Falls, rapid decline, UTIs - is this normal?

[mildew]

My father has VD - he moved into a care home 12 months ago and was the "best" resident. He has gone downhill rapidly over the summer. He now seems to be going from one problem to the next. Dad was prescribed anti-pyscotics ( Sulperide) which resulted in two very nasty falls until he was taken off it b/c doc thought it was causing muscle stiffness etc. He also seems to have constant UTIs although he is now on low level antibiotic at all times. He is incontinent (wee) and wears pads at all times and is now nocturnal - sleeping in the day awake all night and has a pressure sore.
I keep feeling that we are missing something and just treating symptoms without considering the cause or simply treating it all as an inevitable result of Dad having VD, on the other hand perhaps I am just trying to avoid dealing with the reality that this is Dad's lot now. I am thinking of getting some private medical help as I feel that the NHS GP is too overworked to deal with Dad as a person -
Sorry this is a bit of a ramble but does anyone have any tips or comments? Has anyone resorted to private specialists as an alternative to the NHS?
Thanks

 

[Helena]

My Mother has VD and after a fall in her home caused by a TIA she developed pneumonia .......they treated that and declared a "miraculous recovery " but oh dear you should see the confused and now incontinent shell left behind

She is 90 and we are deeply saddened that instead of simply making her comfortable and allowing her to slip away they have created a far far worse problem that before

 

[TinaT]

Its so frightening when you feel that things are getting out of control and yourloved one seems to be deteriorating rapidly before your eyes. If you are anything like me, you are watching and and hoping that everyone who has care of your dad is doing a good, professional job. You want to do the very best you can but aren't sure what your next step should be.

Has your dad got or had in the past a National Health Consultant who has been caring for him? If so phone the consultant's secretary and ask for a visit to the home by the consultant. Try to arrange this and be there yourself to ask questions. If that fails then by all means try to get a private consultant to come and visit if you have the financial resources to do so. It would be worth it if it eased your mind a little. Best wishes Tina

 

[jenniferpa]

I think the whole pattern is pretty common, but whether it is normal (i.e. unfixable) is another question. I would be most concerned with those UTI's - altered mental state is so common in the elderly when they have these. Have they run tests to determine the specific bacteria? Because if not, and he's on antibiotics and they're not clearing, I would strongly suspect that the antibiotic they are giving him is not specific enough. There are 2 basic UTI bacteria: gram positive and negative and most antibiotics work better on one rather than the other.

Jennifer