Hospital discharge and care arrangements for my elderly father

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My father is 75 and lives on his own (the other side of the country to us). He has been prone to periods of ill-health for a few years but nothing too severe. However a few weeks ago he took himself to hospital as he had been very ill (vomiting, dizziness, etc) and has been there since. After a week or so and a fair amount of weight loss he started recovering and is now eating OK and not feeling sick.

However, just as he started feeling better he became noticeable confused and keeps rambling about places he has been (when he hasn't left the ward). He hardly knows where he is and barely recognises family. We are concerned about this and have been trying to get him up and about but he just wants to lie in bed and has no interest in anything. We are concerned about this but there has been no help from doctors other than a shrug of the shoulders.

Now we find out that a doctor has discharged him and told him he can go home as they have not found anything physically wrong with him. They have asked him a few questions about the day of the week, etc, and assumed he is mentally fit. This is totally unsuitable as he is not in a fit frame of mind and his home is not habitable (we want to get him to move to something more manageable - perhaps sheltered). I understood that discharge should involve a referral to social services and a care plan in these situations, perhaps including an inspection of his home conditions, but the doctors aren't interested in talking about this.

I am concerned that he is simply going to be pushed out the door in a totally unsafe manner. My mother, from whom he is long separated, lives in the same city but cannot take him in long-term. Equally, we are both full-time workers and are unable to do this long-term. My ideal is that we can get some help from social services to get him into suitable accommodation with some kind of regular visit arrangement. However, when I spoke to social services they told me they couldn't do anything because he hadn't been referred to them by the doctors.

Sorry this is so long! Can anyone advise about what we should ensure is happening?

Sometimes that confusion in elderly people is due to a urine infection. Has this been checked?

We had similar with my gran. We spoke to her gp who set the ball rolling with social services. Failing that you could always get private carers in if he'll let you. Have you looked into attendance allowance for him?

I think they have done all the checks for infection but nothing seems to help the confusion.

Speaking to the ward they tell me that there is no 'section 2' referral to social services (even though I have been asking for social services involvement for weeks). Can I be assured that his living arrangements are taken into account if and when he is discharged?

With my gran they always asked if she lives alone, if she drives, and what we thought she needed. However she could always discharge herself if she wanted.

Have you tried contacting his G.P?

This happened to my mother a few weeks ago.She is 78.It was hideous so I feel for you- she was checked by her GP as soon as she was home,as my DH who was there to meet her from the drop-off ambulance was so worried about her.Sure enough she had a raging UTI even though I had raised this several times with the staff. I would get to talk to his consultant,as the nurse on my mother's ward just said "oh we have lots of confused old ladies here..."
You can arrange to talk to his consultant on the telephone,through the consultant's PA, and then just hammer home that there has been a sudden and noticable big change in your father's state of mind.Ask why this could be and waht they have or haven't checked for,and arrange a follow up consult.If you can do this in person even better.I completely understand how you are feelinga nd I hope your father is better soon or you are at least given some satisfactory answers about him.Yuo may need to contact social care too,they will be helpful about sorting out what he may need when he goes home.