Great Aunt

[erinaceus]

I was not sure which topic to post this in.

I have a Great Aunt to whom I am emotionally close. Geographically we live far apart. Her two nephews - my father and my father's brother - are handling the practicalities around her care pathway bit.

For me, the generation below, I am just so, so sad. I came up to stay in the town where she lives so that I could visit her two days in a row. She's in hospital at the moment and awaiting medical clearance for discharge to a care home. She's utterly fed up of the hospital and happy to go to the care home. Selfishly, I wish she would move geographically closer to me, which would put her geographically closer to her nephews as well,but she has lots of friends where she lives so as long as she is medically well enough to leave the hospital it is better that she stays where she has always lived.

Her friends are not visiting her in the hospital as far as I can tell. She has no access to a phone due to some logistical issues at the hospital, and I am not sure that anyone had thought to let her friends know how much she would appreciate more visitors.

I am not sure what I wanted from this thread. I'm just sad I think. I feel closer to this Great Aunt than I did to any of my grandparents. It's tough to see her so poorly and distressed

[ZaZathecat]

erin it's a very sad and difficult time, but take heart from the fact that she is willing to go into the home - many fight against it although it is 100% necessary (personal experience).
Do you know any of her friends or any clubs or day centres where she used to go? Maybe you could let someone know and the friends would start dropping in?
Also have you seen the home she's going into? If not you could visit and it might reassure you that she'll be in a nice place and well looked after.

[erinaceus]

Thanks ZaZathecat for replying.

I agree that it is positive that she agrees to go into the care home. I have worked as an HCA in an elderly care home in the past. Great Aunt has capacity at the moment which is a positive; we are looking into getting LPA put in place for her.

It's a good idea for someone to let her friends have an update. I do not have their contact details but her nephews and niece-in-law do. I will see if a message can be passed along; her friends might well be wondering how she is doing, if no-one has thought to update them. Thank you for the suggestion.

I would imagine that once she gets into the care home she will have access to a telephone and I can call her which is not the same as visiting but can happen a little more regularly.

[ZaZathecat]

Yes it should be better once she's there amd you can contact each other. I hope she's settles in well, good luck.

[erinaceus]

Thanks so much ZaZathecat