I attended a caregiving support group at my Mom’s retirement community. One of the members was sharing the horror story about the release of her husband from the hospital. I immediately relived the story of my Dad’s hip surgery and the doctor’s discharge plans.
After breaking his hip on the racquetball court, the doctors were going to release my Dad into the care of my Mom. My Dad had surgery and was in the hospital for 4 days. He was in terrible pain and was unable to get himself to the bathroom unattended. At this time, my Dad was around 200 pounds and my Mom was around 105 pounds. My Dad insisted they release him so he could get back to their 3-level town home. As I sat with my Mom listening to the discharge instructions, I stopped the doctor and told him there was no way my Mom was going to be able to care for Dad. Thankfully, my parents were in a Continuing Care Retirement Community, and they had the ability for my Dad to be cared for in skilled nursing while he rehabilitated.
I thought it was derelict for the doctor to release my Dad into the care of my Mom given his needs. At the time, my Mom was initially unwilling to admit she couldn’t care for my Dad. However, at a glance, it seemed very obvious that my Mom would be unable to help my Dad get out of bed and to the bathroom and ridiculous that he would be able to climb two sets of stairs so soon after his surgery.
While my Dad was angry and hated being in skilled nursing, he needed to be able to get himself to the restroom at minimum. Then he was able to finish his recuperation in their one-level apartment.
I’m not sure the new act if implemented will help, but I’m glad to see some light brought to this topic many of us have already faced. Finally, Some Help For Family Caregivers After Hospital Discharges Interested.
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Thanks for sharing, I had not heard about this. Guidelines like these are very much needed. When the SNF that my father was in said they couldn’t handle his dementia, my mom claims he was transferred to a facility an hour and a half away without her knowledge. I believe that she was told (the new facility was private pay and would never accept a new patient without getting their money upfront.) But I also believe my elderly mom was overwhelmed and confused by the process, and I was 1500 miles away. It was heartbreaking for her because she thought he was coming home. He never did.
I know my parents would never have listed me, but it also feels like a “shot across the bow” to hospitals to not be so cavalier about the discharge process. We shall see what comes of this movement.