"My parents desperately need a robust joint Assessment"

My elderly parents living at home, dad has dementia and mum is blind and is very frail. It is their own home with care services coming in 4 times a day for pill prompts and making quick meals at lunch time and tea time.

My dad was diagnosed with dementia about 5 years ago. My mum is registered blind has diabetes and now has some hearing loss and is suffering from depression. They were managing fine up until about two years ago when both my parents begun to find day to day tasks more and more difficult. Both are on medications and have blister packs.  They have only recently started to receive a care at home service, after my Mum became ill - on her discharge from hospital.

The North Ayrshire care staff are amazing and I could not thank them enough for the fantastic job they are doing. My mum’s GP (Dr Woodburn, Oxenward Surgery, Kilwinning) has been outstanding and regularly drops in to see her and is really great about keeping in touch with me.

We have been trying to get a joint assessment for my parents for a long time as we are really concerned that the care provision is not adequate for them and their care needs should be considered together. My mum has become very frail and is falling regularly and injuring herself,  my dad is doing his best - trying to help, but due to his dementia often makes things worse.  He has inadvertently given her the wrong medication and doubled up on medication at times. He is confused and worried.  My mum appears to be failing and and my Dads condition is getting worse - it all feels like a disaster about to happen.   Their GP has requested a joint Assessment of their care needs over and over again at local meetings with Social Workers, but when I speak to their Social Worker she says she knows nothing about this.  My parents desperately need a robust joint Assessment of their needs.  My family is doing all they can to support them too - but we need help.  We are so worried.