cost of living - elderly causing themselves injuries to stay on hospital? :(

[lifeofalawyer]

Saw someone ask today on twitter and it got me thinking, AIBU to think we will see an increase in the elderly complaining more about certain issues or even causing themselves small injuries to guarantee themselves a hospital bed and warm food? So sad to think about.

Oh it's going to be terribly.

And while people are living long, that doesn't necessarily mean they're healthier for longer. A patient of in her 90s has been a regular hospital attender for the last 20 years.

There's a thousand problems with the NHS, but one of them is we treat and treat and treat people until there's nothing left but a half breathing carcass.

Dementia patients with chest infections having multiple admissions, they're terrified and have no quality of life, cant care for themselves at all, have no idea who they are. Yet that seems to be classed as a better option than treating conservatively at home and letting them pass away in comfort with family.

It's extremely unlikely that older people would do this.

There are as many pensioners in poverty as any other age group

They are the group that suffers most with cold , are more likely to need a warmer room to survive

So stop buying this age divisive rubbish

Older people won't purposefully be injuring themselves to get into hospital. You wouldn't get past A&E unless a significant injury or health event , (stroke, factored hip, etc) for an inpatient bed, a fractured wrist wouldn't get someone admitted as they'd just be sent home. No one would choose to break a hip or leg, breaks at advanced age do not heal as well

However hospitals will fill up with older people and disabled ill people as colder homes (fear of putting heating on) and less money for nutritious foods will have a huge detrimental impact on health in populations with frailty and progressive illnesses including breathing and heart conditions.

Health for vulnerable people falls when inside temperature is under 18' and significantly more when under 16'. My house is currently 14' as I can't afford to put the heating on early. Already having difficulties with my health problems. My DD nearly called an ambulance for me last week. (I do anything avoid admissions)

midgetastic is correct. State Pension is under 10 grand a year. Not all of us have other pension pots, our own houses or massive savings, for one reason or another.
Still wouldn't view hospital as a free winter hotel though!

It’s apparently quite common in Japan for the elderly to commit crime in order to be sent to prison for a spell. One in five prisoners are a senior citizen.

in the us despite the fact their prison system is known as being brutal people will commit crimes just to be fed/ out the bad weather/ access healthcare.

It’s depressing but I think the PP may have a point.

In what way are they going to be well provided for?

NHS is on a 'war room' footing for winter as it is.They won't allow anyone to be admitted unnecessarily.

Pensioners are really the only group that is currently going to be well provided for

Presumably you didn't see Hunt saying that there's no guarantee that the triple lock will be upheld. The triple lock that in the last two years has been taken away, given back and now threatened again. I know the rhetoric on MN is that all pensioners are millionaires in mansions but they really aren't.

Stop making things up OP.

@oakleaffy

Sadly, I suspect that a cost of living crisis + lack of social care + ageing combination = toxic combination that will result in euthanasia aka assisted dying being legalised

And I worry that we are sleepwalking into that situation

My worry is that, initially, it would only be allowed in extreme circumstances, but over time, would be more widely used / accepted. It sends a chill up my spine

You don't know many elderly people, do you op. The vast, vast majority will be desperate to leave hospital and get home, even if it's not in their best interests.

What a bizarre thread!

Even if you're admitted to hospital, you're likely to spend at least 12 hours (if not more) on a corridor trolley before they find you a bed. My dad was admitted a few months back and spent 15 hours on a corridor before they finally found him a cubicle in A&E. It was so noisy and bright (as you'd expect in A&E) that he had a horrendous sleep-deprived night. He rang me the next morning and said 'come and get me!' So he self discharged and I took him home.

When he was sick again a few weeks later and the paramedics suggested he get checked over at hospital, his response was 'I'd rather die than step foot in that place again'.

Go on op, link to this mythical twitter post. MN allows links. What did it say that caused you to post this? If it exists I can assure you it will be bollocks.

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=www.bbc.com/news/stories-47033704.amp&ved=2ahUKEwipvZT-4ev6AhWUX8AKHYNODF4QFnoECAoQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3GiW-7QlqqM6PX7CpQM-iR this is an interesting article about Japanese elderly and prison.

Yanbu OP.

I had a thought today that the elderly might start hunting hedgehogs for food, because it's all they can afford.

I also had a thought the other day that they might try to swim south, just to get to a warmer climate.

It's sad 😔

My elderly parents would rather throw themselves off a cliff than willingly go into hospital.

I agree. Recently my parents have rang 111 on a few occasions for things like sever chest pain and breathing problems, all requiring A and E for them to be admitted. They rang 111 at a push because they didn’t want to call 999 and bother anyone.

My DD neighbour is very fit for his age, late 70's, tall and solidly built. He goes out everyday in all weathers. He recently had bladder cancer laser treatment. This is while still being treated for prostrate cancer and having had two bouts of Covid. They sent him home within hours of his treatment. He was in a lot of pain and for the first time, looked frail. He should have been kept in. We helped him, got him pain meds etc. The after care was follow up phonecalls. He's from a generation that play down everything. It was appalling.

Re prison. When here in Liverpool we were getting rid of Thatcher's poll tax, the pensioners got on board with non payment. When they were sent to prison, they were looked after and treated well. It's probably a lot more violent now. The reason why posters are saying that they aren't the group that will suffer is because they get a lot more benefit wise than other groups and no, not everywhere has a surplus of jobs.

It's the homeless and those with addiction and mental health issues who try to get admitted over winter.

I couldn't agree more! Sound like you begrudge the pensioners Jenn3112!

"Sadly, I suspect that a cost of living crisis + lack of social care + ageing combination = toxic combination that will result in euthanasia aka assisted dying being legalised"

We are miles away from assisted dying for the elderly. As said we are keeping elderly people alive in ridiculous circumstances, often against the wishes of the family. We seem to have more checks in place for elderly patients than we do for mother's/babies and those with LD's. There are some shocking stories of people who lead full lives despite having Downs syndrome, LD's etc, having DNRs put on them and not being allowed to see family before they were left to die, while 80+ year olds were being clapped as they leave hospital.

"They are the group that suffers most with cold"

Above children under four and the disabled?

They are better off committing murder and getting locked up to be honest. Free food and a warm bed. Easy access to healthcare too.

I’ve met a few younger people in A and E that just keep committing crimes to get locked up so they had a bed. This was over 4/5 years ago, I think that’ll be even worse now.

Don't believe everything (or even anything) you read on twatter

I've met people who get arrested so they have somewhere warm and safe to sleep and get feed. Wouldn't surprise me if a small number of elderly people choose hospital over home this winter.
One young woman who lived in a car and wanted Christmas away from her pimp will stay with me forever. Holloway was her preference over working the streets for Christmas.

Purposefully injuring themselves; no (for the many good reasons already stated on this thread)

Older people needing more hospitalisation due to increased frailty/ accidents because they have not eaten enough, are too cold or can't access social care that would prevent accidents- sadly, absolutely (and I have no idea how the NHS will cope)