Still seeking diagnosis

Bha

Registered User
Jun 17, 2020
36
0
my mum has been admitted to hospital . She knocked her knee getting out of the bath. Having xray, she has some complex fractures to her femur bone/knee. This was 2 days b4 brain scan for memory loss. We had to cancel. We now have another appt and organised hospital transport to take her to the ither hospital. I hope this happens. Her leg is in full cast and needs a hoist to get her up. Everyday in hospital she says she's hungry even though she has eaten. Its really frustrating. She says we don't believe her over the nurses. How do we deal with this please. Its draining us. Will there be any medication that will cslm her down. I dont know what to say to her. She is going to be in a cast for 3 months. She will need rehab and physio. She is still grieving fir my dad who we lost suddenly in hus sleep 18 months ago. We xant see her in hospital. She foesnt speak very good English. I feel so helpless, frustrated and ill.
 

lemonbalm

Registered User
May 21, 2018
1,799
0
Hello @Bha . Your poor mum, that was unlucky. She is likely to be much more confused than usual in a hospital environment and probably won't remember that she has eaten. It's worth checking with the nursing staff that she is actually eating, if you haven't already. It's best not to try and reason with your mum, just to say something comforting like "oh, I'll sort that out and see that you have something to eat soon". Disagreeing with her will just make her agitated and she probably truly believes what she is saying is right.

Are you able to speak with the nursing staff to check how she is and ask about medication?
 

Bha

Registered User
Jun 17, 2020
36
0
Hello @Bha . Your poor mum, that was unlucky. She is likely to be much more confused than usual in a hospital environment and probably won't remember that she has eaten. It's worth checking with the nursing staff that she is actually eating, if you haven't already. It's best not to try and reason with your mum, just to say something comforting like "oh, I'll sort that out and see that you have something to eat soon". Disagreeing with her will just make her agitated and she probably truly believes what she is saying is right.

Are you able to speak with the nursing staff to check how she is and ask about medication?
Hi there. Yes we have spoken to the nurses. They are logging what she is eating and how much she is leaving. They have said her memory loss seems to be worse. I dont think there's much they can do until a diagnosis. She saying that the nurses have moved all her snacks and wont let her have them due to diabetes. Im sure the nurses are doing what they can but helping my mum understand remotely is difficult.
 

Bha

Registered User
Jun 17, 2020
36
0
Hi there. Yes we have spoken to the nurses. They are logging what she is eating and how much she is leaving. They have said her memory loss seems to be worse. I dont think there's much they can do until a diagnosis. She saying that the nurses have moved all her snacks and wont let her have them due to diabetes. Im sure the nurses are doing what they can but helping my mum understand. Its just difficult reassuring her remotely
 

Louise7

Volunteer Host
Mar 25, 2016
4,689
0
Welcome to the forum @Bha you'll find lots of friendly support and advice here. Sorry to hear about your mum. Hospitals are not good places for those with dementia so I hope she will be discharged soon. Is she being given pain killers? When mum was in hospital the medication that was prescribed was making her too drowsy to eat when the food was served, so family took in food & drink for her. We also found that the recording of mum's food/fluid intake was very 'haphazard' but if your mum has diabetes then hopefully the staff will be closely monitoring her intake.

I appreciate that it is much more difficult for families to know what is going on in hospitals at the moment due to the current covid situation but the current hospital visiting guidance makes it clear that visits can be permitted, at local discretion, particularly if patients need assistance with their communication and health/social care needs. If you contact the ward to request a visit on the basis that your mum has memory problems which have got worse since admission and she has difficulty communicating then they should consider allowing you to visit. If they still refuse it's worth contacting the hospital PALS team to take the matter further. Here's what the guidance says, and a link to it:

Other people who are in attendance to support the needs of the patient, for example a familiar carer/supporter/personal assistant, should not be counted as additional visitor. Patients may be accompanied where appropriate and necessary to assist with the patient’s communication and/or to meet the patient’s health or social care needs. Where possible patients should contact the ward or department in advance to discuss local considerations and make appropriate arrangements.


https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavi...healthcare-inpatient-settings-5-June-2020.pdf
 

Bha

Registered User
Jun 17, 2020
36
0
Hi. I have managed to get an appt to see my mum today do video call us now when mum a bit frantic a
 

Bha

Registered User
Jun 17, 2020
36
0
Apologies my posts are not coming through properly. Hospital staff do call us when mum being frantic with language barrier.