Father in hospital for 3 months

[dazzlepad]

My father was admitted to hospital on June 6th following a couple of falls and getting into a confused state. Since then he has been diagnosed with dementia and has remained in hospital. He is in an acute medical bed, not on a dementia ward and so far we have been unable to make any progress with social services to get him placed in a suitable nursing home. We have completed all the financial assessments and funding levels have been agreed but so far there has been no progress with getting him the care he needs and deserves. This extended stay in hospital has made my fathers mental and physical condition worse. He is losing weight and has little or no interaction with anyone other than family as he is in a single side ward.
I would welcome any advice on how to speed up the process of getting him placed into suitable care or failing that who I can turn to complain abut his appalling treatment by social services.

 

[Cat27]

Welcome to TP

Im surprised the doctors aren't pushing social services to free up the bed.
You could try talking to PALS at the hospital.

 

[nellen]

Hi Dazzlepad my mum has just come out of hospital after 3 months. My mum went in with pancreatitis and was put on a surgical ward, although it cleared up without surgery but I couldn't get her moved off this ward and onto a frail elderly ward or a smaller less high tech ward, despite her having dementia, macular degeneration mobility problems, and everyone agreed that her being on this ward wasn't doing her any good.
She finally came out to a nursing home this Tuesday and I've had to push and cajole all the way. I suggest you speak to the ward sister, the consultants, PALS, is there a discharge coordinator on the ward? And a complex needs discharge team? I threatened them with neglect, bed blocking, and bedsores. Look up www.Carehomes.uk and go and view carehomes. I found that if I told them what I wanted for my mum I eventually got it, I kept on at them every day asking them when mum was going to be discharged and what steps they needed to take to make it happen until they probably got fed up with me and sent mum out.
I think they are good at nursing care but not so good at the other bits like organising discharge of frail elderly patients with dementia. My mum is now getting settled in a nursing home but her hospital stay has caused her to decline. Hopefully, she may pick up a little with care and attention of the staff
Good luck

 

[MeganCat]

My mum was in hospital with flu and a chest infection on top for 2 months in Jan/Feb
For the first 10 days she was really poorly and in a side room being barrier nursed (masks and aprons/gloves)
I was called in and told she was withdrawing and that there was a significant possibility that she would not be able to be discharged back to the care home - she wouldn't respond to anyone
As she had completed her antivirals and antibiotics they moved her to the main ward (it was flu season and they needed the side room to isolate another case) - I had reason to speak to her doctor on the phone and he said that he thought she'd do better in the main ward so he'd moved her and that she'd given him a mouth full when he asked her something
I couldn't believe it when I went in, she was still weak but responded to me, ate some yoghurt I'd brought in and over the following weeks improved.

I think the isolation in the side ward contributed to her deterioration - plus the masks of course (although I recognise it was necessary at the time as she had tested positive for flu) so my advice would be to push for him to get onto the main ward as a minimum, to increase his stimulation

There may be discharge social workers/ nurses associated with the ward - try to get their numbers and keep on top of them - he may rise to the top of their priority list (my mum was self funding and moving back to her care home albeit on nursing basis to a bed that we were still paying for whilst she was in hospital - they were still painfully slow!!).

Good luck