Nursing home concerns

[rubyrosie]

Hi my mum has had an awful few days...the doctor put a catheter in becuase they thought her pain might be urine retention....then today she has fallen out of her chair and cut her eye requiring 3 stitches above the eye and steri strips below...The NH had been doing half hourly check as mum was unable to use the call bell! but when I asked to see the report today to see if she had been recently checked prior to the fall! they told me the half hourly PBS had been stopped (no discussion with my sister or I) . I have called adult social services about this incident as I did not know what else to do. They questioned if she had an alarmed seat pad or crash mat as her risk assessment for falls is severe...Neither of these are in place.....They are going to contact adult safeguarding and I can expect a call from them tomorrow.

I want to write a letter to the NH but need to carefully word it and take out the emotion I guess....any advice wouldbe welcome....Mum is in a lot of pain and I did insist today that the catheter was removed as there was no medical reason for it tobe there. Without POA for health and welfare how much say do we have ?

Sorry for going on...again...but things are badxx

 

[Wolfsgirl]

So sorry to hear this, not sure about your rights but just wanted to say how awful this must be for you both.

In your letter, I would ask questions such as 'what was the reasoning behind your decision to remove half hourly obs in view of the high falls risk which you are aware of and as evidenced on 'todays date' also, 'how are you expecting Mum be able to call for help if she is in trouble in between half hourly obs' and 'what actions are you taking to prevent a recurrence of an avoidable injury such as this?'

It is so upsetting and you are perfectly entitled to feel emotion for your poor Mum and to express this.

Good luck x

Hi my mum has had an awful few days...the doctor put a catheter in becuase they thought her pain might be urine retention....then today she has fallen out of her chair and cut her eye requiring 3 stitches above the eye and steri strips below...The NH had been doing half hourly check as mum was unable to use the call bell! but when I asked to see the report today to see if she had been recently checked prior to the fall! they told me the half hourly PBS had been stopped (no discussion with my sister or I) . I have called adult social services about this incident as I did not know what else to do. They questioned if she had an alarmed seat pad or crash mat as her risk assessment for falls is severe...Neither of these are in place.....They are going to contact adult safeguarding and I can expect a call from them tomorrow.

I want to write a letter to the NH but need to carefully word it and take out the emotion I guess....any advice wouldbe welcome....Mum is in a lot of pain and I did insist today that the catheter was removed as there was no medical reason for it tobe there. Without POA for health and welfare how much say do we have ?

Sorry for going on...again...but things are badxx

 

[rubyrosie]

Thank you

So sorry to hear this, not sure about your rights but just wanted to say how awful this must be for you both.

In your letter, I would ask questions such as 'what was the reasoning behind your decision to remove half hourly obs in view of the high falls risk which you are aware of and as evidenced on 'todays date' also, 'how are you expecting Mum be able to call for help if she is in trouble in between half hourly obs' and 'what actions are you taking to prevent a recurrence of an avoidable injury such as this?'

It is so upsetting and you are perfectly entitled to feel emotion for your poor Mum and to express this.

Good luck x

Thank you...I have written to them and requested a meeting

 

[src123]

Thank you...I have written to them and requested a meeting

Hi Rubie

In terms of the wording, you are right about keeping emotion out of it. Otherwise they will try and turn it on you and complain to the SS and make it difficult for you to help your loved one.

Take someone with you to the meeting and take notes [if not a recording of it for your own records].

 

[WIFE]

So sorry to read about the sad time you are having with the Nursing Home and your dear Mother. It is never easy to be confrontational but as I assume your Mother is in a Dementia NH then you are her voice.

Immediately I do not like anything to do with my husband's medical or social treatment (thankfully not too often) I ask one of the Carer's to advise the RN on duty that when she has a free minute I would just like a quick word. It never seems to fail because once the RN is in his room and I have her undivided attention I can tell her of my concerns without an audience. I know it should not be like this and I feel they should be on top of UTI's and other problems all the time but I suppose we notice very small changes because we are not with them every hour of the day.

Hope all goes well with the Meeting and you get a satisfactory outcome for your Mother.

Thinking of you