Well, No.....and the yes a little bit.
Hartley Ward was not the best.
It was to be kind, less than effective.
Things were ordered by the medical staff, but not carried out by the nursing staff.
There was supposed to be a regime of getting Jim walking....we were told fairy stories about how far he had walked and how many times he had walked.
Then, Phil asked me if I was available to attend a care conference as they were looking to send Jim home....or at least discharge from hospital.
This in spite of the fact that he was unsteady, had episodes of falling blood pressure, risking serious falls.
The conference took up almost an hour of our time....we questioned the safety of sending him out into the community and asked how his needs would be met.
It was suggested that he might be eligible for short term care.
This is UP to 28 days of residential care....but that an assessment could occur anytime after 10 days and if it was deemed he was fit to go home then a home assessment would be done and a care package organised.
It all sounded a bit tenuous....it did not fill us with confidence at all.
Phil organised for his dad to go to Hope House in Clayton.
This is where things started to look up a bit.
The place was beautiful, staff were kind, Jims room was like a hotel room.....the food was good and there were activities for the residents every day.
The place did not smell of wee or cabbage.
Jim settled in really well....and another bonus was that there was a chap in there who Jim had become very friendly with when he was in Marsden.
Jim was supposed to be visited by the physio and members of the community stroke team.
He had been there two weeks and only had one brief visit.
Phil and I visited and I took a muscle stimulator down there with me.....just to see if it would make a difference.
Jim has lost a lot of muscle tone from being inactive and also as a result of the pneumonia....which knocked him sideways.
The nurses were fascinated by the rationale behind the machine.....and it was cleaned and used by another gentleman who is relatively inactive.
I explained how the machine worked, but also told them that I had no commercial connection with the company that makes these machines....I was not there to promote the product, but to help Jim and John(Jim's pal).
I tried to explain that after a stroke the circuitry in the brain is sort of fused.....but that other circuits can be established by using the muscles....putting them through a series of movements.
Neuro-plasticity....they had not heard of it before.
After 21 days Phil was asked to meet the social workers regarding the funding.....so now he has to pay a portion of the cost....this will continue for the next six weeks and if Jim is not fit to come home and be independent, he will have to pay the full cost of care.
During the meeting with the social worker I talked about the things we (Phil and I have looked at the home to determine how we can make it adaptable)had in the pipeline for Jim to come home.... and that from the start, the target had been to have him back in his own home with support.
After the meeting with the social worker Phil went to the office to complete the paperwork.
I was talking to the manager of the home.
She said I sounded very 'genned' up.
I told her that I had 'form'.
That I had looked after Ma for 15 years and prior to that 30 years of NHS service.
I was not prepared for what came next....
She asked me if I wanted a job!!
I told her that I was 72 and a pensioner.....she said it did not matter and to think about it.
I came home and told himself....he said I should do it.....as it would give me something to do!
I did think about it....but decided that once Jim comes home I want to be able to offer as much support as possible....but before that happens I have said I will do some unpaid voluntary hours for them.
Jim is still a good way from being ready to come home...but watch this space.
Hartley Ward was not the best.
It was to be kind, less than effective.
Things were ordered by the medical staff, but not carried out by the nursing staff.
There was supposed to be a regime of getting Jim walking....we were told fairy stories about how far he had walked and how many times he had walked.
Then, Phil asked me if I was available to attend a care conference as they were looking to send Jim home....or at least discharge from hospital.
This in spite of the fact that he was unsteady, had episodes of falling blood pressure, risking serious falls.
The conference took up almost an hour of our time....we questioned the safety of sending him out into the community and asked how his needs would be met.
It was suggested that he might be eligible for short term care.
This is UP to 28 days of residential care....but that an assessment could occur anytime after 10 days and if it was deemed he was fit to go home then a home assessment would be done and a care package organised.
It all sounded a bit tenuous....it did not fill us with confidence at all.
Phil organised for his dad to go to Hope House in Clayton.
This is where things started to look up a bit.
The place was beautiful, staff were kind, Jims room was like a hotel room.....the food was good and there were activities for the residents every day.
The place did not smell of wee or cabbage.
Jim settled in really well....and another bonus was that there was a chap in there who Jim had become very friendly with when he was in Marsden.
Jim was supposed to be visited by the physio and members of the community stroke team.
He had been there two weeks and only had one brief visit.
Phil and I visited and I took a muscle stimulator down there with me.....just to see if it would make a difference.
Jim has lost a lot of muscle tone from being inactive and also as a result of the pneumonia....which knocked him sideways.
The nurses were fascinated by the rationale behind the machine.....and it was cleaned and used by another gentleman who is relatively inactive.
I explained how the machine worked, but also told them that I had no commercial connection with the company that makes these machines....I was not there to promote the product, but to help Jim and John(Jim's pal).
I tried to explain that after a stroke the circuitry in the brain is sort of fused.....but that other circuits can be established by using the muscles....putting them through a series of movements.
Neuro-plasticity....they had not heard of it before.
After 21 days Phil was asked to meet the social workers regarding the funding.....so now he has to pay a portion of the cost....this will continue for the next six weeks and if Jim is not fit to come home and be independent, he will have to pay the full cost of care.
During the meeting with the social worker I talked about the things we (Phil and I have looked at the home to determine how we can make it adaptable)had in the pipeline for Jim to come home.... and that from the start, the target had been to have him back in his own home with support.
After the meeting with the social worker Phil went to the office to complete the paperwork.
I was talking to the manager of the home.
She said I sounded very 'genned' up.
I told her that I had 'form'.
That I had looked after Ma for 15 years and prior to that 30 years of NHS service.
I was not prepared for what came next....
She asked me if I wanted a job!!
I told her that I was 72 and a pensioner.....she said it did not matter and to think about it.
I came home and told himself....he said I should do it.....as it would give me something to do!
I did think about it....but decided that once Jim comes home I want to be able to offer as much support as possible....but before that happens I have said I will do some unpaid voluntary hours for them.
Jim is still a good way from being ready to come home...but watch this space.