"My mum's care and discharge (elderly medicine,Rah)"

My mum had what appeared to be a stroke on the background of a frontal lobe dementia.

She recieved first class nursing / medical care from both AMU & Ward 5 teams . The physios who worked intensely with my mum, included my dad in her daily sessions as communication and following instructions is profoundly difficult for my mum and my dad is able to interpret her non verbal cues and so assist communication.

However, the discharge process was most unsatisfactory.

Despite being able to provide our own transport, it was deemed that mum should go home by ambulance.

We provided clothing and suitable footwear for her discharge . She was sent home at 7pm in the evening in her nightwear and slippers !

On arrival at the house, the ambulance driver appeared irate and upset that my mum had been deemed fit for transport home on 1 man crew PTS.

The discharge letter stated my mum was back to her baseline level of functionality. This was absolutely not the case as prior to her hospital admission, my mum was actually mobile enough to go out and about accompanied, was able to wash/dress/feed herself with prompting.

There appeared to be no communication with District Nurse Services regarding input for incontinence aids( my mum is now doubly incontinent) and I had to contact the District Nurses myself in order to obtain suitable pads as a limited supply had been provided on discharge.

I also have had to chase up community OT for assessment for bathing aids, my mum was 4 weeks post discharge by this point and is unsafe to get in and out the bath.This has now been addressed and the Senior Community OT who came to the house was fantastic and extremely helpful.

As I am a nurse, I had the knowledge of what to do and how to access the services required, however, other families and patients may not be fortunate enough to have this type of support.

I think communications when preparing for discharge absolutely must be improved so that no other patients or their families are subjected to extra stress during very difficult times.