A 94-year-old dementia sufferer is spending hours waiting for help to take medication because of a shortage of Fife Council staff, her family have claimed.
Mary Johnston, who lives in sheltered accommodation in Kirkcaldy, is helped to get up, washed and dressed by home care staff.
They should arrive early in the morning to give her breakfast, and vitally, ensure her medication is taken.
However, her concerned nephew John Morris has voiced his fears his vulnerable aunt is struggling to fend for herself as often she doesn’t see staff members till late morning.
“She lives on her own in sheltered housing, and has been getting the service for a couple of years.
“But the last few months the time they come in the morning has been getting later and later.
“It could be 10.30am or 11am.
“She has dementia and has heart problems and other ongoing problems of someone that age.”
But instead of the usual 8am to 8.30am visit, she is often left waiting for hours.
That means she isn’t getting her vital medicine, nor food.
“I went in last Monday and there was half a box of cereal all over the kitchen floor as she had been trying to get herself something to eat.”
Mr Morris claimed there is also an issue with a lack of staff continuity.
“No two days are alike and she needs to recognise the them, but different ones are sent.
“She just starts to have confidence in them, starts to trust the person and then a different carer is in.
“She gets down about it, gets herself up but is just sitting there, not getting a thing to eat or her pills to take.”
Mr Morris said he had repeatedly contacted the service but was told it was short staffed.
“They are always saying they are putting extra money into social work, but I feel they are just not wanting to pay agency staff to cover.
“A vulnerable dementia sufferer should be a priority.”
Fife Council has apologised to clients for inconvenience caused as a new system is put in place.
Divisional general manager (east) David Heaney said: “The Health and Social Care Partnership aims to provide high quality, consistent services for the people who rely on them.
“We are currently introducing an electronic home care scheduling system.
“This new system will allow us to make sure that service users receive their care at the appropriate time.
“This system is currently being rolled out in the Kirkcaldy area after being introduced to other parts of Fife.
“We apologise to our service users for any inconvenience caused while we put this in place.
“We are also currently recruiting more staff.”
