After spending time in the ER Monday, I'm more determined than ever to become an elderly care giver/advocate. Next to me, another patient from a nursing home came in ALONE and confused. She was saying, "Please. Somebody. Please, somebody help me." She had fallen at the nursing home but wasn't seriously injured. More than anything she was scared.
My thoughts were on how my own Grandmother would have been with her Alzheimer's and my heart was broken as she was calling out for someone to come to her. I wanted to go to her so badly and I couldn't. All I could do was pray for her. Of course the nurses were busy and they tried to explain, but with dementia, the explanations are lost after a few moments and the confusion sets in again.
It still haunts me that a person would feel so alone and scared. All she really needed was someone to hold her hand. The doctors were asking her questions, telling her medical things and there was no one to help her answer or remember instructions!
If you have an elderly person in your family that lives outside of your area, would they have someone available for a time like this? Would it put your mind at ease to know a 'friend' is there until you can arrive? Please comment or email me what you would or do find helpful in elderly care as my future plans to work in this area solidify.
A final thought, please go see your elderly family soon. They may not remember you or remember you came but I believe it makes a difference. You will have no regrets.
__
I have to stay still with little activity so stitching progress is coming along. Always look for that silver lining!
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18 comments:
Mortning Parsley, makes me so sad about the elderly with no family visiting....and how they must feel so alone, breaks my heart.....Pray there are Angels watching over them.....Makes you wonder, Blessings Francine.
God bless you Parsley for finding that silver lining! You are in my prayers.♥
Thank you for your comment today. It was very well said and heartfelt!!!
stella rose and momma
You are in my prayers dear friend xx
So sad and our heart goes out to those alone. We are now in the position of having looked after our old ones and they are now gone. We also looked after those who lived around us as best we could. Having done all these things we feel proud we were there for them all. Through thick and thin. Take Care. It is never easy but you do what must be done when you care.
Best wishes Molly
This just broke my heart. Why wouldn't someone from the nursing home stay and be with her? Now I'm going from sad to mad about this.
My Mom has Alzheimers. I just had her to the hospital yesterday. There is NO way I would have left her alone.
If that was my mother, the managment and staff of the nursing home would be sorry the next time I walked in the door. Arrrrgh
Your background has been changed? Really pretty! Yes, I have been in E.R.'s a whole lot lately. I practically live there. So I see this scene you describe a lot. Is is very sad.
To think that anyone feels alone or afraid breaks my heart...whether they are young or old.
Thank you for sharing this.
It touched my heart.
Love,
Jackie
When I went to hospital in the UK I often found myself helping to feed an elderly patient or just sitting with them. Care seems to be a higher standard here in Ireland and I was really impressed with the nurses attitudes to the elderly...I would say if you are drawn to it then it is something you should def. look into xxx
I have the HD3QBEM (Half Deaf Three Quarters Blind Elderly Mother)living with me and seem to spend lots of time with her at medical appointments. certainly if she was in care I would expect the care home to have someone with her. How sad.
When my mom was in the nursing home for rehab after a major surgery, she was sent by ambulance several times to the ER. No one from the nursing home was with her. They always called me to meet my mom at the hospital. All the nursing home did was print out her medical info and give it to the ambulance personnel. It makes me so mad/sad to think that the poor lady you saw in the ER was alone.
I realize some people have no family, but I would think that however it came to be that the elderly person is in a home would also have made sure there was a guardian in place as well.
Sorry to hear that you were at the ER. You're in my prayers
Breaks my heart. Praying for you.
Hope you're OK. None of our local nursing homes send someone to the hospital with them. They are short staffed as is and notify the family about the hospital. We used to have volunteers at the hospital and home for situations, but with lawsuits these days, they both decided it was too risky. So very sad and upsetting to see anyone scared and helpless.
I wish you could have held her hand... although it might have scared her because she didn't know who you were. Your heart is an amazing thing. You're a very loving person :)
Parsley, I understand totally, as my Mom has dementia. Dad helps her most, but it's getting difficult. I think you'd be a wonderful advocate!
Parsley, you are so right. I visit my MIL every day often more than once and there are others in her home that never have a visitor. It must be awful to have no one to slip their hand into yours and to offer a few words of love and comfort.
Very sad story, I can't understand the nursing home not having a carer with her to answer questions and take back information about her treatment to put into her records.
Take care yourself, I hope you are soon feeling much better, xx
Parsley,
Thank you for this post. I moved my mother in with us after she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The sad thing is my mother was a nurse and knows full well the devastation of this horrid disease.
I think people are too involved in their own lives and are too quick to forget that when they were busy growing up, their parents were growing old.
Honor your mother and father.
Your Friend,
Deborah
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