To be disgusted about the treatment of elderly in hospital?

[happilyeverafta]

I’m currently in hospital and on a orthopedic ward where I’m the only patient under 70 (I believe, I’m 35)

The 5 elderly ladies here have varying degrees of ‘illness’ and as far as I can tell none are suffering from dementia just poorly ladies, bless them.

I arrived here last night and the welcome I received was as if David Beckham (insert other celeb crush if required) had walked into the ward swinging his todger around - they were all saying how great it was to have a ‘youngster’ for once. They also added I wasn’t likely to moan or ask for stuff....

The lady in the bed next to me has horrific facial injuries and covered in bruises. She’s 82. She started chatting to me and we had a lovely conversation (I will admit now I’m a sucker for a Nan type figure!). She’s clearly very sore and scared, nurses told me she’d been beaten up in her own home and thrown down the stairs and “to watch out as she screams out in the night due to be scared/nightmares” all days whilst rolling their eyes at me.

Last night she asked for some water and the nurse shouted at her that “you have half a cup we are busy so stop mythering” she explained Ste was very thirsty. In the end I gave her my hug as she was getting distressed.

This morning she was asleep as the nurses arrived on shift - they came in and shook her & shouted to wake her which frightened her she started crying, I then witnessed them rolling their eyes st her talking about her to each other in front of her abs laughing at her, the whole time she is looking at me saying “I think they think I can’t hear or understand them”

They then got her dressed and she was in pain and asking them to be a bit gentler they came from behind the curtain stating she’d made “another Oscar winning performance” and huffing and puffing. Insinuating she’s making it all up.

They then chat to each other in the middle of the ward about how she’s getting worse, clearly has woke up in a mood etc etc.

Aibu or is this how bad the NHS is now with the treatment of patients?! I’m sat here upset and shocked - I’ve not had any obs done or had anyone come to check on me. To be fair I’m ‘OK’ compared to these ladies but they seem so stretched for staff (1 nurse abs about 3 HCA) that the basic level of care and compassion has gone? Or is this how it is on an orthopedic ward?

I am terrified my parents could end up in a situation like this. They are healthy and in their 70's but I will do whatever i can for them to live with me or for me to stay at home to care for them. I'm 31 and have Aspergers but me and DP are saving for our own place. The only care I would want them to have is like what my nan had, she went to a day centre in an elderly care home as a form of social and because my mum was her primary carer and needed a few hours to herself. My nans other daughter would visit but for like half an hour. I know not everyone can do what I want to do but I see it only fitting as they have raised and cared/still care for me in some aspects that I find difficult.

Oops posted too soon. However if I did suspect any negligence in their care I would kick off. Screaming banshees are quieter than me when I lose my shit.

Perhaps someone in the medical profession can explain why all nurses have to have degrees? In the old days there were SENs and SRNs. Do we now have all-degree nurses? what happened to those who were good at caring but couldn't do bloods, etc? Especially now the govt has taken away subsidies for those same nursing and ?midwifery? courses.

I can see the value of having a uni-trained nurse who can do diagnostics/proper triage/medical intervention - validating what a lot of nurses have always done. And clearly most will be caring and considerate as well.

But what is stopping the care and consideration? Some of it may be the endless form filling. The other is management neglect.

I hate to say it but the other thing is that people with dementia can be hard to deal with. ANother PP spoke about the aggression some can show. Looking after an elderly man or woman who has a physical affliction is far less wearing than dealing with someone who doesn't know where they are, who they are and can't interact. It doesn't mean they shouldn't be dealt with the utmost respect but it is difficult.

Clearly it helps if family can visit - but this is not consistently possible for most small families with both parents working and children to consider, especially if they don't live near by. And they can't stay overnight so the OPs and other PPs complaints about water not being accessible, bells moved away and toiletting not done remains a problem. To say nothing of the attitudes to elderly people she reports.

Nursing assistants used to do more of the looking after stuff but now they often do a lot of the medical tasks which is great but nobody else was brought in to cover what they used to do.
I've been a nurse and a nursing assistant and there were very defined roles in those days, patients got their care needs met more often than now. It's a real shame as you are so vulnerable in hospital.
I had surgery recently in s private hospital and was home by the afternoon as I got my drinks, food, obs and medication all very quickly which then frees up beds and nurses for more needy patients.

millie
Think of it this way. The nurses were always working at the level of a graduate - why not recognise them and allow them to celebrate their achievements?
If you want to care but don't have the academic ability, you can be a HCA so it doesn't stop people joining the health workforce.
No one says ooh that dr can't be caring they have a degree!
In reality most nurses are using their graduate skill set on a daily basis.

What stops the care?
The sheer workload.

Sad to say our experience isn't too disimilar. My father inlaw was admitted on Tuesday evening.
He has a lot of signs of an advanced urine infection. He's been in piss covered sheets since Tuesday night, he hasn't had a wash whilst in hospital.
It took them 24 hours to start with fluids and antibiotics.
They took his fluids away because his cannula kept coming out because he has a soaring temperature that's making him sweat profusely.
They've stopped all his medication- blood pressure meds, diabetes meds. Painkillers for knee problems.
My mother inlaw has been asking for them to confirm what is wrong with him since Wednesday. They told her on Friday they still don't know. The antibiotics they've given him aren't working, and they are considering Sepsis- this answer took 3 days of MIL nagging at them.

It's pretty disgusting, they've thrown him in a contamination room, but absolutely no advice and it really seems they are doing the bare minimum.

Hope you get better soon OP! Enjoy the oromorph it's great stuff! Well done for sticking up for these women.

My dad recently had a severe stroke and be was one of the youngest on the ward. I'm happy that I only ever witnessed the nurses and HCA provide a good standard of care. My dad couldnt speak but he could still have a laugh with them. And they were also immensely understaffed.

There is no excuse whatsoever for the treatment you're witnessing.

Giveme they didn't change his sheets or give him a wash in days? That's fucking disgusting. I'd make a formal complaint.

Many people are looking after kids and have elderly parents in need of care and work. Families doing care in hospital is fine if you had women not working, or mothers having kids very young and then not returning to work. But most elderly people in hospital have no one fit enough with enough time, to offer this. And most workplaces do not give time off for this.

Why should the HCAs do all the work whilst the nurses get paid and sit around the nursing station.