Southport Residential Home Manager’s Dismay Over Empty Beds

We are continually told that social care is in crisis! Southport hospital crammed with patients bed-blocking, elderly in the community receiving poor or inadequate care, and social workers close to meltdown due to the lack of resources.

So how is it that Southport has residential care homes with multiple empty beds?

Helen Eslick and her Compliance and Support Manager Katie Howard are dismayed and frustrated with the ongoing situation.

Helen owner and registered manager of The Hollies Residential Care Home on Mornington Road said: "We used to be permanently full, however over the last year our occupancy has dramatically reduced due to lack of referrals from the local hospital or social services. Yet we see that the system can’t cope with the increase in elderly who are now so frail they are unable to look after themselves at home. We would all like to remain at home but at some point additional 24/7 care is required. Residential care is an affordable and much more economic care package for these lovely people. We shouldn’t be in a position we have empty beds."

Recently, Helen was visited by Damien Moore MP for Southport who commented how homely The Hollies is. Helen mentioned the ongoing situation and the lack of referrals. The MP has promised to investigate and report back.

Jonathan Cunningham MBE Chair of the North and South Sefton Care Home Group said: "Regrettably Helen’s situation is not uncommon across Sefton. Many smaller residential care providers are struggling with decreasing occupancy at a time when we need these providers the most.

"I call upon the local Acute Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Group and Sefton Social Services to seek an urgent solution to this. We all agree that keeping mum or dad at home for the longest period is what is required but there comes a point when these residential care homes can provide the best, more economical source of appropriate care and quality of life.

"The Hollies is a fabulous home, graded Good by the Care Quality Commission - I know I would like my Mum and Dad to be placed there. This is a crazy situation that needs addressing now."

Pictured L - R: Katie Howard (Compliance and Support Manager) and Helen Eslick (Registered Provider and Care Manager)

Originally Posted by roving-eye

Southport Residential Home Manager’s Dismay Over Empty Beds

We are continually told that social care is in crisis! Southport hospital crammed with patients bed-blocking, elderly in the community receiving poor or inadequate care, and social workers close to meltdown due to the lack of resources.

So how is it that Southport has residential care homes with multiple empty beds?

Helen Eslick and her Compliance and Support Manager Katie Howard are dismayed and frustrated with the ongoing situation.

Helen owner and registered manager of The Hollies Residential Care Home on Mornington Road said: "We used to be permanently full, however over the last year our occupancy has dramatically reduced due to lack of referrals from the local hospital or social services. Yet we see that the system can’t cope with the increase in elderly who are now so frail they are unable to look after themselves at home. We would all like to remain at home but at some point additional 24/7 care is required. Residential care is an affordable and much more economic care package for these lovely people. We shouldn’t be in a position we have empty beds."

Recently, Helen was visited by Damien Moore MP for Southport who commented how homely The Hollies is. Helen mentioned the ongoing situation and the lack of referrals. The MP has promised to investigate and report back.

Jonathan Cunningham MBE Chair of the North and South Sefton Care Home Group said: "Regrettably Helen’s situation is not uncommon across Sefton. Many smaller residential care providers are struggling with decreasing occupancy at a time when we need these providers the most.

"I call upon the local Acute Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Group and Sefton Social Services to seek an urgent solution to this. We all agree that keeping mum or dad at home for the longest period is what is required but there comes a point when these residential care homes can provide the best, more economical source of appropriate care and quality of life.

"The Hollies is a fabulous home, graded Good by the Care Quality Commission - I know I would like my Mum and Dad to be placed there. This is a crazy situation that needs addressing now."

Pictured L - R: Katie Howard (Compliance and Support Manager) and Helen Eslick (Registered Provider and Care Manager)

Could it be anything to do with the exorbitant cost of a place in a Care Home that makes it almost impossible for relatives to afford the fees?

Not exorbitant prices, just the true cost
of looking after someone.

Originally Posted by ausard2

Not exorbitant prices, just the true cost
of looking after someone.

£800 - £1000 a week ?

Originally Posted by pedoja

Could it be anything to do with the exorbitant cost of a place in a Care Home that makes it almost impossible for relatives to afford the fees?

Accommodation (Building) =£?

Nursing Provision =£?

Carer Provision =£?

Cooks & Kitchen Staff =£?

Laundry and Laundry Staff =£?

Heating Lighting =£?

Cleaning =£?

Maintenance (Carpets Buildings Electrics Gas Water Decorating)=£?

Ancillary Staff (Wages/ Finance/Clerical)=£?

Provisions (Food, Drink)=£?

Insurance=£?

Covering essential staff absences with Agency staff=£?

I could go on and on, if you think it is a cash cow and easy money why don't you have a go. I don't know how much you pay for holiday accommodation for a week without someone to feed you wash you wipe your jacksie and sort your life out for you bring your medication when you get bladdered and have a hangover.

Originally Posted by ausard2

Not exorbitant prices, just the true cost
of looking after someone.

It may well be the true cost - but that doesn't mean that relatives of a potential resident can afford to pay that amount, ongoing for a considerable period of time.

Originally Posted by Little Londoner

I could go on and on, if you think it is a cash cow and easy money why don't you have a go. I don't know how much you pay for holiday accommodation for a week without someone to feed you wash you wipe your jacksie and sort your life out for you bring your medication when you get bladdered and have a hangover.

Are you suggesting that the owners of residential care homes don't make a profit? Obviously there's a difference between paying for holiday accommodation for a period of one or two weeks - and committing to pay a similar weekly amount for 52 weeks of every year.

Here's a little hand grenade into the debate -

the elderly requiring the care are invariably the same people who provided early years care to their children.
It seems that in today's society, the pursuit of an ever bigger house, a new car every three years, a couple of foreign holidays a year and - the latest electronic lobotomy device (or mobile phone if you like), top trumps any sense of duty or even love.
I suppose it all comes down to which you covet most - transient material possessions or, your nearest and dearest.

Before the bleeding obvious is stated - yes - I know there will be some elderly people who have no one.

Originally Posted by Little Londoner

Accommodation (Building) =£?

Nursing Provision =£?

Carer Provision =£?

Cooks & Kitchen Staff =£?

Laundry and Laundry Staff =£?

Heating Lighting =£?

Cleaning =£?

Maintenance (Carpets Buildings Electrics Gas Water Decorating)=£?

Ancillary Staff (Wages/ Finance/Clerical)=£?

Provisions (Food, Drink)=£?

Insurance=£?

Covering essential staff absences with Agency staff=£?

I could go on and on, if you think it is a cash cow and easy money why don't you have a go

All paid minimum wages with one or 2 seniors on a decent wage.

If it's not a cash cow - which it is - why are there so many of them ?

Originally Posted by gazaprop

Here's a little hand grenade into the debate -

the elderly requiring the care are invariably the same people who provided early years care to their children.
It seems that in today's society, the pursuit of an ever bigger house, a new car every three years, a couple of foreign holidays a year and - the latest electronic lobotomy device (or mobile phone if you like), top trumps any sense of duty or even love.
I suppose it all comes down to which you covet most - transient material possessions or, your nearest and dearest.

Before the bleeding obvious is stated - yes - I know there will be some elderly people who have no one.

Good point.

There is a faint whiff of socialism in there & that is the problem, it doesn't sit well with capitalists.

Originally Posted by Mr B S Sniffer

Good point.

There is a faint whiff of socialism in there & that is the problem, it doesn't sit well with capitalists.

One of the biggest problems is that in many cases the 'carers' are often in the situation that they are fairly elderly themselves and they struggle to take care of their loved ones in the way that is required.

Originally Posted by Starling

Are you suggesting that the owners of residential care homes don't make a profit? Obviously there's a difference between paying for holiday accommodation for a period of one or two weeks - and committing to pay a similar weekly amount for 52 weeks of every year.

Many are not making a profit or just breaking even, the reason why many are closing or being taken over by chains.