What can I do?

[jimfishybob]

Don't want this to be long and complicated.

 

My mother has a mental illness, (easiest way to describe it is a mix of bipolarity and schizophrenia, usually she is normal but we have occasional 'episodes'), and I recently had to have her admitted to hospital as she lives with her 80 year old mother, (sprightly, but still 80), and the most recent episode, (including some self-harm), was frightening her.

 

She's been in three weeks and as far as i'm aware she's only seen a consultant once. I was present at this consultation and there was talk of sending her home even though she's not fully well. I couldn't really speak out against this at the time for risk of upsetting my Mum.

 

Consequently, Yesterday I rang the hospital and expressed concerns that they were contemplating discharging her into the care of my grandmother as I didn't feel she was equipped to cope with it. After a lengthy discussion, they agreed and assured me that, considering her domestic arrangements, it wasn't appropriate to discharge her yet.

 

Today, my Mum's regular Community Psychiatric Nurse has visited her in the hospital so I rang him after he'd been to see her to see how he'd got on. He said, although she's still not well she's better than she was when she was admitted, (which is true), The plan apparently is to discharge her on Friday into my grandmothers care, with occasional visits from the health service, despite everything i've said and everything i've been assured.

 

I now get the feeling that they were just telling me what I wanted to hear in order to shut me up. Is there anything I can do? Do I just have to stamp my feet loudly or do I just have to accept their decision?

 

Any advice greatly appreciated.

[davjoh]

Hello.

 

It all depends on your mother's current mental health state. Do you think that, if discharged, she poses a real and significant risk to herself or others because of her mental health?

 

If so, you (or your grandmother, depending on who has next of kin) would have to make an application for detention under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act. This would be detention for treatment and monitoring for a maximum of 28 days.

 

If you wanted to go ahead with this, you would need to contact a community legal centre or Social Services.

 

Don't forget, if there is an immediate and significant risk to her own/others after her discharge, call both the police and the ambulance service via 999. They have powers for immediate action under the MHA.

 

Davjoh

[brecken]

Hi There,

I agree you need to speak to social services, if your mum hasnt already been assigned a social worker then ask the hospital to do this for you, explain the implications of her going home with your nan and ask the hospital to make a note of this, you have expressly asked for your mum not to be sent back to your nan because you fear what might happen, this needs to be written into her notes incase of any come back, it will give the hospital something to think about.

 

My husband and I want through something ver similar last year, My father in law was addmitted to hospital 85 yrs old suffering with Alzheimers the poor man didnt know who we were, where he was, and become very abusive at times, they wanted to send him home to my 84 yr old mother in law, ridiculas, we fought hard and in the end his social worker found a lovely home for him, he ;lived there for 4 months before he sadley passed away.

 

I wish you the best of look, I hope all goes well for you all.

 

Brecken x

[JonCris]

& had he injured his 84 yrs old wife they would have rung their hands & said "lessons have been learned & procedures changed"

 

The treatment of the elderly & infirm by many of the so called caring profession makes me sick & very very angry

[jimfishybob]

Thanks you all for your advice and words of support.

 

She was actually discharged a day earlier than they had led me to believe. All is going well at the moment and i'll keep you posted.

[brecken]

& had he injured his 84 yrs old wife they would have rung their hands & said "lessons have been learned & procedures changed"

 

The treatment of the elderly & infirm by many of the so called caring profession makes me sick & very very angry

 

 

What makes it worse is that I work at my local hospital, I work with the elderly, and sometimes I honestly feel Im the only one who cares, I constantly feel Im banging my head against that ruddy wall, I had a lady stop me in the street a couple of weeks ago and ask " do you work at the hospital" when I said yes I do, she said I thought it was you, I just wanted to say thank you for caring for my mum while she was there, she told me it ment a lot.

I felt very proud of myself and relised I love my job, and I hope one day I come across other people who care.

I doesnt cost anything to be nice to each other does it.

[karencupit]

The treatment of the elderly & infirm by many of the so called caring profession makes me sick & very very angry

 

Hi there,

 

Just reading through this thread and just had to put my 2penneth in on behalf of the 'caring profession' (being one of them myself). Although there are many who work in the health field who just 'do the job', there are many more of us who do actually care! Unfortunately our hands are often tied due to limited resources and limited community care facilities. All of this is mostly due to the governments mishandling of the NHS.....they figure its better to increase the number of managers in order to reduce the NHS bill!!

 

I can understand how angry the mismanaged care of your relatives makes you feel, having had 2 elerly relatives end up with age related mental health problems myself! I'd actually advise asking to speak to the ward sister and discuss the possibility of holding a case study meeting.....this is where all those involved in the care of the 'patient' are allowed to have their say regarding the 'patient'. If this doesn't do the trick just move on up the ranks and express your concerns to everyone!

 

I hope it all works out for you and your families!

Karen x

[JonCris]

Hi karencupit

 

I agree there are some who care & your advice is well meant but as a person who has a professional interest in the well being of the elderly I have to say been there, done that had the paper hat many many times. Starts off great but then when its thought people have lost interest it falls back into a familar routine.

 

Also why should it be necessary to have meetings just to get the staff to look after their charges properly. Shouldn't it just be a matter of course they do it anyway