Hospital Vunerability of Dementia Suffers

[technotronic]

I thought (regretfully now) that by calling an ambulance because of a feared neck problem that this would have helped my wife Who suffered from Early Onset Dementia for the last five years.
She had reached the stage where she had stopped eating proper food and ate only chocolate, (which got all over her clothes she was wearing) n also where she refused to let me take care of her by washing n changing her clothes, and was incontinent but wouldn't wear any incontinence pads or pants.
When the paramedics arrived they both with my help washed n changed her clothes before taking her to hospital.
At the hospital a lot of tests were carried out including bloods taken, from my wife's groin as there weren't enough veins they could take the blood from.
With all that was happening to her n her bewilderment at was was going on it was something that because of her condition she was unable to take in fully. One minute she had woken up at home that day as 'normal' had some chocolate n was doing things she did each day, walking n eating chocolate, next thing she is in hospital n unable to comprehend why.
My wife was admitted to hospital that night and was taken up to EAU overnight. When I arrived next morning she was having breakfast and eating by being fed by someone, which surprised me very much. As usual as she did at home after breakfast she walked up n down the length of the corridors there.
She was transferred upstairs to Eastthorpe ward a few days later, the first night I was told I couldn't stay with her beyond 8pm that night, n reluctantly I had to go home but I checked twice by phone once home that she was ok.
The following night I stayed beyond 8pm to be with her n walk with her till late and I slept with her (on top of her bedclothes) every night (even though it was an all women ward) from then on n fed her each day as staff knew nothing about her walking or that she could no longer remember how to feed herself, because they hadn't read her file that came up with her from EAU!!
They didn't seem to know much about dementia as I told them the walking is a part of it. They seemed to treat her as a 'normal' patient at meal times by putting her food near her bed on the table n telling her her food was there n to eat it, that was until I told the person providing meals she can't remember how to feed herself, n that person then changed how she treated my wife at meal times from then on. I stayed with my wife all the time, walking, feeding her n sleeping with her on top covers so she had no need to worry or be frightened whilst there right up to when she was released home a month later.
It's easy to feel or believe that the staff have read the file, and they know the patient has dementia n know what they do 'normally' cos of the condition, n what they can n can't do for themselves, but as in my wife's case nothing could be further from the truth as they hadn't!. Hospitals are frightening places as my wife found from coming from a quiet house to a very busy noisy n frightening place made more frightening by her condition, no wonder she would tell me each day that she wanted to go home, which I said she would n eventually did.
Check always that staff are aware of your loved ones condition n know what to expect, dementia sufferers are very vulnerable in hospital n their care n how they are treated is important.

 

[Casbow]

Hello Technotronic. Sorry to hear of the bad time you and your wife have had. Firstly, if the ward your wife was on, was for the elderly, then I have no doubt that the staff know a lot about dementia. That is if they were the regular staff. I think a lot of staff are agency nowadays and some may not know, although they certainly should. Before my mum
died she was in and out of hospital and on one ward she was wheeled into the corridor and parked by the nurses station at night, as she was so disruptive. I think the fact that you stayed was a help to the staff and therefore they just left it to you. I have found that nowadays the staff are unable to do all the things they did years ago (like feeding) as they say there is not enough time. There are often volunteers to do the feeding but obviously not everyday and not able to do everyone. It is a very bad situation. And not likely to get better to soon ,the way things are. Lets hope that you will not need hospital treatment again in the near future. Good luck and I wish you both well.xx

 

[Louise7]

I think it does help if someone who knows the person well updates the staff, particularly if the person can't articulate things well for themselves. My Mum had a lengthy hospital stay (in an elderly ward) and when I got her out of bed to go for a short walk the staff were amazed, commenting - she can walk! They had no idea that she was fully mobile before admittance, they just left her in bed. When my Mum got extremely anxious and agitated (after being given high doses of medication that she didn't need) I raised my concerns with the doctor who replied "wasn't she like this before she came in then?" They also were very quick to diagnose delirium without making any attempt to first find out Mum's 'base-line'. My Mum was 'written off' and consigned to a nursing home very quickly, despite not needing any nursing care. It was lucky that I live close to the hospital so could visit every day after work but I really worried about those on the ward who had no one visiting them and no one to let the staff know what they were like before admittance or to raise concerns.

 

[love.dad.but..]

I stayed in hospital with dad twice once for 10 days second for 7 days because I knew he wouldn't be monitored properly...couldn't ask for anything...was very frightened of anything even temp being taken...and on the first stay I needed to stop him escaping. The dementia awareness and understanding is veryvpatchy even in a sol called dementia friendly hospital. It varies greatly between all departments and wards and amongst staff. The About Me I comprehensively completed was never looked at by staff. Some staff however were good at dementia communication and being proactive but the general hustle and bustle...the different shift changes...agency staff...unclear communication from staff with difficult accents...lack of willingless or time to take their time with a dementia patient are all part of the problem. I spent quite a few different days with dad and fall injuries in a and e...I did see some improvements in trying to make things better for dementia patients but as with your experience it doesn't often seem to filter through to the wards. I don't think it should matter if the patient is or isn't on an elderly infirm ward or surgical...patients are placed on a good day where there needs are most met and where their specialist consultant is based on a bad day wherever in the hospital there is a bed which happened to dad...so regardless...all staff on all wards should receive the same dementia training and be seen to be delivering good dementia care. As in care homes though...even though all staff have dementia training of some sort...Some are more aware and understand how to apply their training in practice than others