Message to say elderly parent taken to hospital

[FeelingHelplessAbroad]

We’re on holiday in the middle of nowhere

had a message through to say elderly parent had a fall last night, paramedics were called, Paramedics then called an ambulance because they thought EP was unwell rather than had broken anything

all I can find out from hospital switchboard is that EP is still waiting to be admitted 12 hrs later, in A&E. A&E aren’t answering, unsurprisingly.

it will be 2 days at least before one of us can reach home. There is no one else. I think we’ll have to bite the bullet and make the arrangements simply because we can’t get any info

does anyone know if there is another route to info? PALS maybe?

and is EP likely to be sitting up in A&E if brought in by ambulance, or will they be in a cubicle or on a trolley at least?

You could try the chaplaincy at the department? My experience of them was that they were incredibly helpful.

Sorry - hospital, not department.

You seem oblivious to the overwhelmed, inadequate, understaffed shitshow that the NHS has become. I was in hosp 2 weeks ago for emergency surgery.....and I'm a clinician in NHS so I know medical speak, how the system works, and I'm very confident at advocating for myself. Yet I somehow found myself discharged not actually knowing where my operation incision wound actually was (heavily bandaged!), no post op review by the surgeon, no referal to community District nurses, no advice on when to seek further help and then got readmitted the next day with sepsis. If in my 40s and knowing the score I can end up with such a woeful experience I dread to think how others more old school would fair. A&E on a trolley is not "the best place"....its the only place. I'm proud to work for the NHS, but nowadays its on par with what you'd expect in an underdeveloped country. Ill, scared and poorly people, especially at this age, need someone to advocate for them.

If I'd put my travel plans on hold because of frail elderly parents I wouldn't have gone anywhere much for the last five years. I'm now 59 and my husband is 69. At our ages, my parents were travelling the world: NZ, Canada, Malaysia, Australia.

I haven't been as far as this but I'm definitely still planning holidays where, yes, it might take a day or so to get home. Because otherwise my husband will be too old to want to go far. My mother is now a rather rocky 85. She wouldn't want me to stay at home.

And yes, we've had the sudden emergency call telling us my father was dying and to get the first ferry home from Brittany. In fact, he didn't die that time. But because we lost mobile coverage on the night crossing, we woke up in the morning not sure whether he was alive or not.

We are not popping off all the time but have longer holidays that we have a great desire to do. My DM is very good at the moment and well over 100 is entirely possible. My issue has been, with all our elderly relatives, the unwillingness to plan despite knowing it’s just us. I have 2 absent siblings. Only DM had a bungalow. Definitely won’t go into care. Absolutely not the same if a parent is in care already. The staff actually know something has happened. DHs aunt had to have her liberty taken away to go into a secure dementia unit. Getting very old is not great!

Getting very old is not great!

And on that we can definitely agree. My genes terrify me.

I arranged for 2 friends of mine to take turns to pop in on MIL when we went away. They agreed to visit in hospital and take stuff in should she be admitted.., until one of us got home.
Maybe something for you to consider for future trips

OP, are your DP in london hospital? I am happy to go and check if they are somewhere in London

My father in law was admitted to A&E twice in the last year. Left on a trolley in the corridor both times overnight. Shouted at as well for asking for a sandwich (he’s diabetic)
Honestly, when we picked him up we couldn’t believe that the corridors were just packed full of mostly elderly people, in various states of undress, lying on trolleys. It was like a war zone
What a way to treat old people

Hopefully the op is winging her way home which is why she hasn't updated.

Honestly, when we picked him up we couldn’t believe that the corridors were just packed full of mostly elderly people, in various states of undress, lying on trolleys. It was like a war zone. What a way to treat old people

This really isn't acceptable but unfortunately I don't see any solution. Hospitals are overwhelmed, especially A&E departments, and there just aren't enough staff to cope. I was recently in A&E with an elderly relative and the majority of people in there were also elderly, probably over 60, either in beds or wheelchairs. My relative has been in and out of various wards in the last year and in each one again it's been mainly the elderly in the beds. I saw very few younger people wilhile regularly visiting. Not sure what the answer is really but I don't see anything improving.

Yes but at least if you’re there you can make them as comfortable as possible even if it’s on a trolley. When I say the woman was hanging off it I mean her head was nearer the floor than the trolley