"Personal Possessions while in hospital."

In mid March my 97 year old mum fell and broke her hip. The ambulance arrived at her residential home in good time and I met them at the Ulster Hospital queue outside. The paramedics were fantastic and Mum was put on pain relief and reassured. 

When in A&E the medical team were so good even under pressure and treated Mum with dignity and respect. She had surgery a couple days later and returned to ward 4A.  Unfortunately, one of her hearing aids was lost in the ward - I was surprised as she was in a room and only in bed or chair. It was important for her to hear questions asked by medics and instructions. The ward just said it must have gone with bedclothes to laundry. No help was offered to rectify this. So I phoned Audiology Dept in Ulster Hospital and they were wonderful. A new hearing aid was delivered to the ward same day. The following day one was lost again and not to be found. I telephoned Audiology but they were unable to assist so quickly due to cost of replacement and the fact the ward should be more careful. I absolutely agree with them . 

Mum was transferred to Down Hospital for rehab to ward 1. The Staff were lovely as Mum arrived with them late at night and phoned me to reassure me she was comfortable and settled. I noticed her bottom set of dentures missing and the staff searched but were unable to find them. I asked who I could speak to but no one was able to help. Mum is not eating very well and the fact she has no bottom dentures is not helping as confirmed by the Speech & Language Therapist. I am now trying to figure out how to have them replaced with no assistance. Surely this is not the only time this has occurred. 

Each day I bring Mum's washing home (normally a nightdress) but yesterday there was none bagged even though it was changed from the previous day. I asked where her clothes from previous day were and after searching the 4 bags at the patients bed beside Mum, the nightdress was found in amongst the others persons soiled clothes. I cannot complain about the staff giving Mum daily help and physio they are so good with Mum but there is definitely a need to improve looking after possessions more carefully. Perhaps we have been unlucky losing 2 hearing aids, a set of dentures and clothing but it appears to be careless to me and no effort made to help family replace items when lost.