Mum had a fall

susiewoo

Registered User
Oct 28, 2006
82
0
Bromley Kent
very early Sunday Morning.
I received a call from the home at 7.30am and went straight to the hospital. Thankfully no damage. My question is concerning what responsibility do the home have for the residents when they are sent to hospital.
This home does not send anyone with the resident and very scanty information. By the time I arrived mum had been there 2 hours and the staff were visibly relieved to see me..the doctor came quite quickly to speak to me and fill in the gaps in the original assessment.
Has anyone experienced this situation and is there anyway to address it with the home without being too critical?
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,449
0
Kent
My mother was taken to hospital twice, and each time the home phoned me, and the member of staff who escorted her, stayed with her until I arrived.

I found this acceptable, but I would have been very upset if my mother had been sent unaccompanied.

I suppose the only way you can address it is to ask what the policy is.
 

mel

Registered User
Apr 30, 2006
1,656
0
66
Sheffield
Hi Susie
Oh dear....I don't think I would have been too happy had mum been sent unaccompanied.......

mum had a fall when she was in respite care...the home phoned me and a member of the staff was sent with her......
They recalled her the following day as a broken hip had not been picked up on the x ray the day before:)eek: ) and again a carer went with her taking nightclothes etc ready for her admission...
The carer stayed with her for the best part of the day until she was safely admitted......

if mum had been sent on her own she would have been dreadfully confused and frightened......

the home also kept me informed at several points throughout the day and I can't fault them in any way........

Hope you get some answers
 

Natashalou

Registered User
Mar 22, 2007
426
0
london
the first time mum fell I was called and as I live very locally, I was able to get to the home before the ambulance did and I accompanied her. The second time I was at work and a member of staff accompanied her and stayed with her for 5 hours.
She has also been accompanied to out patient visits.
BUT having read the contract with the home very carefully it DOES say they dont provide a guarunteed escort service..I hadnt given that much thought as I assumed it meant for things like shopping trips but I guess it could easily be for something like that!
 

Áine

Registered User
Feb 22, 2006
994
0
sort of north east ish
glad there was no damage susie but it's obviously upsetting for you and frightening for your mum.

i guess it's a staffing issue. sounds like it happened on a night shift where there would likely be lower numbers of staff to start with. my friend used to do nights in nursing homes (not dementia) and as the only 'qualified' on duty was often in a nightmare position of there being more than one patient needing to go to hospital in the night. if a carer went with each resident it could leave her on her own to care for a whole unit of people.

it doesn't make it OK, just suggesting how it might have come about. don't know what the solution is.
 

Charlyparly

Registered User
Nov 26, 2006
217
0
Lancashire
Hi Susie,

Oh dear.

On admission to the home, I ask relatives / next of kin if they can be contacted during the night and if someone would be available to attend if necessary.

In any case, an additional member of staff is always "on call" to either accompany the resident to hospital, or stand in on duty whilst another goes with them.

A photocopy of the person's care plan, medication sheets etc, is always sent as well, so that ambulance and hospital staff can refer to it.

I have a friend who is an A & E nurse and another who is a paramedic. They have both highlighted the problem of care homes who send residents without a member of staff, by following vulnerable adult procedures.

I understand that these homes were then contacted by CSCI regarding this - although I'm not sure what the outcome was.

It may well be that the home where your Mum lives, is paid a visit.

Charlyparly :)
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Charlyparly said:
On admission to the home, I ask relatives / next of kin if they can be contacted during the night and if someone would be available to attend if necessary.

In any case, an additional member of staff is always "on call" to either accompany the resident to hospital, or stand in on duty whilst another goes with them.

A photocopy of the person's care plan, medication sheets etc, is always sent as well, so that ambulance and hospital staff can refer to it.

Good for you, Charlyparly. Your model should be required practice for all care homes. I know if my husband were to be admitted to hospital without me being there, he would be extremely frightened, and admissions would not be able to get any information from him.
 

Kayla

Registered User
May 14, 2006
621
0
Kent
My Mum collapsed this morning at about 6am, while the care staff were attending to her. An ambulance was called and they rang me, so we could go straight to the hospital. By the time we arrived (we left as soon as possible), Mum's heart and lungs had stopped working and they couldn't resuscitate her.
The hospital staff were very kind and helpful and the Nursing Home had informed us immediately. We were too late because everything had happened so quickly. The hospital is only about 20 minutes drive away.
Mum looked so peaceful and her face seemed quite healthy looking. I think the NH have taken very good care of her and she was reasonably happy despite her illnesses. We gave her teddies to her friend in the NH, as she likes soft toys.
I can't believe that it is all over so quickly, although there might have to be a post-mortem as it was a sudden death.
Kayla