Dad in hospital but can’t get care package

[Carebear5777]

Hi All,
I’m new here and was hoping someone could offer some advice. My daddy was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s 3 years ago. Decline was been slow up until 3 weeks ago. He dropped his cup at breakfast and then after that moment mum had to feed him and lift him in and out of bed. Phoned out of hours and an ambulance was sent in case he had a stroke. MRI clear & no signs of infection. Since he has been in hospital he has been on a drip as his swallow has deteriorated and his mobility is now gone too. The doctor won’t sign him off medically and until he does we cannot speak to a social worker about getting a care plan. The nurses have only got tiny amounts of food into him over the past couple of days. Has anyone any advice on how we get him out of hospital? I know the NHS is under pressure but the lack of care has been shocking. Dad ended up with really bad mouth ulcers as they hadn’t been giving him any oral hygiene.

 

[trus]

Hi there and sorry to hear about your da.

We had a slightly similar situation with my MIL. Although we wanted help with care at home to start off with and were on the waiting list for carer help from social services.
Then mum ended up in hospital and we had to wait for a care package as we simply couldn't do it all ourselves without help.
The first package became available but then she got Covid so that all fell through. Second package became available but the nurse and doc suddenly wouldn't sign her out as thought the care package wasn't going to be suitable (I.e. she needs two carers per visit). Then we had to wait for that, but she wS transferred to our local smaller hospital to assess her properly and get her doing physio etc. She refused all physio, of course.
So she went to hospital beginning of March and maybe we ill for about 6-8weeks out of it, etc package became available at the end of August.
Once they transferred her to our local hospital we had to have the meeting with the social worker, all the physios and head nurse and basically they were putting us off taking her home and questioning our ability to care for her, with the help of the care package. Which is funny in the way as we got totally abandoned by them and I had to physically lift my doubly incontinent MIL and stay up in the night with her when she was delirious or consfused etc, all they could say that we were on the waiting list and had to wait and personal care wasn't the priority. Yet this was one of the major points for them not wanting to look after her at home, that we won't be able to change her ourselves.
So not sure if it would be easy for you to go against the hospital not wanting to sign your dad out ...

 

[nitram]

The doctor won’t sign him off medically and until he does we cannot speak to a social worker about getting a care plan.

There should be a discharge team which won't come into play until the doctor thinks there is a chance of him being discharged

I know the NHS is under pressure but the lack of care has been shocking. Dad ended up with really bad mouth ulcers as they hadn’t been giving him any oral hygiene.

If I have the timing correct this was during the junior doctors' industrial action.
Have a non confrontational word with ward management and if things don't improve contact PALS

 

[Carebear5777]

Thankyou both for replying to me!
It’s been scary how quickly he has declined. His voice is a whisper and he had lost so much weight. He refused to even open his mouth yesterday for nurses and was very agitated any time touched him.
If he’s lost his swallow I wanted to know if caring for him at home is even an option but the doctor didn’t really answer the question. I suppose we won’t know what care package is available until we will get to speak to the social worker. Every day that passes I just feel like we are failing him by having him stuck in hospital 😔

 

[Mumlikesflowers]

Goodness that sounds like an awful awful few weeks.

Surely you should be entitled to an understanding of what your options are going to look like.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/socia...tay/arranging-care-before-you-leave-hospital/

I agree re PALS and also usually organisations like Carers Trust or similar have staff in hospitals, also Age UK or British Red Cross often.