I understand DOLS applies in hospitals and care homes. We have a client with dementia whose memory is quite bad and has no capacity to make decisions. Do we need a DOLS as her medication is locked away so that she does not access it? What level of medication administration for domiciliary care do we place her. Her medication is in a blister pack and some days she does not know what the day is or time is and so we have to tell her what day it is and then ask her to take her tablets, show her which ones to take and then she is able to pop them out of the blister pack and take. Thanks, Clara

Answered by Sheila Scott

Dear Clara,

You ask an interesting question.

Many people living in their own home do not want to manage their own medication or are unable to do so and therefore care staff manage their medication for them. This should be part of the care plan.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards relates to individuals not having their freedom inappropriately restricted, not being subject to restraint and particularly whether or not the person is freely able to leave the premises where they live.

Unless the lady is locked into her home and cannot leave I do not believe that she is being deprived of her liberty.

There are many useful guidance documents available and one I particularly like is written by the Alzheimer’s Society:

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1327

You could also contact the responsible officer at your local Council.

Best wishes.

Sheila