Hi, My mom has been diagnosed with unspecified Alzheimer's and is a shadow of her former self. She has been housebound since falling at home in 2016 with my dad who also fell at home two weeks' later. Earlier in the year she was able to walk with the aid of a frame but then after a fall out of bed mom was hospitalised for eight days and was not encouraged to walk. She began to have delusions on the ward, believing at one stage that it was snowing in her room.
Fast forward to now and due to mom having an unstageable wound on her cocyx the District Nurses said she must stay in bed, where she has been for the past three weeks. The Physiotherapist does not agree that she should be in bed as her muscles are wasting away. The Tissue Viability Nurse suggested that mom should be out of bed for an hour and then put back into bed so that she can be washed in the morning in the bathroom. However, the carers manager will not allow his staff to lift mom due to her frailty and guidelines. My mom pays for all her care as she is just under the threshold. Carers visit three times a day and the manager has informed the family that any additional equipment, e.g. a hoist, will have to be paid for as mom is classed as a private patient. At the moment mom is being washed in bed and is prone to UTIs. She is losing her dignity and it seems very unfair that she is confined to bed. She has lost her mobility and I think that being in bed is making her dementia worse as she is now seeing people who aren't there.
I would appreciate any advice. We have tried to set up an MDT meeting but so far without success. I left my job in July last year to care for my parents, although I haven't registered as their carer, I'm just one of their daughters. I visit them every day in the week and have phone contact to check how they are when I'm not there.
Thank you for your time. I'm not sure where to turn ......
Fast forward to now and due to mom having an unstageable wound on her cocyx the District Nurses said she must stay in bed, where she has been for the past three weeks. The Physiotherapist does not agree that she should be in bed as her muscles are wasting away. The Tissue Viability Nurse suggested that mom should be out of bed for an hour and then put back into bed so that she can be washed in the morning in the bathroom. However, the carers manager will not allow his staff to lift mom due to her frailty and guidelines. My mom pays for all her care as she is just under the threshold. Carers visit three times a day and the manager has informed the family that any additional equipment, e.g. a hoist, will have to be paid for as mom is classed as a private patient. At the moment mom is being washed in bed and is prone to UTIs. She is losing her dignity and it seems very unfair that she is confined to bed. She has lost her mobility and I think that being in bed is making her dementia worse as she is now seeing people who aren't there.
I would appreciate any advice. We have tried to set up an MDT meeting but so far without success. I left my job in July last year to care for my parents, although I haven't registered as their carer, I'm just one of their daughters. I visit them every day in the week and have phone contact to check how they are when I'm not there.
Thank you for your time. I'm not sure where to turn ......
