22BUK

Did anyone else see this on the front page of Saturday's Daily Telegraph?

CARE workers have been advised not to call elderly residents at a Yorkshire nursing home "love", "dear" or "sweetheart" without written consent.

The edict, in a part of England where familiarity is a byword, has been served on the Swinton Lodge nursing home after an inspection by Rotherham health authority.

Members of staff have been advised to "cease the practice of using terms of endearment when speaking to residents" and use "correct" forms of address instead.

Eileen Johnson, the matron of the privately-run home, which caters for 64 men and women, said: "This is political correctness gone mad. To address residents as Mr and Mrs would be all right in London where I come from, but in South Yorkshire people are more friendly and 'love' and 'dear' are no problem."

The "offending" words are in mutual use. One resident's invariable opening remark to his carers is: "Eh up, love, you get the kettle on." Mrs Johnson said: "It is just natural for people around here to talk like that. I held a meeting with the residents and their relatives and they all think the rule is laughable.

"It is so alien for us to be prim and proper. We do call residents by their names, but when you are sitting down with them or walking along a corridor, 'love' and 'sweetheart' just slip out."

Chris Stabler, the director of performance management at the health authority, said that, although the recommendation had been made specifically to the home at Swinton, the same standard applied to every home.

He said: "We are trying to ensure that older people are treated as individuals. Many have lost their homes and their possessions. If they start to lose their names as well, there is nothing left."

Shark

What a load of bo**ocks.

David

paulr

I agree with you Mrs Scooby

ChrisB

"director of performance management"

I think that says it all

Markus

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, how silly.

I'm not PC, never have been and doubt I ever will be, this stuff makes my blood boil.

Think PC actually stands for Purile Crap!

SPJ

I heard one a few days ago, which made me realise just how crazy this PC thing has become.

A friend's kiddy at nursery;all the kids singing 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' like we all did those many moons ago.
The next thing, teacher then shows the class a soft toy of a sheep, and says 'OK, now this is a white sheep, so we're now going to sing 'Baa Baa White Sheep'.

Has this world gone mad or what?!

Dave P

I'll see my wife in court then.... she frequently calls me darling (one of the nicer things she calls me actually)

Luke

I love it!!!! Ban Christmas as well. No more Catholics or Church of England.I think the queen should be made to take down the Union jack at Bucpal.

What a great idea.

Next time I go shopping ,could I sue some one for calling me "Love" when I am at the till. Its wrong. I am married,some one could think I am having an affair.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

Thought I'd picked up the April 1st edition by mistake! Surely that authority have lost the plot? Who in their right mind would mind being called any of those names or any other term of endearment for that matter? Bonkers...they're all bonkers

This PC cr@p really bothers me, the world is going mad

Sal.

[Edited by scoobychick - 2/4/2002 3:25:05 PM]