Cavendish Homecare was contacted by Leo’s family after he had complications following hip surgery. Whilst living alone in Kensington and Chelsea, Leo sustained a fall and was readmitted to hospital. Past medical history also included living with dementia, poor skin condition and weight loss. Whilst Leo suffered minor injuries from the fall, his family realised that this could reoccur, hence they decided to enquire about round-the-clock nursing care.
Our Client’s Story…
Living with mild dementia was considered as one of the reasons that may have contributed to the Leo’s fall following surgery. After careful discussion about his needs with his family, Cavendish Homecare suggested a short-term dementia care package consisting of 24/7 care, with a nurse and a carer during the day and two carers overnight. The arrangements were put into place prior to his discharge from the hospital.
The Cavendish Approach…
Leo was initially apprehensive when mobilising using a Zimmer frame. With the assistance of two carers, he was gently reassured and encouraged with when mobilising, this allowed him to regain his confidence and independence. The hospital provided a physiotherapist for regular home visits to help him with strengthening exercises and also incorporated the use of a stationary bike. The duties of the Cavendish Homecare nurses and carers included all aspects of Leo’s personal care, continence support, medication administration, monitoring vital signs and assisting with meal preparation. Every element of his needs and personal wishes were outlined in the care plan.
In particular, the team implemented a healthy high calorie and fluid intake plan, so that he could regain their confidence and strength. This also aided skin recovery of the operation wound site. Within a few weeks of care, there was a noticeable improvement in the Leo’s walking abilities and wellbeing. Leo also had an increased appetite, with a 2 kilograms weight gain.
Leo presented episodic forgetfulness and fluctuating moods, particularly towards the end of the day, which were likely attributed to their underlying dementia. At times, he could be verbally aggressive to staff, who were able to recognise this “distress reaction “ behaviour and use distraction techniques to soothe the situation.
The team identified a number of sources of joy and comfort, these included the Leo’s beloved pets, phone calls with family members, watching family videos, reading books, listening to music, looking through photographs and regular visits from hairdressers and family members. By incorporating his sources of joy and personal needs into his care plan and the care delivered, the team were able to manage his medical conditions, encourage independence and enhance their overall wellbeing.
The Outcome…
As a result of the personalised care from the Cavendish Homecare team and the physiotherapist provided by the hospital, Leo’s post operative wound healed well, and their mobility steadily improved. As time progressed, the client was able to enjoy being out of bed for extended periods of time. Their mood continued to fluctuate at times, however, Leo had visibly improved in all areas, as noted by their family.
Despite Leo having fully recovered from his operation, his family decided to continue to utilise round-the-clock care provided by the committed Cavendish Homecare nurses and carers as this had such a positive effect on both Leo and his loved ones lives and wellbeing.
Disclaimer: For privacy and confidentiality reasons, the names and locations in this case study have been changed. The events and outcomes described are based on real situations, but identifying details have been altered.
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