"My dad’s stay in hospital"

My Dad came into hospital with pneumonia and is hopefully getting home today.  He is 92 and is diagnosed with dementia.  

Medically I am very happy with the treatment he got and my sister and I were very grateful to be allowed to stay with him quite a lot of the time.  He was in a care for the elderly ward and I was surprised at how few things were in place to help a person with dementia.  Most patients I saw appeared to have some level of confusion.

The clock in Dad's room is behind the bed where he can’t see it. Something to show the day/time/morning/afternoon/night would have been really helpful. Sometimes staff were asking him questions that he was answering, but really didn’t understand.  He found staff difficult to hear and accents were sometimes an issue.  Staff generally didn’t speak directly to him, facing him, but would speak to the side of him while working with equipment, they didn’t seem to pick up that he had no idea what they were saying.    

Small care things that I noticed were nobody took his hearing aid/teeth out at night or gave them to him to put in again in the morning.  When his lips became extremely dry and broke out in cold sores, he was not given anything to use to help this. 

He was put on a level 6 menu plan and this was not always followed.  At times unsuitable food was ordered for him.  I was surprised yesterday when he told me he had toast which I know usually comes cold and with crusts on and he was given that to eat with no teeth in.  😳

Of course I understand the staff are under extreme pressure, especially in these times, but I feel these things are important for elderly patients.  

I was not happy with one member of staff who spoke to him very sternly for no reason whatsoever, but the other dozens of staff were lovely to him and to us.  

Overall, his stay was a positive one and we are extremely thankful to everyone who helped him on his journey to recovery.