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Elderly parents

Lack of capacity questions

3 replies

MrsCarmelaSoprano · Today 13:29

Mother is in hospital again.

2 years ago she starved herself on a crazy diet and got so vit B deficient she had a stroke and temporarily lost her vision . She didn't use her care line alarm it didn't occur to her.

She had another suspected stroke and her friend called an ambulance - again she refused to go in the ambulance and had to sign a disclaimer.

2 years on she fractured her back and struggled at home for a month absolutely refusing to either seek help or call an ambulance. Even the GP told her to call an ambulance. When I eventually got her to agree she had a 7 week stay and then was discharged with full care package 4x a day plus 2 private home helps.

This lasted 2 weeks and she got worse and worse and really went downhill. At the weekend when I was away for a break her care agency asked me to ring an ambulance as she was in extreme pain and they didn't feel they could safely care for her. Again, she turned them away.

On Monday I had a call from her to say she's slipped out of bed and didn't know what to do. I said to use her care link- again but hadn't occurred to her and needed to be talked through using it.

She's now in hospital and I'm going to suggest more supporting living as she already has an existing spinal cord injury which a whole host of complications.

Does this class as lack of capacity? A total refusal to engage with medical help and clearly can't call for help when needed?

I remember reading a post on here pretty recently from a poster whose mum didn't use the care line alarm and the hospital said she had lack of capacity and had to go into a home.

I live 4 hours away and spend my life down with her sorting everything out. I am absolutely worn out. She needs to be safe.

Does all this warrant going into a home? I presume I talk to the hospital OT? Any other suggestions?

TIA

OP posts:
24Dogcuddler · Today 16:27

There should be a complex care discharge nurse and a social worker attached to the hospital. They should have a meeting with you and can assess whether she has capacity. She wouldn’t meet criteria just for refusing treatment.
Do you have health POA?
Sometimes there is a care home where they can go for a 2 week assessment place so that they can decide whether a return to home would be safe or whether a more permanent solution is needed.
Must be so difficult and worrying being so far away.

Mumof1andacat · Today 16:36

You can request a mental capacity assessment from the doctors. I would imagine in the coming days there will be a discharge planning meeting. Normally with a nurse, occupational therapist, social worker and some hospitals have discharge planning officers.

MrsCarmelaSoprano · Today 17:12

Thank you for the replies. I think she'll be in hospital for a good while and then rehab.

No POA,just started that process but doctors are great at keeping me informed.

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