My father is 87 and has advanced Alzheimer's. He no longer recognises any family members, and requires help with every aspect of day-to-day life (dressing, washing, eating, toilet, etc). He is basically mobile but shuffles around very slowly. He is also doubly incontinent. My mother, who is 93, cares for him at home. Yesterday my father had a fall, and was taken to Hospital. He appears to have suffered no physical injuries, and was discharged after about 6 hours. Prior to discharge he was attended by a member of staff from Alzheimer's & Dementia Support Services, who put in place a 7-day bridging care plan, commencing with an initial assessment then an overnight service for the first 3 nights.
When the first ADSS assessor arrived she noted that my father was unable to stand or walk, and could not be supported by either my mother or the carers that were scheduled to arrive. She had a strong suspicion that he had a urinary tract infection. Based on his state, she said that the hospital should not have released him, that it was clearly a failed discharge, and she called an ambulance to take him back to the hospital. The medics who arrived with the ambulance examined my father. They noted that he had extreme pain when there was any contact with his kidneys, and were also made aware that he had not passed any urine for more than 24 hours.
My father spent the night in hospital, but was sent home to my mother this morning at 8am with a catheter. My sister spoke with the hospital this morning, before he was discharged, and asked them why they were discharging him if he was still unable to stand or walk. They were insistent that they could not continue to accommodate him as they had fitted a catheter and felt that there was nothing more to do.They had concluded that he did not have a UTI, but was retaining water (hence the catheter). They sent no instructions on how my mother was to supposed to manage the catheter. My father was in a worse state than he was the night before. He was unable to string any words together, still had pain in his kidneys, and could not move from the sofa. My mother had no idea how to deal with him.
Another ADSS representative visited this afternoon (who had also been involved in his discharge after his first hospital visit). She said that he looked like a completely different man today (i.e. much worse than yesterday), and once again an ambulance was called to take him back to the hospital. The ambulance staff commented that they thought it very likely that my father would be sent straight back home in the morning to my helpless mother.
I was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on:
1) How we can stop the hospital from releasing my father in the morning if he is still unable to stand or walk
2) What agencies exist (in the Swanley/North Kent area) who could provide emergency 2-person care at short notice if my father is discharged again tomorrow morning in his current immobile state and my mother has no way of getting him to the toilet, to his bed, or anywhere else?
When the first ADSS assessor arrived she noted that my father was unable to stand or walk, and could not be supported by either my mother or the carers that were scheduled to arrive. She had a strong suspicion that he had a urinary tract infection. Based on his state, she said that the hospital should not have released him, that it was clearly a failed discharge, and she called an ambulance to take him back to the hospital. The medics who arrived with the ambulance examined my father. They noted that he had extreme pain when there was any contact with his kidneys, and were also made aware that he had not passed any urine for more than 24 hours.
My father spent the night in hospital, but was sent home to my mother this morning at 8am with a catheter. My sister spoke with the hospital this morning, before he was discharged, and asked them why they were discharging him if he was still unable to stand or walk. They were insistent that they could not continue to accommodate him as they had fitted a catheter and felt that there was nothing more to do.They had concluded that he did not have a UTI, but was retaining water (hence the catheter). They sent no instructions on how my mother was to supposed to manage the catheter. My father was in a worse state than he was the night before. He was unable to string any words together, still had pain in his kidneys, and could not move from the sofa. My mother had no idea how to deal with him.
Another ADSS representative visited this afternoon (who had also been involved in his discharge after his first hospital visit). She said that he looked like a completely different man today (i.e. much worse than yesterday), and once again an ambulance was called to take him back to the hospital. The ambulance staff commented that they thought it very likely that my father would be sent straight back home in the morning to my helpless mother.
I was wondering if anyone could offer any advice on:
1) How we can stop the hospital from releasing my father in the morning if he is still unable to stand or walk
2) What agencies exist (in the Swanley/North Kent area) who could provide emergency 2-person care at short notice if my father is discharged again tomorrow morning in his current immobile state and my mother has no way of getting him to the toilet, to his bed, or anywhere else?
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