Day 2,298 in the Nanny June Care Home

The One With The Chorus of Angels.

It’s ‘Meeting Day’, not a multi agency meeting to arrange palliative care because that would need a social worker which didn’t (until today exist) to take on the case. But at some point we have now reached critical mass for an actual real life social worker, who has come to do an assessment to see if Nanny June does actually need palliative care. And because social services haven’t been aware of Nanny June since at least 2019 (four years ago). Every vulnerable adult should have a care plan review meeting every 12 months. And yes we have had Covid but I don’t think case load managers or the great budget deciders in local authority realise the impact this has on people. So many elderly people are going about their life being cared for (or not) and with maybe no family or carers, or even with family and carers - open to abuse and neglect because the local authority can’t get enough social workers.

Except the social worker is late. But it turns out she did have to travel a 190 mile round trip to come and see us. Because she isn’t local - she is an agency social worker. Critical mass clearly carries a lot of weight.

And the Nanny June care home aren’t expecting her. Or me. Or anyone.

And I don’t have a contact number for the social worker and don’t even know her name, as I explained to the Nanny June care home - there would be a point learning it if it was a long term relationship but we rarely see the same social worker more than once.

So albeit late, one (very nice and thorough social worker) joined myself and the care home manager and one of the nurses to discuss what happens next. Why do we think Nanny June is deteriorating… well said the care home manager - I almost rang Liz to come and say goodbye.

And - she asks “what is holding up the move to palliative care?”

Bluntly and with no awkwardness, the care home staff and myself say - you. Not the social worker personally but social services.

Oh she replies. The health board need to get involved though..

Indeed. They are. They are waiting on you also.

Can you provide a name/date/email/phone number of this person who decided.

Yes. We do. In seconds.

But fortunately, Nanny June continues to be a force to be reckoned with because if she was in a rush to die then the system would have failed her entirely. But thanks to longevity and possibly sheer bloody mindedness Nanny Junes lives to fight another day.

Although admittedly, she still needs palliative care.

But in one glorious moment today…

Nanny June (miserable and in silence apart from mumbled poor speech): Elizasrjshebrebeth

>insert choirs of angels and the hallelujah chorus<

Me: Yes! I am! I AM ELIZABETH

NJ: Yes.

Me: Did you want me to stay?

NJ: Yes.

Me: That’s fine.

Me: Or did you want me to go?

NJ: Yes.

I asked her if she wanted to hold my hand and she kind of half stroked it and half batted it away. And I am pretty sure the office could see me crying via the cctv. But I will take that as a win.

Today Nanny June did not want to die.