Evidence is key.
It looks as if they are going to argue that the stay in hospital enabled several professionals to assess her and base their decision on relevant records.
Sometimes they refuse to accept short stay hospital notes saying that these relate to an acute phase and are not representative of the person's true state.
In wanting to use the notes have they already decided the outcome?
Try and get as much info from the hospital as you can, don't present it verbally, 'X told me...', have it written down to present as evidence, ' on <day/date> at <time> when discussing <........> X said '...........'.
Thanks Nitram, yes, I'd already decided that I will present our case with written examples of everything (I'll print off copies to issue to the others present).
I guess I could point out exactly the location of documentary evidence/professional involved etc?
ie: for reference to the TIAs there were paramedic visits and they gave me the confidence to deal with them myself and so I no longer have to call for help. They sent details of what they had told me to my mother's GP electronically. They did this in front of me so I know it exists. But I will never be able to get hold of it by Wednesday.
I'm wondering if this is a box ticking exercise (but that maybe because we had a bad experience about 8 years ago with the same hospital and LA when my father was dieing. And I'm a bit cynical).
I think I need to emphasise the complexity and interlinked nature of the domains.
They're using iv fluids to hydrate her and that is not possible outside of a hospital. They've acknowledged that I'm going to be up against it with hydration and nutrition, she already scored A for cognition but without hydration she becomes obstinate and it's impossible to get sufficient fluids and nutrients down her. But they only gave her a B for the Nutrition domain.
She bit my finger a few days ago when I was trying. She clamps her teeth shut to block feeding and drinking. She was put on the iv because I lobbied for it as a means to assess what's what. Sure enough, hydration improved her and it became possible to encourage her to sip thickened fluids from a cup and be fed small amounts of pureed food.
In other words, they're assessing a 'managed need' in hospital. They couldn't get anything down her until the iv was introduced.
Plus she's definitely unpredictable - you never know how she's going to be from one day to the next. Cognition and nutrition and some of the other domains are totally interdependent for my mum.
Sorry, I'm probably going to drive everyone mad with questions these next few days but despite the difficulties I have to try and give it my best shot.
Can I ask for copies of her hospital notes? I have POA for health and welfare.