 |
Mum has progressively got worse over last few months and then had a fall while out with church. On concrete.
 broken hip, not snapped but still..... In hospital (finally) kidneys not functioning well they note.
We tried, got her an adjustable bed, got her home (Cost $243 for ambulance to bring her) discover arrnaged nurses were not to come for several days, not twice weekly, and next day as told.
And she climbed out and fell again. With a catheter in, unfixed hip...
Back to hospital, changed all her meds, potassium high, calcium low. This time they and we, decided she needed EOL care.  matter of weeks - at most 4 months. (She;s used 1 already now)
It's always been her biggest fear - shoved into a home. So hospital level care, EOL care they said, found place, takes ALL her pension due to extra costs and only one place to go.  But proper care they said.
Cost us another $243 for ambulance to take her there. (Not covered they say, membership or anything else, due to "private ambulance  to take not to a hospital)  catheter removed now.
She fell within hours of arriving. Found her they said at dinner time. No lunch, no snack, nothing. On floor all that time.
I'd arranged her room before hand...table over bed etc so she could get at things.
They'd taken that away. 
Oh it happens they said, oh she's fine they said. How? Cause moving her legs.
I made a fuss.
So next day I am told I can buy hip protector pants for $120.
Told she can't have table cause she'll "kick it".
They put a padded mat on floor.
Later they ring to say fallen again.
Again I say can she have table for snacks, water. I put it back , arrange bed with pillows inc her tripillow from home,  so she can sit up, lean back, reach water, put hearing aids and teeth in etc.
Today I go and yet again, no hearing aids, teeth, table. Wearing a top and no pants.  Tri pillow on top of wardrobe.
Dress her, ask for water and ice. Oh no ice they say, I say yes in fridge down (there). I fetch ice, woman fetches small jug of water.
I clean her filthy teeth and put them in, do hearing aids, hair, she drinks 3.5 cups of water.
I ask for the yoghurt I'd bought in for her. Woman leaves, never comes back.
I fetch more water and find kitchen. Kitchen staff not told, but happy to take her the yoghurt at meals, snacks.
I take yogurt, mum eats half the container. This is home made stuff, a 400g container. I aks what had for breakfast, coffee she says. Snack later? No she says, they Didn't bring one.
She drinks another half cup of water.
I turn on and arrange fan we'd taken in. As it's hot.No aircon.
Mum happy to hop back on bed and lie back now.
While searching for staff I find a man in a wheeled office chair attempting to scuffle himself to toilet. Push him in and capture passing staff, help man I ask.
Every day I tell them the same thing: Leave her the table, then she won't try to walk...leave water, have staff bring her yoghurt if refusing other food. do hearing aids (I tend to them, clean, batteries etc) just put them in in morning. She hears nothing without them.
It's damn cruel, I really regret letting the hospital do this now.
I note they are repainting the place. Not needing paint, just change of colour. But can't attend to inmates?
|
