elderly person being sent home from hospital to unfit housing

M

mir2001

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Hi
I am asking this question on behalf of a friend. They have an elderly relative who is being sent home from hospital next week to a house that is not in a fit state to live in. Are the hospital not obliged to ensure the patient has somewhere fit for purpose to reside? My friend is not in a position to start renovating/ cleaning the house. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
 
Hi Mir...

Speak to the Hospital Social Worker straight away... Give him or her full details of the situation.... Ask about the assistance available.... But do it now... Don't wait until she's discharged to ask for help...

Things like Home Help, Meals on Wheels, Community Nurse visits etc take a while to set up...

Ask that in the meantime if the patient can be sent to a Nursing Home to convalesce...

Speed is of the essence, though...

I wish your friend well... I'm caring for my very ill, elderly mother, so I understand the difficulties...

Darth...
 
Thanks a million, my friend is going to call the social worker tomorrow morning. Best of luck Darth with your own situation, Mir
 
Has your friend been in contact with the Hospital's Discharge Co-ordinator? From experience I believe it is their job to ensure that the patient is only discharged when all "help" is in place, i.e. Public Health Nurse , home help, care assistants, whatever is necessary.
 
Thanks Mir....

Hope it works out for your friend's relative!...

From my experience, the DC in the hosp. is only interested in getting the person out of the hospital bed... Again, I'd hope that it's just the person at the hosp. Mum attends...

I just find that the Social Worker is the best point of call... Oh and if there's a Social Worker in the hospital who has particular responsibility for patients with the specific condition your friend's relative has, so much the better!... We've found the Renal Social Worker very helpful....

Darth...
 
Hi gm88, I don't think he was aware of the existence of a Discharge Co-ordinator. Thanks for much for that - at least now he can ask to speak to this person and the social worker.

Hi Darth, I don't know if this hospital has specialized social workers as its a regional hospital but thanks for the pointer. I'll tell him to ask when he rings. Funnily enough this is a renal case too although I don't know if there are any long term effects.

Once again, I really appreciate the pointers, it helps if you know what people you should be talking too, thanks, Mir
 
Hope things work out for you tomorrow, we were in a similar but not identical situation last year. The best piece of advice I got to help was on boards when a poster advised me that everyone over 70 being discharged from hospital is entitled to an Occupational Assessment by an Occ Therapist. In our case as I documented this request this assessment included a home visit. My advice to you is to request this in writing as soon as possible and insist on it PRIOR to any discharge and see what this brings to light.

Best of luck in what can be a very stressful position.
 
Hi Clohass, Thanks for the advise. It's a big help to know who to ask for, Mir
 
Mir, as it's a Renal Case, get in contact with The Irish Kidney Assoc... They're FANTASTIC, and will be a great support both to the patient and his or her family....



Regards,

Darth...
 
Hi Darth, I double checked the renal angle but it seems that the renal problem is ok again but thanks for the suggestion.

My friend has talked to the public health nurse this afternoon but she is saying that nothing can be done to fix up the house until the patient is living there again. The social worker and the occupational therapist will not be there until Monday. So it seems there will be no progress until then. It seems crazy to me that they will put a ninety something year old into a dilapidated house.

Thanks again for all the advise, Mir
 
Mir,

I think you can apply to your local county council to have repairs done to the house, if you have letter from the patients G.P. to say that the elderly person is in poor health and needs improved living conditions, it might put a bit of a hurry on it.

Best wishes,

Priscilla.
 
hi mir is the person in question living in a private or council house,i have had experience of a similiar situation on both fronts recently.
 
Since the operation of the Fair Deal scheme there is no obligation on the HSE to find a suitable bed for the patient. They will sometimes assist, particularly in the case of a very old patient who has no body to do it for them. They can also commence charging the patient for occupying a bed after discharge, as happened in Beaumont Hospital recently.
Is this patient eager to remain in her home? There are various assist schemes through the Co.Council and the HSE. There are also schemes through various voluntary groups depending on the area in which the lady lives in.
Very much depends on where you live. Perhaps I could offer more inf. if I knew where the lady lives.
It is so sad, this usually arises for women as they live longer and in the case of most men they are looked after by their wives, in their homes.
regards Browtal
 
Was the house like this before he went in? There seem to be relatives concerned about him, could they do something?
 
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