Hi everyone
I don't know if this is a common problem, but I suspect it is. My Mum had a bad fall last week, which resulted in her being taken to A&E. After being there for several hours, during which she was in severe pain, she was sent home in an ambulance so that the ambulance men could carry her upstairs to her room. Although she did not have any fractures, she was completely unable to walk without the support of two people, and trying to do so caused her great pain. After a week of visits from the District Nurse and Hospital at Home carers she was in the same position. I contacted her Social Worker who arranged emergency respite care, at considerable cost to the Social Services budget, plus top-up fees for us. She is now in a care home where she can get the 24 hour care she needs, and is beginning to get about a little better. My feeling is that in her situation, she should have been admitted, but it was obvious that the hospital was determined not to do so. My assumption is that had she not had dementia she probably would have been admitted, and that hospitals are afraid that the relatives will dump their relatives once admitted. Or am I being too cynical?
I don't know if this is a common problem, but I suspect it is. My Mum had a bad fall last week, which resulted in her being taken to A&E. After being there for several hours, during which she was in severe pain, she was sent home in an ambulance so that the ambulance men could carry her upstairs to her room. Although she did not have any fractures, she was completely unable to walk without the support of two people, and trying to do so caused her great pain. After a week of visits from the District Nurse and Hospital at Home carers she was in the same position. I contacted her Social Worker who arranged emergency respite care, at considerable cost to the Social Services budget, plus top-up fees for us. She is now in a care home where she can get the 24 hour care she needs, and is beginning to get about a little better. My feeling is that in her situation, she should have been admitted, but it was obvious that the hospital was determined not to do so. My assumption is that had she not had dementia she probably would have been admitted, and that hospitals are afraid that the relatives will dump their relatives once admitted. Or am I being too cynical?