"elderly care"

My mother was admitted at the end of November 2012 with acute pancreatitis caused by gall stones. In her late 70s and in good health with excellent mobility, she deteriorated quickly in my opinion due to staff not wanting to administer drugs through iv or injection. They were adamant my mother was 'refusing' medicines but all she was saying was that they made her gag, then vomit, making the drug useless. It took a stand up argument by myself to get them to administer drugs alternately which is ridiculous.

I was with my mother when she became 'septic' and went into shock. A student nurse kept insisting my mother was fine, just a bit cold. Again I had to go and find a senior nurse myself who immediately called for a consultant and mum spent weeks in critical care, who were wonderful I must say.

When mum was eventually sent back to a normal ward, once again I felt the treatment was appalling. She was bed bound and her drinking water and glass were left well out of her reach as was the buzzer for her to call for assistance.

As she was in a side room, no one would have known if she required urgent attention. Faeces were left on the floor along with discarded medical items and packaging. I spent most of visiting time cleaning up the room. The television only worked on two occasions during the 3 months mum spent in hospital meaning that she became very withdrawn due to no stimulation.

Some nurses were helpful but most of the ones I met would not offer any help or time to explain any of the procedures that were done. On many occasions, mum was told she could come home only for another member of staff to say she couldn't come home. Some nurses were heard gossiping between themselves while relatives were left to wait for assistance and queued up to ask about their relatives.

A care package was 'organised' by physio but the day before mum was discharged, we were told she would not need one even though she could not walk unaided or get up from the bed herself. When mum returned home, we were constantly at her home because of her lack of mobility.

In my opinion, this is an appalling hospital with no idea of how to treat patients like human beings. I pray I never have to be hospitalised there.