article_snippet.sent: Untrained home carers are putting the elderly and disabled ‘at risk of serious harm’ while giving medication, performing intimate procedures and looking after patients with dementia, warns a survey today.
article_snippet.sent: It is no exaggeration to say that frail older people are being put at risk of serious harm or worse.
article_snippet.sent: ’ George McNamara, of the Alzheimer’s Society, added:
article_snippet.sent: ‘Two-thirds of people with dementia live in the community and it is a disgrace that these people are being let down so profoundly.
article_snippet.sent: It can also have devastating consequences if care workers don’t have enough training to be able to appropriately communicate – with people with dementia often ending up in hospital as a result.
article_snippet.sent: ’ Dot Gibson, general secretary of the National Pensioners Convention, said: ‘This is further evidence of how our care system is in crisis.
article_snippet.sent: One female home care worker in south-east England said: ‘I see clients with dementia despite having never had any training.
article_snippet.sent: ‘I’ve been a care worker for almost 20 years and received formal qualifications working for other companies in the past.
article_snippet.sent: Now, there are people who have never been trained.
article_snippet.sent: ‘people who have never been trained are just sent out with another carer to show people who have never been trained how things are done.
article_snippet.sent: Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: ‘If homecare workers aren’t receiving adequate training, there could be fatal consequences.
article_snippet.sent: The UK Homecare Association, which represents firms running services for councils blames spending cuts, forcing The UK Homecare Association, which represents firms running services for councils members to do more with less money.
article_snippet.sent: A spokesman said The UK Homecare Association, which represents firms running services for councils had ‘repeatedly drawn attention to the risks posed by a grossly-under-funded care system’.