Panorama Undercover Elderly care.

Hi all I had to come back to discuss this show.
If anyone didn't see this programme I suggest finding it on the BBC Iplayer site or go on youtube to watch it.

Now my mini rant.

I work in a care home for the old folk who suffer from various stages of dementia and as you can tell by my name Iam a male.
Now the programme made me very very mad and unhappy because of the T*ats who abused the old folk and rightly so they were dismissed and one put in prison (and rightly so).
BUT why don't they make a show where they show a good old folks home? our industry is taking a battering because of all the negative press we are getting and many good workers are leaving because of this.
The show skimmed the reasons why the nursing care workforce is so bad (poor pay for doing a darn hard job, understaffing etc) so lets solve these things to get more qualified staff.
We had a meeting at work a couple of days after the show and I said "we have nothing to hide we all do a good job" and I suggested putting up a notice for our residents relatives saying "Hidden cameras welcome! we have nothing to hide" everyone thought it was a good idea except my boss .
I think of every one of my residents as another Grandma.Grandpa and treat them with the respect I hope to get when Iam at their age (our oldest is 101 and has such great insight into things, I love talking to her).
So I ask anyone who has a Dad,Mum Grandmother etc who have seen the programme not to think all care workers are the same as the evil Twits in the BBC programme and yes if you do think somethings amiss please do plant hidden cameras and you will see the amount of love and compassion we give out on a daily basis for £6.10 an hour.
Sorry for coming back ATS mini rant over..carry on.

reply to post by boymonkey74

I think the sign, while well-meant, is also a bad idea. You are bringing attention to a rather disturbing fact so I can see your boss's point of view. I think one step better might be to have cameras installed as standard in certain areas but privacy then becomes an issue perhaps.

It's the same with education. Focus on the few terrible teachers, ignore the ones who really make a difference.

Come to think of it, it's the same in every profession.

Media folks know that controversy, travesty, conflict...sells. Which is why they gleefully print these types of stories.

I, for one, appreciate the work you do. It's not an easy job and those who can do it deserve our respect.

You sound like a great guy. The old folks are lucky to have you. Your boss was against it, I think because human nature being what it is, there's no guarantee one of the staff won't have a bad day at some point and do something bad and then the place could be sued if there was documentation on video and it would be his fault for putting them in that spot. But keep up the good work.

reply to post by boymonkey74


S&F my friend... i know exactly where you're comming from...

I also work with the elderly... and i've seen some things i wish i had not...

Unfortunatly there are many in the field that should not be working in it anymore... they're burnt out and its time to find something different...

But there are some of us that love the work... and value every second we have with these people...

Much love brother

reply to post by boymonkey74


welcome back

i worked as a janitor at a senior center when i was 13yrs old. it was a great experience. i met some wonderful people.

-subfab