To recognise Community Care's 'Care in the Capital' week (17-21 June) the Have your say debate is on the subject of the recruitment crisis of social care staff in London.
We ask: What do you think should be done to attract more people into social work posts in London?
Take part in the Care in the Capital campaign by clicking here to give your comments.
All responses will be posted in this section of the website on 21 June.
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A recent Have your say debate focused on the issue of attitudes towards older gay men and lesbians. We asked how can care homes be made friendlier to homosexuals, and should we have separate care homes for them?
These are the responses we received:
"Back in the 1980s I took up my first post managing a care home for older people.
I was made aware of two women who had previously shared a bedroom but had been split up. Their notes stated "inappropriate behaviour", an entry signed by the previous manager. I was further startled by the fact that medication had been used (and we're not talking Viagra here). When I arrived both women were uncommunicative and clearly unhappy, but I noticed they became suddenly animated when sitting near each other in the dining room. When I questioned a senior care assistant she told me: "They are queer". Well, I thought, that's alright then!
My actual response to her was: "So am I, so what?" Needless to say I moved them back in together, and used staff meetings to discuss issues around sexuality, privacy and the right to be in relationships. Things improved, the couple were obviously enjoying each other in whatever way they chose but, some staff still found it something to snigger about when they thought I was out of earshot.
It is rather depressing to think this still happens in 2002. Of course training is important as is the existence of a robust equal opportunities policy.
But, at the end of the day, those staff who continue to find difficulty accepting sexual activity (gay or straight) amongst their residents should be encouraged to take their attitude and their P45 elsewhere.
Personally, as a gay man, if I ever need residential care when I get older I hope to find a more enlightened place ......... and preferably a place where some like minded talent is available."
Mark Whitbread
"In speaking of the homophobic managers comment about 'dirty pervs' an attempt is made at explaining why the couple were holding hands; why say the manager didn't know that one of the women was feeling unwell and needed her partner to steady her? (see Community Care 30 May- 5 June page 31).
If a heterosexual couple wanted to hold hands they wouldn't need to explain or be ill!"
Sue Davis
"I am now a qualified social worker, however I was previously a care assistant in a residential home for the elderly. This home was fortunate enough to have 2 lesbians and one gay man amongst the 50 or so staff. We were able to be 'out' about our sexuality, e.g. take our same sex partners to social events at the home. The effect of this was that it made it possible for both residents and staff to be open about their sexuality.
Some residents were gay, some had friends who were gay, some had family who were gay. There are hundreds of small ways that homes can become more gay-friendly, but a big start is for management and staff to be comfortable and open about the issues.
What reading material is available, what images are presented, what language is used, what events are the focus of reminiscence.
If one in 10 of us are gay, then almost every home must have gay people among staff, residents, visitors. The big question is do they feel safe to come out of the closet?"
Pamela Woodroffe
"It seems that one of the major difficulties about this is that the gay issue has a major problem in that it can be invisible if required. Consequently a lot of people will not concern themselves with the quality of life of older gays and lesbians.
The difficulty with training in my experience is that the people who are ok about this issue do not realise that in fact society still has a big problem with it. These "ok" people do not demand or attend any training because they do not have a problem and do not consider themselves homophobic. They do not take the time, however to understand the problems faced by the people themselves. Those people who do have a problem about gays and lesbians do not think that they have a problem and as there is little training are not encouraged to attend to be enlightened to simply respect difference, and not to make uninformed judgements about others.
Until this part of social work and other care professional's training gives this issue equal status to other areas the changes needed to ensure that people are given equal respect in their old age will happen very, very slowly."
Alison Woolley
