Mina
Mina’s mother was diagnosed with dementia after Mina noticed changes in her behaviour and took her mother to the GP. In the years since her mother’s diagnosis, Mina’s mother’s health has gotten worse as she now requires help with her mobility, eating and medication.
Mina is the primary carer for her mother, who has dementia.
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Mina started noticing changes in her mother’s behaviour and became concerned. When visiting, she noticed her mother was shopping regularly and letting food go out of date. She also found her mother’s sink was a mess and found burnt pots. After noticing these changes, Mina encouraged her mother to go to the doctor, who gave her mother a dementia test and ordered an MRI test. These tests confirmed that her mother had dementia and would need to take medication.
During the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, she decided to move in with her mum so she could take better care of her. Mina is her mother’s primary carer and takes an active role in feeding her mother and administering her medication. Mina also receives support from a carer who visits the house to help with her mother’s intimate care.
Due to her mother’s mobility issues, Mina sometimes struggles with getting her mother out of the house since her mother needs a wheelchair to get around. While in the house, her mother uses a walking stick but has begun to need more support while getting around the house. Consequently, Mina is looking at ways to adapt the home so it is better adapted to provide the care her mother needs.
Mina explains the change in her mother’s motivation and mobility.
Mina explains the change in her mother’s motivation and mobility.
The only thing… I think she was quite… I think after Covid, I think she seems to have gone down a bit more as well after Co… when Covid kicked in, because before I would take her, you know, a bit, you know, to people’s places and, you know, families, visit family and people, but because after Covid kicked in I was… she… she was just sitting at home, so I think now she’s got into that, she doesn’t really want to go out anywhere.
Oh, OK.
So… and also I think her movement has gone worse as well than what it was, so I find it more stressful trying to get her to go out, and I think partly because of the stress, I would… I just don’t bother taking her out anymore.
Mina talks about the delays to get an assessment to have adaptations added to her home.
Mina talks about the delays to get an assessment to have adaptations added to her home.
And even going up the stairs it’s… is getting difficult because like, you know, she’s finding it very unsteady to go up the stairs. I mean I’ve spoken to the council to see if we can get a stairlift or anything, but nobody’s come down, and it’s like an ongoing issue, I keep ringing them practically every other week and they say they’ll get some… you know, physio to come and have an assessment, but nobody’s coming down, so…
OK, and how long has that been go… when did you first contact them?
I first contacted them it must be about two years ago, but they said they’re very short-staffed and they are just working on, you know, like skeleton staff, and everything. But I think now it’s getting into an issue that she really… you know, because we… I haven’t got a shower downstairs, so she has to go upstairs, so she… and she’s finding it very difficult going up the stairs, so I think I may have to get a private firm to come and put a stairlift in or some… you know, because she can’t do that, and I don’t want her to have a fall because if she does have a fall then I’m the one who’s going to suffer looking after her, so…