My gran is in her mid 90’s. She lives at home alone and manages ok albeit she is very slow on her feet. This time last year she had diuretic treatment for breathlessness and it was assumed some heart failure and old age etc. She responded well to the meds and although she would get breathless on exertion has been generally ok since.
Wednesday evening she started to feel unwell, breathless and exhausted. She had been having the odd visitor so was taken for a COVID test on Thursday which today has returned negative. On Friday her GP was called and reluctantly prescribed clarithromycin antibiotics (two initial doses then one a day) in case of a chest infection and because it was heading into the weekend.
She has not really improved, she is extremely breathless and coughs up blood stained mucus. She has very little appetite. Her pulse seems normal and strong.
I’m thinking heart failure again, last year when this happened she was sent by her GP to hospital, she was kept all day and given lots of tests and the Spirolactone (diuretic).
So we get to now, and COVID. She doesn’t want to go in to hospital as she’s afraid of catching it, does anyone know how the system works now for the following questions please?
Will a GP prescribe another 5 day course of Spirolactone to see if it helps without seeing her?
Will GP’s make a home visit?
If the antibiotics don’t work and she deteriorates will someone come out to give some end of life care drugs?
How can we avoid a hospital visit as much as possible whilst hopefully getting her over this or if this will be the end how can she be kept comfortable at home?
We aren’t sure she has the strength to get into a car to make a journey to hospital or the GP anyway and she is adamant she doesn’t want to go into hospital anyway.
Any ideas please? So grateful we just don’t know what to do for the best.