Hospitalised & caught Covid

[Loopylou38]

Hi , I have posted on here previously regarding my dad that had a stroke nearly 6 weeks ago
He was doing so well with his recovery & physio albeit his mobility had declined he tends to lean to the left when walking .
He was number one to be discharged to rehab and had now lost that bed .

However last week shock , he tested positive for Covid and was moved into isolation where he quickly deteriorated into almost a coma sleeping , shaking it’s been an awful week and we didn’t see any chance of him coming out if it
He’s been on antibiotics and a fluid line .

However today what a surprise he’s perked up and was eating and drinking although his cognitive skills are not good things like holding a cup and his right arm is still shaking
we were told today he’s moving back to the normal ward which can’t be avoided but we are scared he’ll catch it again .

Ive been in touch with the hospital explaining that I would like him back on the rehab list as soon as possible so when he’s medically fit enough he can move
I’m really looking for advice from anyone that has had an elderly relative in hospital with Covid
Im not sure if my dad needs councilling as to what happened to a week of his life he doesn’t remember anything .

I would have thought he would be extremely unlikely to catch it again so soon.
Is he distressed by not remembering? If not I doubt he needs counselling, but only you, him & his doctors can decide that. How does he feel about it?
I imagine they won't put him back on the rehab list until they feel he is ready.

Thankyou for your reply I went to see him yesterday and he was still out of it on a nasal cannula . My relative went to see him today and she told me he feels better ,
He is 85 with copd and other health issues . I’m going to see him tomorrow I briefly spoke to him today I think he was still a bit dazed .

The rehab lists in London are long he was on the list for 5 weeks his turn came and he feel ill which is very unfortunate

Awww, your poor Dad (and you). I know you want him moved quickly but I'd just let him rest & get better from Covid first, which is probably what the hospital intend to do.
I felt a bit like I was in a giant marshmallow or on a bouncy castle after my bout of Covid, so goodness knows how your Dad feels.

Thankyou for your reply , it’s so hard Covid is a nightmare even now . My dad is fully jabbed but what with his age and other health issues including copd I don’t know how his recovery will be on top of a stroke .
Its going to be a long rd , my relative said that his cognitive skills were very bad yesterday things like drinking out of a beaker was difficult Im hoping that the physio can help with this
it’s so sad 😞

Hi sorry to hear about your dad. My mum aged 90 caught covid in hospital, it was at a time when we couldn’t visit, just about the whole ward had it so at least they didn’t have to isolate. They kept her an extra 2 weeks before sending her home. She was very weak and tested positive for a further 3 weeks..
she’s 92 now, has carers four times a day but probably has long covid. Hope your dad improves.

My fully jabbed 83-year old mum was wiped out earlier this year when she caught Covid in hospital. She got it as she was being discharged (hugging the nurses!) so wasn’t symptomatic until she got home. She thought she was dying and slept 23 hours a day and was so bad cognitively we thought she’d had a stroke. Within a week she was better and within a month back to normal.

it sounds like your dad is in the best place. It must be very frustrating to have been so close to discharge only to have this set back though.

Thankyou for your replies I’m so saddened to hear about your loved ones Covid is serious to the elderly and hospitals are not required to wear a mask
Did your mum have delirium funnelfan ?
My dad is wiped out not talking much just gazing at the tele .
I went to see him today and he knows where he is but isn’t himself which is understandable
The Dr said a bit of infection is still showing on his bloods but they will review them tomorrow
it’s all so stressful im also worried about him being in bed too long

Did your mum have delirium funnelfan ?

No, thankfully. She gave it to me and my symptoms and timing matched hers exactly (as did my husbands…) and we felt rotten enough. But we’ve worked out that anything that provokes her immune system and/or raises her temperature causes a deterioration - her flu/Covid jabs sent her a bit doolally for a couple of days for example. So if your dad’s results are still showing signs of infection it’s not surprising he’s still not himself.

It’s heart breaking isn’t it , when we’re young we think that our parents will be around forever , we lost mum in a care home during lock down 3 weeks in she had vascular dementia.
My dad is improving very slowly given that he’s had a stroke , pneumonia and Covid at the same time . He can answer most questions that we ask him but he’s in hospital & still in bed attached to a catheter which I’ve asked to be taken off .

I went to see my dad yesterday & while he’s still not quite himself and frail he’s a bit better .

The next step is rehab but only if the delirium goes I am worried we’ve hopefully got a meeting with the consultant and discharge next week which has also been a problem to get
I understand that there’s a shortage of staff etc but my only interest is my dads welfare

I doubt he can go home and live on his own so the next question is care home which I’m not keen on Sods law I saw an awful story about an elderly lady in a care home on the news last night that has really scared me , I appreciate there are some good ones but how do you know which ones are good ? The other option is him going home and having carers go in 2 or 3 times a day but what if they don’t show up & they are expensive .
Im worried sick about what to do for the best
Can anyone give me any advice please

It sounds like your poor dad has had a very tough time recently and if he has pulled through all that he is doing well.
I would suggest either a rehab bed or a short term placement somewhere funded by health, where he is encouraged to continue his rehab whilst the delirium settles. It is not fair to move to long term placement until someone has had a chance to be as independent as they can be.
Unless someone is totally unsafe, the normal route would be to trial care at home if that is dad's wishes. If he has the savings, it is sometimes worth putting in a live in carer for first couple of weeks, or have family member stay there, just while he is settling in, to really note what his ongoing needs might be.
If he can safely get himself to and from the toilet, most other needs can be met by carers.
The ward Occupational Therapist should be advising on all this.

Hi vdbfamily, Thankyou for your reply , my dad lives in a park home so I don’t think that a live in carer would be possible the place is very small
We are hoping for rehab in the coming weeks to give him a good chance to get his mobility going
once he’s medically fit
He was about to be discharged and lost the bed due to falling ill
apparently the hospital can’t put him back on the list until he’s medically fit , so it could be another 5 week wait hopefully sooner in the mean time he’s vulnerable to catching another infection in hospital .
I would love him to go home with carers popping in but my worry is if they don’t show up and we can’t afford to go privately

Carers become more expensive than care home once more than four visits a day are required.

”no-show” isn’t a problem, someone will turn up. Companies are very used to changing plans at a moment’s notice

It's difficult to choose what is best for an elderly relative with health issues. Care at home reduces interaction with other people but that creates isolation, boredom and maybe depression. Plus there is a risk if the person doesn't have good mobility.

A good care home environment provides social activities and interactions and with increased social interaction comes increased infection risk.

The choice boils down to either potentially living longer but potentially being more lonely or potentially living a shorter life but potentially enjoying it more. Quantity vs quality. You sound like you really care about him and you want him to be around for as long as possible but what would he like for himself? Widow(er)s who had long marriages are used to company although they obviously value all the memories held in the former marital home.

Good luck. I think as his recovery progresses the best longer term option will become clearer.

I just read your last update about not being able to afford to go private. If you are wanting your council to fund his care he will need a social worker who can agree when he will need a care needs assessment and be involved in his discharge. Ultimately they help the council decide what care is most appropriate.

Thankyou all for your kind advice.

My dad is still in hospital , my sister went to visit him today & he doesn’t recall me being there yesterday . He seems to remember bits and pieces . However he soiled the pad I’m just wondering if he had been offered the bed pan
I say this because last Monday he woke up and asked for the bed pan the nurse told him to do it in his pad

omg I was livid and went to see the sister who ordered the nurse to get a bed pan

my dad also has a catheter fitted during his very ill days with Covid , I asked at the beginning of the week for it to be removed as my dad will become incontinent which is wasn’t prior to catching Covid .

The Dr that I spoke to said there isn’t enough nurses for each patient so to me she’s saying elderly should soul theirselves .
My sister was told today that the catheter was taken off on Tuesday but he wasn’t urinating so it was put back on
I don’t think that they gave him a chance to me it’s easier for the nurses to put pads on and catheters .

Sorry you had a stressful visit to see your dad. It's hard but at 85 with health issues he won't bounce back as quickly from Covid as you or me. And I have no personal experience of this but if he already had mobility issues from the stroke the nurses will use catheters and pads to ensure he does not wet or soil the actual bed.

Was he able to feel and communicate the urge to empty his bowel? That needs to be there for him to not need to use pads. With the catheter you could discuss with the nurses at what point they think it would be appropriate to remove it. They may need to see improvements in his mobility so that he only needs supervising to the toilet.

I think he has a long road to recovery from the stroke and Covid and this may not be as fast - or as complete - as you would like. It's hard to watch and must be even harder to live it as the patient.

Hi choux, Thankyou for your reply , I totally agree that he has a long rd to recovery .
After the stroke and before catching Covid he wasn’t incontinent so they decided on a catheter which can come with a multitude of problems he now has an infection & is constipated due to the catheter , the dr is still reluctant to remove it , this has been on for two weeks now and his body is going to become reliant on it . The dr said they removed it twice and my dad has retention well that Catheter should have been removed when my dad started to recover a week after his infection
I believe that he’s using a bed pan but no sign of walking .

Ive emailed the ward with my concerns and we have a meeting with the consultant this week
A lot of elderly are admitted to hospital and Leave incontinent

This sounds very similar to my Dad. He had a bad stroke, caught COVID nearly died again then went through rehab came home then had to go back in with pneumonia. Went through rehab again and we paid for carers to get him home. It's has been about 17 months since the initial stroke, he is in a wheelchair, permanent catheter but still able to talk but at 87 he is really tired so much of the time. Constant urine infections and antibiotics. We count every day as an extra we weren't expecting and he still likes to go out. My parents are trying to move nearer us as they are 100 miles away and I am hopeful he makes it. It takes alot of equipment but all helps to give him quality of life.

Wishing you every bit of luck with your dad. Takes time and improvements do keep happening.

I’m so sorry to hear about your poor dad it’s the same story as my dad so sad
Hospitals put pads on all elderly patients and it’s wrong & catheter is the next level which causes more issues , what about dignity
If pads are not changed regularly there consequently will be skin break down and infection
my dad was doing so well after the strike until that Catheter was put on now he’s feeling ill due to the infection .

I can’t wait for the meeting on Thursday
All the very best to your dad it’s so difficult

May I ask did the rehab help atall as my dad has been in bed 2 weeks and I’m worried about muscle deterioration

My Mum has been in hospital then rehab for 5 weeks in total and I don't think the rehab has done anything at all unfortunately.

She was also continent (although how reliably, I'm unsure) and now isn't because they put a pad on her...

Omg it’s heart breaking and so wrong to treat older adults like BABIES to maid their life’s easier .
My friend works in a hospital and she said pads are protocol for the elderly

My dad went into hospital with a stroke contracted Covid and pneumonia and probably won’t go home due to the fact he’s wearing a catheter & probably won’t walk again as their not getting him out of bed

Sadly there just aren’t enough staff to give elderly patients the personal care that we’d give them ourselves. When my mum was in it was over Christmas and coincided with my annual leave, so I spent 12 hours a day in the ward keeping her company, helping her eat, advocating for her and escorting her to the toilet. I think it helped the staff - I tried to keep myself out of the way but did go and fetch them for urgent issues like a chap who wandered in to the ladies bay and then tried to climb out of the (second floor) windows, or a lady with delirium that wasn’t allowed to walk unaided but kept launching herself out of her chair.

i did push the boundaries on visiting hours but the nurses said they were ok with unobtrusive single visitors who kept patients happy and peaceful.