'Our mum's not getting the right care'

Oct 10 2012 by Zoe Drewett, Uxbridge Gazette

TWO loving sons say their mother is not getting the help she needs from her home care service.

Byron and Philip Alexander are concerned the home care their mother, 89-year-old June Maddams, gets is not good enough.

She has had hip replacements and is both deaf and partially sighted, and has three visits from a carer every day.

The private help she receives from Specialist Care Services, based in Harefield, is partly funded by Hillingdon Council. Mrs Maddams, who lives in Willow Grove, Ruislip, pays for the remainder of the cost.

Linda Sanders, director of social care at Hillingdon Council, said: “The council has been made aware of a complaint made against Specialist Care Services. We are investigating and will work with the care provider to address any issues.”

Specialist Care Services are adamant they have attended Mrs Maddams three times a day.

Her son Philip, who lives nearby in Ruislip, also visits his mother every day.

“She is meant to have two 15 minute visits and one 30 minute visit, but it’s very rare that they actually stay that long,” he said.

“She has been receiving care at home for a couple of years, but for several months it’s been clear that she isn’t getting enough visits at the right times of the day.”

Philip’s brother, Byron, visits his mother twice a week. He relies on her care workers to look after her when he is unable to.

“When the carers have been there, the house is tidy, the washing up has been done, mum is in a clean set of clothes,” he said. “It’s clear when they haven’t been there.

“Everytime you question it you get excuses, but she is an 89-year-old lady who is deaf and blind, and often isn’t aware of what time of day it is.

“She has fallen over before and hurt herself because she tries to do things for herself when nobody turns up.”

Manager of Specialist Care Services, Michaela Green, said carers do all they can to get to clients on time.

“We have never not attended this lady three times a day, other than one instance where the visit was cancelled [by the family].

“When a client has a fall at home, an ambulance must be called for, and we cannot leave a client until the ambulance has arrived.

“We are told [by the ambulance service] that due to a high number of calls in the area our clients are not an emergency, and it can take hours for the ambulances to get out to them.

“This has a knock-on effect on other visits.”