Regarding hospital stay with dementia

Molly222

New member
May 20, 2022
3
0
Any advice would really help.
My grandma is currently in hospital after a stroke, she does have dementia mainly short term but has the capacity to make choices for herself like whats she does eats drinks ect...
Due to limited mobility she is being hoisted from bed into wheelchair. When visiting she kept asking me to take her to the toilet as she was desperate to empty her bowels. She has never been incontinent. She used the call bell and she asked a nurse when free to assist her.
To then the nurse told my grandma that she has a nappy on...to go in there... and walked away. With many grandma begging me to take her.
I'm a fully trained care assistant in a nursing home so I fully understands staffing levels.
I felt like my grandmas human rights where thrown out the window.
Is it illegal to use a hoist as a family/ visitor within a hospital setting ?
 

Jaded'n'faded

Registered User
Jan 23, 2019
5,259
0
High Peak
I don't know the hoisting rules so I can't advise but I completely agree that this is not right. I would complain to the ward manager.

For the nurses and other staff I can see that it may save them having to change beds but they are still telling the patient that they can jolly well sit in their own excrement. That is unacceptable.
 

Molly222

New member
May 20, 2022
3
0
I will be having a discussion with ward nurse tomorrow at my visit.

I'm pretty sure as visitors we are not to touch any equipment of course I understand rules and regulations. Just very hard not to be able to do anything.
 

Duggies-girl

Registered User
Sep 6, 2017
3,620
0
I will be having a discussion with ward nurse tomorrow at my visit.

I'm pretty sure as visitors we are not to touch any equipment of course I understand rules and regulations. Just very hard not to be able to do anything.
@Molly I am so sorry that this has happened to your nan and I agree this is not acceptable. I have ranted over and over on here about this because my dad was treated the same. Admitted with pneumonia he was extremely dodgy on his legs but he was determined to get to the toilet. He was never incontinent and I was shocked to find him in a incontinence pads when I went on the ward. I did get him on a commode with the help of a reluctant nurse or whatever she was but it seems that they would prefer to clean someone up than take them to the toilet. Dad was very determined and ended up having 3 falls as a result of this that cost the health service 3 more trips to A&E and 3 head scans. Dad came home eventually and he was still not incontinent.

What the nurse said to your grandma is completely unacceptable and inexcusable, your grandma is entitled to some dignity and the word 'nappy' should never be used like that to an adult. It is insulting and derogatory. The nurse needs reporting because anyone who speaks like that to a patient obviously has no respect and dementia or not your grandma deserves some respect. I would have been livid.

Please complain.
 

Jessbow

Registered User
Mar 1, 2013
5,678
0
Midlands
You wont be insured t use hopital equipment, so please dont.

You need to have a word with someone senior on te ward, that is not acceptable
 

Molly222

New member
May 20, 2022
3
0
Thankyou for the replies and advice.
In my head I just wanted to hoist her to the toliet but I totally understand as to why I cant / didnt as I dont want to cause conflict and potentially not being allowed to visit her.

If she was incontinent I would totally understand the reason for pad use. But one of her aims to get her home is to be able to use the commode or toliet before leaving. As family we are trying to promote good bowel habits/ routine as she was fully capable of doing everything herself. Including showering / walking 5 miles a day unaided. I just feel her personal choice where not met at all. A basic human right to use the toilet?
Thankyou all for your support
 

Xhanlbxx

Registered User
Aug 31, 2019
182
0
Hiya ,

I don’t know what is going on with the NHS at the moment , yes I understand they have been overwhelmed but the quality of care in hospitals just seems to of dropped !

When my dad was in hospital in January it was exactly the same except he couldn’t communicate he needed the toliet , so instead of putting a bed pan under him or a commode say every few hours they rather let him go in a pad and the bed he wet for hours ( at home he uses the toliet) .

It is absolutely disgusting and it is not treating humans correctly, in my eyes if someone can do something why limit that person , especially with someone with dementia who will progress so giving them as much dignity as possible until it is possible is vital.

In hospitals now it is all about paperwork and not the level of care, a lot of hospitals will say it’s covid or short staffed but I witnessed a lot of staff huddled round the desk on the ward while a ward with vulnerable people were left and the falls risk was so high , I was panicking myself.

If she is not strong enough to stand up I understand using the hoist but if she can stand with support there is no reason why you could not stand her and put her on the commode and then just draw the curtains .

This is exactly why people get worse in hospital because dad was the same not getting enough liquids and became constipated because hesitant to go in pad.

When we decided to discharge him we had to literally teach him to go back on the toliet.

As soon as you can I would discharge your Nan ( if physically fit) because hospitals just aren’t the same anymore .

Sending love hope you manage to sort this ❤️
 

Lynmax

Registered User
Nov 1, 2016
1,045
0
My mum was mobile and able to go to the toilet before her first hospital stay in January for IV antibiotics. After a week, she was discharged back to her car home immobile, incontinent and with two bed sores! Due to her agitation and refusal to cooperate, she had been sedated and kept in bed the whole time. This was during Covid restrictions which meant we were not allowed to visit.

I felt so let down by the NHS and subsequently we agreed with her doctor that she would not be admitted to hospital again but would receive EOL care at her care home with the support of district nurses. This meant that when her condition deteriorated rapidly a few weeks ago, she was able to die very peacefully in her own room, surrounded by her children and the wonderful care staff.
 

Duggies-girl

Registered User
Sep 6, 2017
3,620
0
@Lynmax my dads experience was in early 2019 and a full year before covid was even heard of and I despaired at the care he received. It wasn't only the toilet situation there were many other things mostly because of a lack of communication between staff, they just do not pass information on and I can't understand why because it is a very simple thing to do. Just tell someone.

Patient is moved from one ward to the next and patients notes go with them so why can't someone read the notes and why can't they listen when a family member tells them time and time again that this patient (my dad) has oesophageal cancer and cannot eat roast beef and potatoes and please do not let him choose his own dinner because he needs soft food only.

I and dads GP made the same agreement when dad got out of hospital and dad took himself to the toilet at home for another year before he died peacefully at home with family beside him and with dignity.
 

lollyc

Registered User
Sep 9, 2020
947
0
Patient is moved from one ward to the next and patients notes go with them so why can't someone read the notes and why can't they listen when a family member tells them time and time again that this patient (my dad) has oesophageal cancer and cannot eat roast beef and potatoes and please do not let him choose his own dinner because he needs soft food only.
I had exctly the same problems. My Mum needed to have a low fat diet, and a medicine (usually prescribed for high cholesterol), to prevent explosive diarrhoea. Despite me repeatedly telling staff, and putting it in writing, they allowed her to choose her meals - fish & chips was favourite - and decided she didn't need the medicine (it had to be timed around other drugs). And, surprise, surprise, she had hideous diarrohea. It was so frustrating.
 

Frank24

Registered User
Feb 13, 2018
420
0
I had a similar experience and I hear of it time and time again. I also started to see hospital as the worst possible place and made the decision that my mum wouldn’t go in one again. She did have to for a short while last week before she died and it was the same old story. Left in dirty sheets, a full to bursting colostomy bag and no attempt to give any liquids. When I asked if she was being given pain relief (she had a leg that was technically dying) I was told no. My mum was non verbal so couldn’t speak for herself. I wanted her back in the care home ASAP. But due to “some paperwork falling down the cracks” it was delayed another 24 hours in the last week of her life. Depressing