A worker at a U.K. dementia care home said on Reddit that a question about emergency readiness was met with mockery rather than action.
The concern arose after the worker and a chef at the facility discussed government advice to prepare for three days of disruption in an emergency. When the chef asked management about keeping extra food supplies on hand, management brushed them off.
Here’s what to know
In a post on r/UKPreppers, the elder-care worker said both they and the chef had already prepped at home, then started thinking about what the care home would do if the grid failed and no extra stock had been brought in.
Seeking advice from others in similar roles, the worker asked whether Redditors had seen anything like this before and what decisions their companies had made regarding emergency preparedness. As the post described it, when the chef “asked management about getting extra stock in” he was “laughed at and told to not be ridiculous.”
Because the discussion involved a dementia care home, many replies centered on how dependent residents may be on staff, stable routines, and uninterrupted access to food and heat. One commenter wrote, “It’s vital that care homes prep. People living in care homes are some of society’s most vulnerable.”
One practical suggestion was to document the concern and management’s response in writing.
“Ask management in writing for a copy of their relevant risk assessment,” one commenter recommended, adding that the worker could also email their concerns about resident safety and welfare if no steps had been taken.
More comments
The poster said the idea of the grid going down while the building lacked extra supplies was a “daunting thought.” However, for some readers with negative elder-care experiences, management’s response sounded entirely believable.
“As someone who worked in a care home, this does not surprise me in the least,” one person replied, emphasizing that their frustration was not aimed at frontline personnel but at the companies and their executives.
Another commenter described the emergency setup at their “sheltered flat,” saying their building keeps a “resilience box” — “actually a storeroom with camping stoves & torches for each flat as well as space blankets” — for during winter power outages.
Next steps
The original poster said they intended to follow up by trying to obtain documentation of the facility’s emergency response plan, writing, “I can access this information so I will take a look first to see if there is anything in place then go ahead with it to them.”
Despite the worker and chef’s well-meaning efforts, the situation highlighted the poor treatment many vulnerable individuals receive at care facilities.
“Just goes to show how much management actually cares for the care home residents,” lamented another commenter. “Sorry you had to experience that mockery.”
Where can I learn more?
Similar concerns have come up in stories involving delayed emergency response, care-home failures, food-security gaps, and the scramble for backup power.
• At one store, workers reportedly needed manager approval for 911 unless a robbery was underway.
• At a U.K. care home, an inverter caught fire twice after a costly solar installation.
• Across Britain, experts warned there is no plan to feed the country during a food crisis.
• In the Bahamas, family went hunting for generator fuel to power an aunt’s bed.
• In Pennsylvania, a family sought backup power for a 90-year-old grandmother’s chairlift.
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