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AIBU?

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Original poster

Would you expect a care home to stay with care user when going to urgent care/ a&e

111 replies

itispersonal · 15/06/2025 21:10

Anyone in the know - have an elderly dementia aunt in a care home. Had a fall 2 weeks ago no fracture but had a moon boot. Stopped weight bearing on foot over the last few days and knee swollen a little bit. Care home and a carer took aunty to urgent care but called my elderly mum to come and be with her as they couldn’t stay due to staffing! 10 hours later after being transferred to OOT drs and then to a&e they are back home.

mum has been in tears it is too much for her, she can’t push the wheelchair, help her physically or emotionally. I went to help later in the afternoon but couldn’t help with transport as couldn’t get wheelchair in car. And hard for me to help aunty move.

should care home be staying with aunty? What would happen if my mum didn’t go? Aunty has children but they aren’t involved, and aren’t emotional attached if aunty is at the hospital on her own. Whereas my mum and I are.

OP posts:
BeautifulPeopleGo · 15/06/2025 21:22

Imagine they had 2 or 3 elderly people that needed a&e or a doctors visit, how would they staff that and the home? A carer can’t spend 10 hours in urgent care or a&e. When my elderly grandparents needed to go to a&e my DM or her siblings used to go with.

AbzMoz · 15/06/2025 21:21

I hope your aunt is ok. As @Mrsttcno1 says, the care home cannot go beyond these duties.

It sounds like your mum isn’t in a position to help as an emergency contact? Can you explore additional care routes or ensure her needs are documented within plan, though these services are chronically under resourced. Is it worth telling auntys kids that this has happened and they need to step up?

Junoornotjuno · 15/06/2025 21:21

My DM’s nursing home arrange patient transport and charge £35 per hour per member of staff to accompany residents to appointments.

IReallyLoveItHere · 15/06/2025 21:21

QuickFawn · 15/06/2025 21:17

Is there not patient transfer available that could take your aunt? L
I mean this kindly, would you really expect that care home to take them to a medical appointment?

I have no experience, yes I would expect it or for them to arrange appropriate transport and care.

My parents are 6 hours away and I have special needs DC. What on earth would I do?

Sorry op, didn't mean to derail. I really feel for you.

MauraLabingi · 15/06/2025 21:17

If your aunty didn't have able relatives it would probably be patient transport that would take her to the appointment and home from hospital etc. Not care home staff.

QuickFawn · 15/06/2025 21:17

Is there not patient transfer available that could take your aunt? L
I mean this kindly, would you really expect that care home to take them to a medical appointment?

IReallyLoveItHere · 15/06/2025 21:17

I would have expected them to. PP appears to know the correct answer.

What if there's no local family? Or just no family at all? Do social services cover?

Original poster
itispersonal · 15/06/2025 21:16

Mrsttcno1 · 15/06/2025 21:14

No the care home shouldn’t be staying, it’s very common that they deliver & then hand it over to family. They have strict staffing rules, they can’t be away from the home if they are included in the ratio’s and it’s not safe to have someone at the hospital.

I get the ratios and they don’t have many staff on shift in general. Think it’s 7 or 8 over 3 floors, as it’s a care home.

But what do those without family support do?

OP posts:
Doctor1988 · 15/06/2025 21:16

If they don’t have the numbers to spare a longer period then they have no option. If a carer does go the resident will likely be billed for that time.

Original poster
itispersonal · 15/06/2025 21:14

Aunty has an appointment tomorrow at fracture clinic so mum having to take her to that! It’s too much, but my job doesn’t easily allow for time off (teacher) And especially for an aunt

OP posts:
Mrsttcno1 · 15/06/2025 21:14

No the care home shouldn’t be staying, it’s very common that they deliver & then hand it over to family. They have strict staffing rules, they can’t be away from the home if they are included in the ratio’s and it’s not safe to have someone at the hospital.

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