I have to rush to hospital in a emergency, even though mum is in a home

[Angela57]

Quick question. Mum is in a residential home, they care for her very well and I have no complaints. They take her at extra cost to all appointed hospital visits and the dentist etc. But when mum is blue lighted into a & e, they call me and I have to rush there, because the owner insists that their duty of care finishes once she is in the ambulance. Mum was rushed in twice last week, and barely a month goes by without the same happening.

Mum wants to leave the home, claims that residents are not looked after properly, which I doubt, but I am beginning to think that moving her to a home who would take over the emergency role, could be a good step for both of us. Perhaps she needs a nursing home now.

On the selfish and guilt side, after 7 years of living with and looking after her 24/7, I thought visits would be the total of my responsibility, together with buying things she wants and looking after mum's finances when she went into the home knocking on for 3 years ago now. However, I've rushed to hospital too many times to remember now. But I can't leave her to go there alone when she's distressed and would feel guilty if I did.

Would it be social services that I contact first about moving her? She is partially funded.

 

[jaymor]

My husband was in a nursing home and received 1:1 care. On the many times he was taken to hospital his Carer went with him and stayed with him until I arrived. I then sent the Carer back to the nursing home and their taxi fare was paid by me. Once he was in the hospital system he was their responsibility as anyone else would be.

Had my husband not been receiving 1;1 he would have gone on his own and I would have met him there.

My daughter works in a nursing home and as much as they would like to escort someone staff ratio does not allow for a staff member to leave the floor.

It’s sad and upsetting.

 

[love.dad.but..]

My dad was in a NH and on each A and E occasion I either met the ambulance at the home or a member of staff...usually a lovely activity co ordinator went with dad and stayed with him until I took over. She was then collected by the Receptionist and taken back to the NH. Carer/Nurse staff ratio is so tight I would imagine many homes could not lose a member of staff without notice...residents who had hospital appts and needed an escort had an extra carer drafted in for that period and cost charged to resident.I suppose in a medical sense duty of care is transferred to the ambulance crew as soon as they take over but you would hope that the home still felt involved. I don't know what happened in the case of residents who had no family or anyone that could be called

 

[HilsW]

Quick question. Mum is in a residential home, they care for her very well and I have no complaints. They take her at extra cost to all appointed hospital visits and the dentist etc. But when mum is blue lighted into a & e, they call me and I have to rush there, because the owner insists that their duty of care finishes once she is in the ambulance. Mum was rushed in twice last week, and barely a month goes by without the same happening.

Mum wants to leave the home, claims that residents are not looked after properly, which I doubt, but I am beginning to think that moving her to a home who would take over the emergency role, could be a good step for both of us. Perhaps she needs a nursing home now.

On the selfish and guilt side, after 7 years of living with and looking after her 24/7, I thought visits would be the total of my responsibility, together with buying things she wants and looking after mum's finances when she went into the home knocking on for 3 years ago now. However, I've rushed to hospital too many times to remember now. But I can't leave her to go there alone when she's distressed and would feel guilty if I did.

Would it be social services that I contact first about moving her? She is partially funded.

Hi Angela57

It might be a quick question, however, it has a lot of content -lol!

You don't say why she is blue lighted to a&e and obviously the reasons why should be discussed and looked into with the care home manager. Are they avoidable or preventable?

I disagree with the summary that the care home's duty of care ends when mum is in the ambulance. What happens if you are a couple of hours away and simply cannot be with your mum with the immediacy a blue light response dictates? Does the care home hand over all safeguarding responsibility to the paramedics and then to a&e? This is not the experience I have had with my dad's care home. Quite the opposite. I am not asked to respond to an a&e transfer unless dad is being admitted. For example the care home manager did not want me to leave work in June until the x-ray results confirmed or otherwise a fractured neck of femur. The same carehome does not charge any extra for accompanying dad on outpatient appointments (which I do believe may be unusual as the majority of homes seem to). I guess the t&c for visits to outpatients and a&e will vary from home to home and it might be worthwhile researching locally what terms and conditions the various care homes/nursing homes have. I admit I didn't when looking for a care home for dad and somehow we fell lucky on that one.

It would require an assessment by social services to establish if your mum requires residential or nursing home care; again if the care home she is presently in is not meeting her needs isn't it their duty to communicate with social services in the first instance?

I would therefore suggest you ask questions, do your "homework" and once well informed, contact your mum's social worker for guidance. I hope this helps.

Hilary

 

[Grannie G]

Yes, when my mother was in residential care one of the staff accompanied her to hospital and stayed with her until I got there. The home couldn't spare the staff to stay with her the full time.

At one time she was on a trolley in A&E from late morning until 10pm.

 

[Sirena]

Hi Angela
I remember you mentioned this issue a while ago. As I said back then, the care home take my mother in the ambulance to A&E and wait with her either until I arrive, or until she is admitted to a ward. On both occasions this has meant a carer remained with her for a few hours. They care about their residents and want to do their best for them. Personally I think your mother's care home is negligent - what if you were ill or 300 miles away, would they just leave your mother to get on with it alone?

I believe you had some other complaints about their management too, so I think you are right it would be a good idea to move her if possible.

 

[looviloo]

I have a similar experience to Hilary - dad's care home have one of their carer's accompany dad on any hospital trips, not least because I live some distance away but also because that's how they operate. I'm sure they wouldn't object to me taking responsibility, but they don't expect it and have enough staff to cover this kind of thing.

We are in the process of moving dad to another (dementia) home and I've made sure that the next home will also arrange transport to/from hospital as needed, with a carer to travel there.

On the other hand, my OH's Uncle lives in a different care home and has recently had a series of falls. Each time this happens the care home rings the family and expects them to transport Uncle to the hospital themselves! So from one extreme to the to the other! Personally, I would be firm with the care home if that were the case with my dad.

 

[Jessbow]

I think its quite normal- I dont suppose many care/nrsing homes with staff that they can take from the coal face to accompany one person, without compromising ratio's for other residents.

Many will arrange to accompany a resident to a pre-arranged appointment- usually charged though.