Mum needs care but I'm totally lost - can anyone help?

heartbreak_star

Thank you everyone!

I basically kicked the doors in last night and demanded to speak to the nurse in charge of my mum. We had a good chat, and somehow the fact that my mum has NO care currently in place slipped through the net.

She didn't quite manage the stairs with the physio but they reckon she'll be OK with two rails, and a needs assessment is currently being arranged.

I feel a bit better for making my voice heard

Cheers!
HBS x

pollypenny

heartbreak_star said:

Wow. 

Apparently if she can manage stairs, they're sending her home today. No extra care or support.

I am livid and will absolutely be saying something later.

HBS x

In my experience with both my father and my aunt, hospital staff are all too ready to pass the buck like this. 

My father passed the stairs test on a very wide flight of stairs, quite different to those in a house. My aunt was discharged without help in spite of having just 5% vision and recovering from a broken hip. 

You will have to fight, HBS.   

jackieblack

heartbreak_star said:

Hi SDW and thanks - I'm pondering that she has a small dining room that might fit a single bed in it, it's open plan with the kitchen so an odd setup but doable haha!

HBS x

Would it be preferable to turn the existing dining space into a living room, if it’s open plan with the kitchen, and her current living room into a bedroom? 

heartbreak_star

I very rarely fight for anything but this is teaching me I need to!

The occupational health team are going round to look at her house today - neighbour's got a key.

From there she's getting extra handrails, a keysafe, a modern commode, a pendant alarm and fall sensors, and short term 3x daily care visits while I get finances set up for ongoing care

I think having a very firm talk to a very understanding nurse who turned out to be a bit of a bulldozer has paid off!

ETA: room conversions might come later...

HBS x

kayleighali

Aww I am so happy that you managed to get something sorted. I know it might only be short term but at least it takes that immediate worry away from you  

RAS

Do check the OT assessment. The lot who did my mum's ignored the fact that the heating had failed ( I told them and hospital the engineer wouldn't be able to fix it until the following week).

And then told me to buy a new kettle to replace the one we'd just bought. They set it for the test for use by a right-hander.  And left it like that so she wasn't able to make a hot drink either. 

heartbreak_star

I will thank you RAS. So far they've seemed pretty on the ball but I'm like a little terrier with all of this at the moment!

Mum is definitely easing towards moving into a retirement apartment. In an odd way, she's sort of enjoyed having people around her in the hospital. So I've started the ball rolling on funding, and we're going to spend some time looking at places for her.

Thank you so much everyone, you've all been amazing.

HBS x

thegreenone

I'm so pleased things are moving in the right direction.  If Mum won't wear the pendant there are wrist alarms which may suit if she is used to wearing a watch. 

Be very careful with retirement apartments as they can be a b*ggar to sell after ...... well you know.  I think you mentioned renting.  Is there somewhere local to Mum who might let her try living there for a month and see how she gets on?  Once she's better of course.

Never feel guilty.  I have the t'shirt on that one!

heartbreak_star

Thank you greenone the alarm people are leaving both a pendant and a wrist alarm so she can see which suits her better!

I think she'd prefer to rent for just that reason. I've spotted a couple of places for us to go and have a look around so we can have that chat with them then. For now, I think decluttering her house is the way forwards...

HBS x