Hi!
My dad has dementia. He is 84 and lives at home still where my mum, also 84 is his main carer. He recently fell and broke his hip. He has been in hospital for 2 weeks and we have been unable to see him. He is not good at using the phone and when we have been able to speak to him, his confusion has been very evident. She got a call yesterday saying he no longer needs medical care and will be sent home in the next two days. My mum is 5ft 1in and my dad is nearly 6ft. He probably weighs 1.5 times what she does. Today a Molift was delivered apparently for her to help him up out of the chair he usually sleeps in. How can this be right??? They do live in a bungalow but it has steps up to both access doors. I cant believe they are just sending him home with no intermediate care in a home. His dementia has obviously worsened. What can we do???
Hi Deborah,
As your Dad has been in hospital, he will be entitled to free rehab care for 6 weeks, this could be at home or in a residential setting.
If you are having him home, has an OT visited the house to make sure everything is in place? Make sure all equipment and care are arranged before having him home.
Would your Mum cope with him home if he had four care visits a day?
If not, it’s important you say so now and let the hospital know as soon as possible.
There is information here Coming out of hospital | Carers UK that will help you too.
Melly1
Yet another disgraceful hospital discharge.
Ring up the CEO’s office, you will speak to the PA I expect, and say you want to make an "immediate formal complaint about an UNSAFE DISCHARGE. Be sure to use those words. They should have visited the home, checked it’s suitability, spoken to you - you have an absolute right to refuse to do ANY caring at all.
Do this asap, whilst there is still time to change the plan!