"The Challenges of Patients with Dementia"

Anything else?

My mother-in-law was admitted into this Hospital last April,2012 with a fractured pelvic bone.She had dementia and was 90 years of age.Her treatment and care varied between reasonable and chronically poor if not very concerning.The wards differed significantly in standards of care with the rot set firmly at the top.(My wife,a retired senior nurse, was often appalled). With notable exceptions many nurses and care assistants had inadequate training and little clue how to care for patients in general and those with dementia in particular. Medication was left for her and remained insitu until we arrived.She was left to press a buzzer if she wanted attention so often wet herself and failed to secure attention.If we went to the desk to secure attention we were promptly dismissed and told to press the buzzer! Doctors sometimes had little knowledge of their patients and could make some outrageous admissions when questioned.She was released to return home and was re-admitted less than 2 days later.If we hadn't been there everyday we dread to think what would have happened.