Dad was admitted to hospital on Christmas Day and was very poorly, chest infection and trouble breathing. The Hospital had given him IV Antibiotics, Fluids, Oxygen and Nebulisers. I have been told he is suffering from Congestive Heart Failure and his chest was full of fluid. Dad is now off oxygen but still of IV Antibiotics. Dad is at end stage dementia which I know is not the same as end of life, and hasn’t mobilised since going into hospital, hardly eating and drinking but will take more if I feed him which I have been. Prior to hospitalisation he could feed himself, I could understand him, walk a few yards with help and sit in a chair, and transfer to a wheelchair. He interacted with the residents. The nursing home feels that once he is off antibiotics, they can care for his needs better in a less sterile and scary environment for dad. The Dementia has plummeted to a new low and he cant feed himself, is totally incontinent, and bed bound and his speech has deteriorated drastically and is inaudible and I can’t tell what he is saying and his has to take thickening agents in his fluids and food as the hospital SLT Team has recommended this due to his swallowing and his coughing/choking episodes. I have feed him in hospital as the staff doesn’t seem to be able to get him to eat but even with me it is just a few spoons full. I was told that the hospital will only discharge when medically fit though can’t understand what the criteria is for the term medically fit. The nursing home said once he is off IV antibiotics, they can treat will oral antibiotics but might be that they are looking for a palliative care. My question will being ‘medically fit for discharge’ mean he can discharge into palliative care in a Nursing Home, as the statement Medically Fit doesn’t make much sense if he is to receive palliative care in the nursing home. I assume palliative care means end of life care. but how can that be he is Medically fit for Discharge?
Medically Fit and Palliative Care???
- Thread starter Little Circles
- Start date
Medically fit for discharge doesn't mean he's well. It just means there's nothing more they can do for him that needs to be done in a hospital setting, e.g. IV meds. Once he's off those he can be given oral meds just as easily at the nursing home.
What do you want to happen? Have you taked to the care home and/or doctors about palliative care and what that would look like for your dad? Usually it's about keeping someone comfortable, maybe with a syringe driver and not treating anything aggressively.
What do you want to happen? Have you taked to the care home and/or doctors about palliative care and what that would look like for your dad? Usually it's about keeping someone comfortable, maybe with a syringe driver and not treating anything aggressively.
I was in this EXACT situation with mum. It's heartbreaking.
My advice would be, ask for a side room but don't discharge him. The hospital will be far better equipped to ease everything then the home. Mum too, had fluid on her lungs, and needed LOTS of medication to ease things and keep her calm. Sending love x
My advice would be, ask for a side room but don't discharge him. The hospital will be far better equipped to ease everything then the home. Mum too, had fluid on her lungs, and needed LOTS of medication to ease things and keep her calm. Sending love x
they consider he is medically fit for discharge but I will know more tomorrow about any plans
I think there is a difference between palliative care and hospice. Hospice is specifically for the really final time in a person’s life whereas palliative care is considered to be long term for support for the very ill.
It sounds to me as if the hospital want to get your dad stable before sending him into appropriate care.
It sounds to me as if the hospital want to get your dad stable before sending him into appropriate care.
I'm in a similar situation with my mum @Little Circles . She was admitted to hospital on New Year's Eve and was told yesterday it looks like she may have cancer. However the gynaecologist and I agreed that further investigation would only upset mum, and treatment would be too much for her anyway. Her mobility seems to have taken a dive, and it looks like she can now longer walk at all. On the other hand her voice is stronger and if not exactly making sense I've managed to interact with her in a more positive way than I have for months. She is now off IV antibiotics and I hope we can get her back to her care home soon, mainly because the hospital is not easy for me to get to and the care home is a twenty minute walk away. I'm hoping to know more sometime today.
I've kept the Care Home informed, but I'm not sure if they will be able to meet her needs if nursing is required as it is a residential home only. I really don't want to have to move her unless I have to, but I guess I'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
How is your dad today @Little Circles?
I've kept the Care Home informed, but I'm not sure if they will be able to meet her needs if nursing is required as it is a residential home only. I really don't want to have to move her unless I have to, but I guess I'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
How is your dad today @Little Circles?
He has improved slightly and gone back to the nursing home, but he has now developed another water infection so we are seeing if he can overcome this given that his immune system must been weaken from having Sepsis 3 weeks ago - it is a matter of just seeing how he does day by day x
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