Fred's furious: social care must not be disregarded.

摘要

Magda, our social worker is looking frazzled. Her hair is sticking up at odd angles. She looks as if she's been in a tussle with someone and lost. I walk over to the desk where she's sitting 'Tea?' I ask holding out a cup. She looks up with eyes filled with gratitude,'Thanks'. 'Who have you been seeing?' Fred has capacity. His mini-mental state examination (MMSE) is 30/30 and he can do the Telegraph crossword faster than we can finish the drug round. Unfortunately Fred's 92-year-old body is not as nimble as his mind. He has lots of long-term medical conditions. Fred needs someone to do his shopping and cleaning. He needs help to wash and dress. He also needs help to prepare food. Fred does not need very much help but he's not able to cope without assistance.