Re patients stuck in hospital, (‘A doctor told me I could be here for months’: patients stuck in England’s hospitals, 13 November), my 98-year-old mother was admitted to treat an infection. She has dementia, but on the day she was admitted she walked downstairs, got into the car, and then into a hospital bed. She was declared medically fit to be discharged a week later, but because the hospital cannot mobilise her, she must have a care package.
There are not enough physios in the hospital. As a result she is losing muscle strength every day, and lack of movement is leading to pressure sores. Plus, due to the lack of mental stimulation and interaction, her dementia is getting worse. It has been three weeks now since she was fit for discharge, but the hospital has said it may take weeks more to fulfil her care requirement.
Before her admission, we were caring for my mother at home. The NHS has not found anything wrong with our care and we are willing to take any training we need. Why, then, is she being made to stay in hospital when she wants to be at home with family? It would free up a bed for someone who is waiting.
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