Cycle of not drinking, dehydration then IV fluids

[Duggies-girl]

Oh @Lynmax I think you have been to hell and back over the last few days. Thank goodness you and your mum have had a good result at last and now she has her nightie on and has watched her football. That is all you could have asked for and now you have it. I hope for some peace of mind now for you and our mum and whatever happens in the future you have done your best and your mum is now where she should be.

Well done and let's hope that your mum enjoys her remaining time however long that may be.

 

[canary]

I am so glad that your mum is back in her care home and everything that they have done has been validated. Good call on contacting the dementia matron.

Have you talked to the GP about her not going back to hospital? I had the same cycle of mum not eating and drinking, being sent to hospital where they would give her IV fluids and then send her back, so I talked to the homes GP about this. He agreed with me entirely that she should not go back to the hospital and had this written in her care plan.
Its important that it is recorded in her care plan, otherwise the same thing could happen again.

 

[Sarasa]

@Lynmax, what wonderful news. Shows that dementia nurses in hospital do work. I hope your mum is now well settled back in the home and that further hospital visits can be avoided.

 

[Lynmax]

I am so glad that your mum is back in her care home and everything that they have done has been validated. Good call on contacting the dementia matron.

Have you talked to the GP about her not going back to hospital? I had the same cycle of mum not eating and drinking, being sent to hospital where they would give her IV fluids and then send her back, so I talked to the homes GP about this. He agreed with me entirely that she should not go back to the hospital and had this written in her care plan.
Its important that it is recorded in her care plan, otherwise the same thing could happen again.

I have had that conversation and it is written on her care plan. However, I had to agree that she should go for an X-ray re possible fracture of hip but the consultant would not agree her discharge that day due to her dehydration. I argued against being admitted until almost midnight but then had to give in. The following day, the ward sister made a safeguarding referral around some pressure sores and I was told that until an investigation, the hospital had the “power” to disregard the care plan and the wishes of the power of attorney. Hence my fight with the authorities.

 

[canary]

Im glad youve got that in the care home care plan. Hopefully it will prevent her going into hospital again. The care plan only works while they are in the care home, though - not in another place.
xx

 

[Jaded'n'faded]

Pleased to hear your news @Lynmax . I wanted to pick up on what you said about the care worker's enthusiasm when telling you your mum was returning to the home. That's when you know she's in the right place

I'm interested about the hospital's 'power' to disregard the care plan. I wonder if they also have the power to disregard an Advance Directive/Living Will? Surely not...??

 

[Banjomansmate]

When I took The Banjoman’s Advance Directive in to A&E with me on the (as it turned out to be) last time he was taken to hospital after a fall , (he’d already had a broken hip) the A&E consultant discussed it with me as POA and agreed that no matter what happened to him after that point he should not be sent to hospital but kept at the Care home. I then spoke with the Care Home manager and GP and it was put into his care plan. As it happened he suddenly deteriorated unexpectedly and died peacefully at the home.

 

[Lynmax]

When I took The Banjoman’s Advance Directive in to A&E with me on the (as it turned out to be) last time he was taken to hospital after a fall , (he’d already had a broken hip) the A&E consultant discussed it with me as POA and agreed that no matter what happened to him after that point he should not be sent to hospital but kept at the Care home. I then spoke with the Care Home manager and GP and it was put into his care plan. As it happened he suddenly deteriorated unexpectedly and died peacefully at the home.

Interestingly, the orthopaedic consultant who reviewed the X-ray looked for the Advance Directive in the paperwork sent in by the care home. He asked me for the original, which I don’t have, but accepted a copy which was with the notes. BUT he is the person who insisted that mum was admitted due to dehydration! However, I’m pretty sure that the nurse who told me that the safeguarding referral meant that my POA was not relevant ignored me when I pointed out that the AD was in her notes. I wonder if the notes actually made it to the ward as I never saw them again!

I an meeting with the care home manager next week to go through the care plan so will ask if they have the original and either keep it myself or at least get my own copy.

 

[Lynmax]

I visited mum today in her room and although she was quite confused, we watched The Sound of Music for a while and chatted to some carers who popped in to welcome her back. Amazingly, she has been drinking well, over the required amount, and drank a full glass of lucosade that I taken in while I was with her!

The District Nurse came for her second visit of the day to drop of some equipment, a wedge for the bed to keep her heels off the mattress and some special mouth swabs. The care home had already provided a wedge which impressed me. The DN has ordered an air mattress as well. While we were chatting, she told me that her manager has made a complaint to the hospital about mums care while she was in there.

 

[Spearoelo]

Lynmax I really feel for you and our stories, and I'm sure lots of others, are very similar. I am so pleased that your mum is back in a good care home and is now eating or drinking, even if as you say it may not last. Whatever the outcome you feel that she is safe and comfortable where she is and that must be such a relief.

Unfortunately my mum is not in a good care home and the communication is so bad and they are very defensive if I voice my concerns. I do wish I could find a another care home that does actually care but so many now have Covid. I had thought of trying to get her back into hospital to get her IV fluids but realise that all the changes over the past 5 weeks, such as not being able to see family, different isolation rooms, different wards, breaking her hip in the hospital and then a change of rooms in the care home does not help people with dementia.

You very kindly answered my rant on another thread and I wish you and your mum the very best.

 

[canary]

Oh @BarbaraBee , I do hope that a care home can be found soon for your mum.
Four carer slots a day have been tried, but its obviously not enough, so even if your mum says she wants to stay at home, SS can over ride this.

 

[SherwoodSue]

You so wanted her discharged and for the best of reasons. Yet the complaints about so called bed blocking …….
You couldn’t make it up.