"emergency care of the elderly"

my 84 year old mother was admitted to Kings mill emergency department after a fall from step ladders . she was in severe pain with a small laceration to the back of her head. it was explained to the emergency staff that she had dementia and that she was very confused. the staff although very good at checking her medical condition did not in my opinion take account of her age and level of dementia. after a very lengthy time in emergency where she was checked for any serious long term damage to her back she was discharged at four in the morning with no pain relief or any checks that she was going back to a safe environment. the fall had rendered her unable to walk . she only had a night dress and dressing gown on with no shoes socks or slippers as that is how the ambulance crew had put her on the stretcher to take her to hospital . no one asked about her home conditions or checked if she had support at home or could manage. had I not been with her she would have been sent home with no shoes or coat or any check that she could even stand up properly. I was in shock and had to ask for support to get her to the car. a kind young support worker found her some warm socks and a blanket to put round her and helped me to get her to the car. is this the way our NHS cares for very vulnerable old people . the doctor who discharged her failed in her duty of care to ensure that a very ill old lady had suffient pain relief to help her recover from a bad fall that had rendered her even more disabled than she was. her dementia prevented from explaining how much pain she was in although I continually remained the staff that she was unable to give accurate answers to their questions. I dread to think what would have happened to my mother had I not been with her. the emergency staff are simply not geared up to look after frail disoriented old people whose needs are greater than the mere physical symptoms that they present with. there was a total lack of concern about her comfort levels or any checks on her ability to walk after the fall. I will of course be making a formal complaint and asking my local more to look into this aspect of care in our emergence centres.