My Mum is on nutrional suppliments as she has lost a lot of weight due to Dementia. When was weighed 2014 was 14 stone. When was in A&E May 2018, after a couple of further mini-Strokes weighed 10 stone.
The Nutrionalist came out the other day and measured my Mum’s upper arm, where it’s now 28cms, last time was 27cms. The Nutrional Suppliments are 2 sachets per day, the nurses wanted to reduce them to just 1 a day, and where the occasion was my Mum wasn’t eating as much; to increase them to 2.
That rang alarm bells, as my Mum’s not eating so good anyway; which they are aware of but don’t seem interested. They really layed it on thick of how my Mum’s ‘doing really well’. The nurses’ attitude were more that the Nutrional Suppliments could ‘bulk’ my Mum up, where she’d not want to eat, and that they aren’t a replacement for food. I asked if they’re only supposed to be a temporary measure with my Mum very ill. I had to stand my ground in insisting my Mum needs to be staying on the 2 sachets a day as she’s too poorly and would be at risk, and that I don’t want to have to put in a Complaint.
I asked why they rely on only measuring my Mum’s arm; their response that’s their procedure. I asked if they could arrange for my Mum to be weighed to keep a check on her actual weight; their response that I’d need to arrange it at the local health centre myself - but it’s not as simple, as my Mum is bedridden; to get her hoisted in the wheelchair and arrange a taxi is quite a task; especially when the Care Agency is impossible to deal with.
What eventually got arranged was they’d refer to the District Nurse to come out when they administer the Vitamin B12 injections, and measure her upper arm and keep track of things that way. They are now discharging my Mum back to her GP only after 3 visits. I asked for a letter of what was agreed be sent out, let’s see what exactly gets recorded.