DM (80) has arthritis and Parkinson’s. She had a fall the week before Easter and fractured her wrist. The wrist she fractured was the hand she manages to use most, leaving her with one arm in plaster and the other with little control.
After a trip to A&E, she was transferred to a rehab / cottage hospital as she was struggling to look after herself in terms of feeding, personal care, picking up her medication to take, etc
6 weeks on and she’s being discharged tomorrow. She needs to come home as I don’t really think she needs hospital care and she’s becoming institutionalised. She is understandably very anxious about coming home. She’s had support in hospital to become more independent but one of the things she can’t do is pick up her medication (she has a lot!) to take. In hospital they have been putting each tablet / capsule on a spoon, into her mouth and then giving her water.
At home however, carers are not able to help administer her medication (only remind her to take it, which she doesn’t need!) The hospital have suggested using a dossett box but there’s 2 problems with this - 1) one of her meds shouldn’t be removed from the original container and 2) she actually doesn’t have the dexterity to use a dossett box.
Any suggestions? Is this the point we need to start looking into a residential home?