Who cares for elderly?

Published: 1 April, 2010

• THIS letter is on behalf of an elderly lady, I care for and visit in the evenings.
On one occasion, I found her struggling and panicking, as she tried to inject her insulin, because no nurses had turned up within three hours of telephoning them.
I called the nurses, and was told that the lady would have to wait until next morning.
That is no good for this lady, as she has to inject the insulin regularly at 7am and 6pm, daily.
I said that it was impossible, as she relies on the injections, as she has been diabetic for 29 years.
She also has had heart problems, and other illnesses.
I was asked to carry out the injections myself, but I said I wasn’t a nurse, and wasn’t qualified. In the end a nurse came at 6.40pm, once I had told them that if anything happened to her they would be responsible.
It is not the first time this has happened, as I kept on phoning them at least three or four times.
The answer is always that they have nobody to send out.
So what happens if the lady doesn’t have the injections?
She is 89, and frail with very bad eyesight.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED