About you
Name: Edith
Gender: Female
Age: 82
Ethnicity: White British
Religion: C of E
Disability: vascular dementia; visual impairment; angina; diabetes
First language: English
Family: extended family
Location: East Midlands town
Extended family:
Daughter – Cathy, 64, works as a manager in a high street shop, lives 80 miles away; married to Dave; son Daniel 38, married to Rachel with 2 children Archie 5 and Hope 3
Son – Gary 59, works in a distribution centre in the same town as his parents, partner is Mark, no children
Daughter – Louise, would have been 62, died aged 46 of breast cancer, leaving a husband Keith aged 58, a retired police officer in a nearby town, who has married again to Sue; Louise and Keith had a daughter Lucy who is 36 and unmarried; Keith and Sue have a son Eric 30 and a daughter Christine 28
What’s important to you?
Edith told me that the most important thing in her life is Bob, her husband, being settled and looked after. Bob has had Alzheimer’s for six years and for the last year Edith says she has been his memory, reminding him about what he needs to do and when, and prompting him when he forgets again.
Edith wants to stay in her home with Bob for the rest of their lives. She has always looked after the home and wants to keep doing this, and to manage things herself as much as possible.
Edith feels lucky that she has her son Gary and his partner Mark nearby and they visit most weeks. And that she sees her daughter every month, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren every few months. She doesn’t want to worry Gary or rely on him too much but she does like to see him and Mark whenever they can.
What’s happening for you at the moment?
Edith has recently been diagnosed with vascular dementia. She had a series of mini strokes over the last year, including one where she had a fall and bruised her knee. Edith said she has started to forget important things like putting her eyedrops in and taking her medication for glaucoma, diabetes and angina. She’s found it more difficult to do the housework and washing. Gary brings the heavy shopping. Bob tries to help but he makes it more difficult as he isn’t able to finish things he has started.
Edith is worried that she can’t see if things aren’t clean and that the house is not in a good state. Gary told her recently that she had put the shopping in the oven instead of the fridge, and he noticed her using a pan that hadn’t been washed. Edith is still able to keep on top of the post but finds it difficult to read some of the letters.
Bob needs a lot of attention. He gets up in the middle of the night and Edith has to try to get him back to bed when he thinks it’s breakfast time. Edith has to watch him all the time. Bob also tends to follow Edith around the house; sometimes she feels he is checking up on her. He has quite a lot of pain and Edith doesn’t know what to do about this.
Bob has started not to recognise Edith and also has forgotten that their daughter Louise died. He keeps asking when she will visit.
Edith and Bob used to go out including to the pub quiz, but recently Bob has shouted and sworn at the quiz master and so they haven’t been since.
What is the impact on you?
Edith told me that she is worried that she is not able to do things and that she sometimes feels useless. She has been keeping things going since her husband Bob became ill and is now finding it more difficult to do this.
Edith is very tired from having to keep an eye on Bob all the time. She is sometimes too tired to cook or ends up sleeping in the chair.
Edith is finding it very difficult that Bob is starting to forget his family and also events from their past together. She doesn’t know what to say to him about Louise.
Edith is worried that if she has a mini-stroke then she might fall over and not be able to get help and Bob wouldn’t know what to do.
What would you like to happen in the future?
Edith wants to stay at home with Bob. She wants to keep seeing her family but not feel that they are there to check how things are.
Bob goes to a memory group and singing for the brain. Edith would like him to be able to keep going and to do more things like this.
Edith wants to make sure she has her eyedrops and medication when she is supposed to so that she can keep going.
Edith wants to know that the house and the garden are in order, and to still enjoy her home. She wants to carry on spending time in the garden and feeding the birds.
Edith enjoys watching quiz shows and wants to be able to keep doing this.
How might we achieve this?
Edith said that she needs some help with the house and garden. She would like someone who takes pride in their work. She wants to carry on doing the cooking. Edith will need an alarm in case she leaves the gas on or the tap on.
Gary has said he can come round every week with the shopping and put this away. He is also going to help Edith with the post.
Edith would like to carry on going to the pub quiz. Mark said he would go with her while Gary stayed with Bob. Gary will also take Bob out for a drive once a week.
Edith would like some way of remembering about her eyedrops and tablets.
Edith wonders is there is a way of getting help if she has a fall.
Edith would like to have some uninterrupted sleep but she doesn’t know how this could happen. She would like some advice about what to do when Bob forgets the family, asks about Louise or swears.
What strengths and support networks do you have to help you?
Edith has been a carer for Bob for quite a few years. She has managed this well. Edith is resourceful and has put in strategies to manage her dementia, for example using the calendar and having reminders around the house.
They have been married for 65 years and have a close family. Edith’s son Gary and his partner, and her daughter Cathy provide support. Edith gets a lot of pleasure from seeing her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Edith and Bob made the decision to move to their bungalow three years ago and this continues to help them to manage.
Edith has a good social network from her quiz night and they provide emotional support to her.
Bob has good support from memory clinic and singing for the brain, which helps Edith.
Social care assessor conclusion
Edith is both a carer and has needs for care and support of her own. Edith has a number of health problems, including a recent diagnosis of vascular dementia, which impact on her ability to manage day-to-day tasks. Edith wants to continue to manage her home and look after her husband, and needs some additional support to do this.
Edith has a good support network from her family and has a social network. Most of the support that she needs is for her husband. Edith also needs some support for herself.
In the future Edith may want additional support from the carers’ centre. She may also need more direct help with day to day tasks. We will review the care and support plan in six months. Edith’s family will help her to contact us if things change before then.
Eligibility decision
Edith is eligible for care and support, and for support as a carer. At the moment the only service she is having from the council is assistive technology, as her family are providing the other support.
What’s happening next
See care and support plan for Edith.
We have also done an assessment for Bob, and he has a care and support plan.
We have offered a carer’s assessment to Gary and he will consider this.
