Please can anyone out there advise us on whether what we are being told is true. The hospital tells us it cannot discharge to a non-dementia nursing home, and that to do so would be breaking the law.
My father is in hospital, very ill, with failing kidneys. 10 days ago we were told he was being discharged, and we must find him a suitable home. The social worker said that as we were self-funding, she would not help us find one.
I took half a day off last Friday (31st) and went to visit the care home we had chosen. They are not registered as a dementia unit, but occasionally take Alzheimer's patients when the Alzheimer's is not really the main problem. They nursed my father's brother for his last 9 months, and he had dementia. The home agreed to send a nurse to assess dad this week. We were totally upfront with them about the dementia as dad has been moved 6 times already, and the last thing we wanted was for them to take him and then change their minds.
We told the hospital which home we had chosen, the nurse arrived yesterday and was briefed by them, she visited dad while mum was with him. She said he is clearly a very poorly man, and they would do everything they could to help. But she needed to speak to the matron of the home today, as they only had a bed in a double room, and she said dad would need an electric bed and hoist. She was concerned there would not be space for it, but said they would see what could be done.
She phoned mum today to tell her they had arranged a single room for him on Monday, with the electric bed etc. We were to arrange the transfer when we visited the ward this afternoon. Mum was so relieved she cried for an hour.
But when the staff-nurse saw us on the way in today and I asked him about the transfer he said "your father won't be going there on Monday". I thought at first dad had died, or become too ill to move. But what he told us is that it is illegal to send him there as they don't have a licence for Alzheimer's, and we would have to find somewhere else. That would mean a long wait for a bed, and long drives for mum. He said despite dad being terminally ill, his primary need was psychological. The home were not trained to cope and 'he might tip another jug of water on himself'. My sister said, so what, he would get wet, we can take that risk. And anyway no-one would leave things where he could do that. Also that any patient might do that, Alzheimer's or not.
We have tried to reason with them, but all they will agree to is asking a more senior nurse on Monday. We have called the home of course. They are furious that their competence is being questioned. The hospital nurse still says it is illegal, and they will investigate on Monday why the home has other dementia patients. I tried to point out that since they have 48 very elderly patients needing nursing care there is bound to be some element of dementia for some of them. Also that dad's Alzheimer's consultant has withdrawn dad's medication and said his dementia is "no longer the issue". And that it was a fully certificated Alzheimer's home that neglected dad so badly his kidneys failed in the first place............
I would be so grateful if anyone knows if the hospital is right.
My father is in hospital, very ill, with failing kidneys. 10 days ago we were told he was being discharged, and we must find him a suitable home. The social worker said that as we were self-funding, she would not help us find one.
I took half a day off last Friday (31st) and went to visit the care home we had chosen. They are not registered as a dementia unit, but occasionally take Alzheimer's patients when the Alzheimer's is not really the main problem. They nursed my father's brother for his last 9 months, and he had dementia. The home agreed to send a nurse to assess dad this week. We were totally upfront with them about the dementia as dad has been moved 6 times already, and the last thing we wanted was for them to take him and then change their minds.
We told the hospital which home we had chosen, the nurse arrived yesterday and was briefed by them, she visited dad while mum was with him. She said he is clearly a very poorly man, and they would do everything they could to help. But she needed to speak to the matron of the home today, as they only had a bed in a double room, and she said dad would need an electric bed and hoist. She was concerned there would not be space for it, but said they would see what could be done.
She phoned mum today to tell her they had arranged a single room for him on Monday, with the electric bed etc. We were to arrange the transfer when we visited the ward this afternoon. Mum was so relieved she cried for an hour.
But when the staff-nurse saw us on the way in today and I asked him about the transfer he said "your father won't be going there on Monday". I thought at first dad had died, or become too ill to move. But what he told us is that it is illegal to send him there as they don't have a licence for Alzheimer's, and we would have to find somewhere else. That would mean a long wait for a bed, and long drives for mum. He said despite dad being terminally ill, his primary need was psychological. The home were not trained to cope and 'he might tip another jug of water on himself'. My sister said, so what, he would get wet, we can take that risk. And anyway no-one would leave things where he could do that. Also that any patient might do that, Alzheimer's or not.
We have tried to reason with them, but all they will agree to is asking a more senior nurse on Monday. We have called the home of course. They are furious that their competence is being questioned. The hospital nurse still says it is illegal, and they will investigate on Monday why the home has other dementia patients. I tried to point out that since they have 48 very elderly patients needing nursing care there is bound to be some element of dementia for some of them. Also that dad's Alzheimer's consultant has withdrawn dad's medication and said his dementia is "no longer the issue". And that it was a fully certificated Alzheimer's home that neglected dad so badly his kidneys failed in the first place............
I would be so grateful if anyone knows if the hospital is right.
