Sunday, 28 April 2002. I must be a sad and lonely soul to relate this little story - but, here goes! (and nobody laugh - bear with me - there is a moral point).
I am in sheltered housing and most people get a call each morning (to see if they're alive?). After the visit to the hospital, where I was given the impression that I could drop dead any minute, I decided that I had better have a morning call.
Since then the calls have been spasmodic. Relating this to the neighbours, I was told that I was called, but that I could not remember it. As I have been saying that I have primary senile dementia I thought that it could be possible - but, I did nor really believe it!
This morning I heard my next door neighbour called, but I wasn't. Waited for five minutes, then pulled the cord and explained the above points. I was told that the man was on site, using the call system, and that I should have been called and that they would contact him.
Five minutes later he called as though it was a normal morning call. When I asked him why my call had been missed he went into an explanation of how he had to go away and do calls at other sites, and got very angry. (he was lying) I persisted, and asked why he had left without calling me and had come back just to call me. Oh, boy! Did he get wound up. Wish I had recorded it! After a few exchanges I told him to get back into his pram. The man was obviously emotionally unstable.
My moral point is that how does a person of such personality get to work with vulnerable people?
Should I make a formal complaint? To be honest, I just can't be bothered. But, it does give me a story to tell and maybe Basildon Careline will visit the site!
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Monday, 29 April 2002. Didn't get a call again this morning. Though it's an ill wind ........... I slept in until 9am and thoroughly enjoyed it! First time for about four weeks. I used to be a very late riser, but since the glucose has been under control I have more energy (manic!!??).
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Tuesday, 06 May 2002. Above - Sunday 28th. April and Monday 29th - I relate the story of not getting my morning, "Are you OK." intercom call from Basildon Careline. On the Monday, after I complained, yet again, I got a phone call explaining that, "There was confusion as to whether you should get a call." As I had given the warden a letter over two months previously, I could not accept his explanation. I was on-line at the time of the call, so the BT answer service picked up the call - it is here. I called Careline back on the intercom system, and the call is here. You will note that at no time did anyone say, "Sorry." The intercom replies seem patronising - "Just pacify the doddering old fool." Which is born out by the lack of action.
Basildon Careline have recently won an award - wonder what the rest are like!!
In case you think I have 'gone over the top'. Let me put this to you. I did not want a call for my benefit. I was thinking of the person who would find the body after I had been laying dead for a week. In recent times, this has happened when call services have made mistakes and the tabloids have had an excellent circulation booster.