are uninterested and see it as only a job which they wouldn't be doing if they could get something else. In Meadowbrook Care Home (owned by Enhance Healthcare) where my mother currently resides, I know from personal experience that many of the staff are next-to-useless in their day-to-day tasks.
For example, not cleaning the floor and tables in my mother's room, leaving excrement stains on her toilet seat for days after I've brought it to their attention, placing footwear in the wardrobe, either out of sight and reach on the top shelf, or concealing them under a duvet on the bottom. Leaving medicine on the bedside table without, as they're supposed to do, ensuring my mother has taken it before they leave the room. I could go on for ages yet, but I'm sure you get the idea.
Regular readers will already know the story, but for those who don't, the Home has now resorted to making false and malicious allegations against me in order to discredit me as I threatened to go public with this tale of woe. Certain staff, possibly at the urging of management in pursuit of their agenda to silence me, have participated in these allegations, such as intimidating and threatening behaviour on my part, inappropriate physical conduct, and even sexual harassment. What's ludicrous about that last one is that most of the women I've seen in the place are, in my opinion, total munters who I wouldn't look once at, never mind twice.
It seems to be the weapon of choice these days for some women to make false accusations against men (usually), under the cloak of anonymity and without detailing the precise nature of their 'complaint', as they don't have to prove their allegations, merely level them in order for the damage to be done. It's their first port of call in their desire to avenge themselves against anyone they take a dislike to, and because of the volume of complaints I've made about staff and the Home over the years, they've finally decided to get their own back on me.
However, they hadn't reckoned on my fortitude in dealing with lies, as I refuse to be embarrassed or intimidated by things I haven't done, hence this and my previous posts on the topic. Let's just remind ourselves of those responsible for this orchestrated attempt at character assassination.
Ashleigh Walmsley, the operations manager, took the opportunity of the Home's manageress being on holiday to jump in feet first and demonstrate to his colleagues just how to deal with the likes of me. Seems to me he'd be more suited to the kind of job where he asks "Do you want fries with that?" several times throughout the day.
Michelle Hampson, the 'nice-but-dim' Care Home manageress, whose emails to me are filled with spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. (There is marks on the floor, as opposed to there are marks on the floor, being but one.) I believe that, initially, she attempted to implement improvements in certain areas, but unfortunately her staff don't appear to be singing from the same hymn sheet. A job where asking customers "Do you want to go large?" would be more her forte, and going by the number of staff with fat @rses, many have 'gone large' on numerous occasions. She once suggested I put a shoe-rack in my mother's room to address the footwear issue - despite me already having put a large wooden shoe-rack against the wall under the window some months before. Trust me, far too many of them walk around with their eyes closed and are seemingly unaware of their surroundings.
And then there's Lorraine Miller, who didn't spend all the money I gave her for my mother's newspapers on newspapers, despite me giving her a £20 'gratuity' (over the price of the papers) every month. And let's not forget Janette Beckinridge, who's been surly, contemptuous, unhelpful, and just plain downright rude in several interactions with me. It's beyond me how people of this ilk seem to be regarded as some kind of asset by their employers.
So let me repeat my firm belief that those who would use a 104-year-old woman (with Alzheimer's and cancer, remember) as a weapon to try and discredit and silence me from publicly revealing the truth about them and their professional inadequacies are complete and utter scum, as well as total bastards! Ashleigh Walmsley accused me of slander, despite me saying nothing that isn't true, and also threatened to set his legal team on me. You reading this, Walmsley? Bring it on - and don't think this is going away anytime soon - I will be regularly updating any readers who are interested in how you and your 'Care' company abuse their position. Fate has a way of paying people back for their transgressions, and it's my firm intention to give Fate all the help I can.
That's a promise!
For the full story so far, click on the following links...
10 comments:
I have to say, Gordon ... all this makes for harrowing reading. I can't believe what you and your mother have had to endure. It just isn't right. Are East Kilbride News not interested in hearing your story?
Kid, your remark about the female staff being "total munters who I wouldn't look once at, never mind twice" made me laugh out loud!
Your mum looks pretty good for 102 in that photo - she could pass for about 80 in my opinion.
Sorry to nitpick but you've written Ashleigh Gourlay then Ashleigh Walmsley later on (I know Gourlay is the surname of the social worker).
Harrowing reading and harrowing to experience, Al, but I refused to be cowed into silence by these people. Social Work are more-or-less in cahoots with them because they both need one another to keep a grip on their 'power'. For example, when my mother went into a home, I had no say in which one, it was Social Work who decided. I've been trying to get her moved for around three years and all sorts of objections are put up. Eventually, they relented and said I could try and find another Home, but what they didn't say at that time is that SW tell any prospective Homes what a complaining, moaning, pain in the @rse I am, effectively dissuading any of them from admitting my mother. I'm banging my head of a brick wall. I'd say it should be their responsibility to relocate my mother, but they don't see it that way.
The EK News did a story about my mother and my unhappiness with the place around three years back, but they didn't get back to me this time, despite around a dozen 'phone calls, text messages and emails. I finally managed to talk to a reporter a couple of days ago, so we'll see what develops. I've also spoken with a reporter from the Daily Express and am waiting to hear back from her once she's spoken with the home. Waiting to hear back from the BBC as well. Thanks for the kind thoughts.
Typed in a white-hot rage, CJ, hence the error. I'll amend it now. Everyone says my mother doesn't look her age, but I'd rather have her looking a bit older and still have all her marbles.
Harrowing indeed Kid what a living nightmare this is for you all. Have you approached a lawyer about the allegations they have made against you?Your wee mum does indeed look amazing for her age.
I've approached several lawyers, McS, but they say they don't deal with cases like this, though they've expressed sympathy for my situation. I also contacted a place that tackles false allegations, but which is unfortunately based in England and they don't get involved with incidents outside of there. Hopefully, I'll also look amazing when I'm 104 - if I ever reach that age.
Kid, do you receive any form of secret updates on how your Mothers doing? By the way, she looks a lovely lady. You must miss not seeing her!
No secret updates, AAW. I'm the one who took supplies up to her (bottles of Lucozade, sweets, newspapers, etc.), so I don't know what's happening, even though as POA, I'm supposed to be the first point of contact. There's more to tell, but I'll save it for another time. Yes, it seems strange not to be able to see her like I did.
It just shows how society has morally failed, when all effort leans more towards 'defending the indefensible'. I hope your brother is taking her some of the above stated niceties...do you think he's informed her of what's happened to you?
I don't know if he knows or not, but my mother wouldn't remember past 10 seconds anyway. She thinks he never visits her (probably thinks the same about me), but she just forgets. I've occasionally seen things he's brought her, so I know he visits her.
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