Will I be wasting NHS times?

[Square82]

Firstly, apologies for posting here but will get more of a response.
So, my gran, who is in her mid 90s yet independent, had a fall yesterday. She bumped her head, grazed her knee and fell on her hand. She refused any fuss and went home.
Today I find out about this and try and encourage her to get looked at. She has refused saying she doesn't like to make a fuss. My dad has visited her and tried to no avail also.
He has just sent me this photo on the sly of her hand (the right one) and I'm concerned by the swelling.
AIBU to kidnap her and take her to the hospital? She says it's itchy today and she hasn't got much movement in it.
I might just add when I said I'd take her in the morning, she said "ooh no, I've got a hair appointment"!
Blooming independent old people

And I'm not playing down the head. She hasn't been sick, disoriented today etc. Just a nice nice shiny black eye!

I’d prefer to get it seen to, yes.

That said, you can’t force her. But you could appeal to her to get it checked so YOU can sleep easy? I’d be quite cross if someone I cared about refused to have that seen to, regardless of their age.

Do you have a walk in centre? Minor injuries? I’d take her there after her hair appointment (and lunch). If you try and take her now she’ll not thank you by the sounds of things (I’m not it should wait. But I have a grandma of this vintage and she would also prioritise her hair! 😬)

*not saying...

Did she put her hand out to stop herself? Looks like the swelling from when you have a car accident and were holding the wheel, it can be a scaphoid fracture I think. Saying that my grandad had this after an accident and was never x-rayed and he seems to have recovered fine so could just be elderly swelling!

I'd definitely get that looked at OP

See if you can get GP to do home visit or send member of frailty team.
I’d advise strongly about taking her to the potential Petri dish of an accident and emergency department. Call out of hours via 111 and see if someone from whatever local hospital avoidance team is called can see her.

From wilderness first aid... If it's a scaphoid fracture I think you can test by running your thumb down her thumb, on the side of her hand, to the little dip just before the thumb bone meets the wrist bone. You can feel a little dip there, about a thumb's width wide. If you press in and it bloody hurts, it's usually a broken scaphoid. But of course she could have broken another one.

I'd get it looked at. If she's worried about taking up time tell her they're currently all bored waiting for coronavirus to hit. Now is the time, don't wait a week when the hospitals are filling up.

My plan actually was to take her once I finish work tomorrow at 11am so treating her to lunch is excellent brownie points!!
She says she slipped, though it wasn't slippy yesterday. When pressed she says she felt herself falling so it's likely she did try to break the fall.
@DamselInTheStress, my reasoning is she has capacity and I'm all for promoting this.....even if I am cursing the stubborn side of her!! Ha

Thank you so much all above. I'll be on her case with all these points

Try the nhs 111 symptom checker 111.nhs.uk/

The bin with the paper in it next to the fire is also making me uneasy, I’d be moving that away from the fire..

As an A&E nurse I'd say she definitely needs to go in. Difficult to see the picture but chances are it's broken.

Yes, it needs to be seen! I clocked the hand before even blowing up the pic. Its itchy, because of the swelling which is stretching her skin. I agree that A&E isnt the best place. If you do have a minor injuries unit, check beforehand online what exactly they will see. Some have X-ray facilities, some don't. They might see and x-ray the hand/wrist, and give advice about head injuries.

Does she take aspirin/warfarin etc? If so, even more a reason to see someone. Good luck. Sound just like my 99yr old nan, who equally doesn't like 'making a fuss'.

Bloody stubborn old people 😂

I’d definitely get that seen to, is it itchy because it’s tight and swollen?

Oh, that fire is purely ornamental!! A jumper/blanket/dressing gown are the sources of warmth.....along with the heating on full blast!!

Better to go in now than next week...

Oh, that fire is purely ornamental!! phew! I did a quick risk assessment from the photo! and I’d be going round the house looking for fall/trip hazards! 😆

did she lose her balance or did she trip?

If she won’t go get it checked out tonight, get her to take some pain relief and do the RICE procedure, and get her to look out for signs of complications

www.nhs.uk/conditions/sprains-and-strains/

I'm calling her in the morning to give her the news we're having a trip to get it looked at.
She had medical review recently and blood tests. Other than low vitamin D and depression, fit as a flea and very few meds.

Lost her balance from what I can gather

Yes it needs to be seen, may be broken

Another thing, if she has a ring on that hand, try getting it off asap!

I'd ice and elevate it tonight and if it hasn't gone down tomorrow (after her hair appointment. Priorities, woman!) visit minor injuries. Second what a pp said about rings though. Get em off while you can.

Hi you lovely lot. Just thought I'd update you all.
Finally managed to get her to see a professional this afternoon, ha. She's had an ecg which looks good and are now waiting on bloods, a head scan and an xray of hand and fingers. Current thinking is it is either a fracture or break in first finger.
I'm now sat in reception as theres no visitors allowed with a cherry coke and no cigarettes!! Ah, how Saturday nights have changed

@Square82- thanks for the update. I'm glad its being looked at. And I bet she has the best hair or any patient in there

I'm so glad you took her, I hold there's nothing serious.