Section 2 care -discharge from hospital

my husband, Terry, is currently in hospital. He has primary progressive ms and is suffering with a chest infection and cellulitis. He has also been diagnosed with gout in his hands and feet this afternoon.

medically he could come home tomorrow but the hospital have put a section 2 discharge in place which I am led to believe means that he can’t come home until there is a care package in place. I have been caring for him for the past 15 years and we don’t feel we need extra carers at the moment. Has anyone else heard or had experience of this section 2?

i would greatly appreciate any help or advice.

thank you, Heather x

Hi Heather, no I havent heard about that.

But do you think it might be a good idea to think about having extra care at home?

My hubby was my sole carer for 11 years, before we got help in.

He was dead against the idea, as he felt it was his job and his job alone to care for me.

But his rheumatoid arthtritis said different!

5 years on and we are both so glad we did go for the new idea.

I apologise if my words have caused you any distress, as I mean no offence, just an idea hun!

Hope it isnt too long before hubby is home again.

luv Pollxx

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Thank you Poll. I think I am coming round to the idea now. They were going to let him come home as we have arranged a care assessment. Unfortunately he now has some new pain and is waiting for several consultants to see him.

hopefully we will get things sorted soon

Hi again.

Im glad you have the assessment coming up. Youll probably find it will help in lots of ways.

But I am sorry to hear your hubby has another problem.

Fingers crossed things improve very soon.

luv Pollx

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Hi Heather

Yes, this happened to me when I was in hospital about 18 months ago (pneumonia).
OT brought me home so that she could see how I would manage.
Then back to the ward for 36 hours while she put a care package in place.
This included six weeks of a twice daily visit from a “care agency”; we got rid of them with some help from the local NHS Neighbourhood Team.
The equipment is still here and still in use.

Geoff

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Hi Everyone this is my first post. Were to start. I have been caring for hubby since 2001 but retrospectively I think his presenting symptoms related to his cognitive dysfunction before the initial symptoms resulted in his diagnosis of PPMS. He is now unable to weight bear and in his bed most days, still with a good sense of humour.

It’s affected his communication also the ability to find the right words so it’s usually one word answers. I had CHC staff coming in nearly 24/7. (NIV machine/mask) Moved to small bungalow, after making the decision to give up work. He had become very vulnerable. Falls, letting strangers in and lonely.

I have had some horrendous times with CHC giving me an agency to use. Nightmare!! they then re-instated their staff again. We then got to the stage were no care sheets were audited or collected. No care plans/reviews were discussed with hubby or myself. Power of attorney in place since 2011. Hang on he’s ringing his bell!!

Back again. We then asked for the care staff to be removed. It’s been hard but so much better having our own space. I have asked for sit’s but they said i have to give a months notice. The nurses were coming in and they then made a decision to tel once a week!!.

April 16: I telephoned them to let them know I had called the GP, urine sepsis. They never called to see him. I then called an ambulance on 999. Lucky I did. Scanned bladder- no output. Pain in R/Kidney!!.temperature through the roof and like your have all experienced, confusion and rigors. Luckily I had got some paracetomol into him before he collapsed. Markers for sepsis high as you can get. On discharge no care plan review.

Tel CHC nurses to let them know he was home. They reinstated visits once a week. I at to telephone their O/T dept to ask for new type slings. His hips had become weaker. High risk of fracture dislocation. I at to make a Velcro strap to keep his knees together when I hoist him. No rehabilitation offered. O/T came out Aug. The slings they ordered told not suitable. Another assessment needed this month (15th)

CHC - review started by them in April 16. At the meeting I disagreed with the assessment.

Review not completed to date.

I asked CHC, MS nurse and told social worker I need respite for Robin. MS nurse sent letter to CHC. I have got them to re-instate sits so I could visit care homes and check their care home reports!!.

Carer looked after hubby. Then without my knowledge or communication a manager had visited (not aware of why or if assessment carried out. Only found out when I asked carer if anyone had tel/visited. My hubby love him, nodded but couldn’t tell me who it was!! I asked the carer and he was hesitant to tell me it was one of the nurse managers. Not written in care notes. I did record her visit that’s all I can do.

IN the mean time we have now found and visited a Leonard Cheshire Home which will take hubby at the end of the month and they will send funding request to CHC. Will see what happens!!

2nd sit.

Carer arrived with care plan. Unable to read it as I was going out. To be honest I knew it would have no bearing on what was actually the current condition of hubby. This had always happened. Then the social worker turned up and got the care plan and advised me they had written, that they had helped me access respite!!! and hubby was not incontinent of bowels, which he is. No pads or sheets given. I buy these!!!

Well everyone, I am so stressed and upset. It appears they have taken advantage so I have asked the community health board to help. I don’t know what else to do. We can’t afford legal fees so am hoping this works. The current health system is getting worse. No doubt am not the only one this happens to. Sorry for the rant, just needed to get it out there. This type of situation will only make his MS worse if I go off on one.

I managed to print off a copy of CHC framework for assessment and the guidelines for the health board. Wish me luck!! Take care all of you.

Oh Sue, what an absolutely dreadful time you and your hubby have been through…and still are sadly!

So is your hubby definitely going into the Leonard Cheshire home permanently?

I often offer some advice for folk with this kind of problem and wonder if it isnt too late to help you too.

Some years ago we had my mother in law living with us. With my disability and her becoming difficult to look after, my poor hubby was worn out.

I got in contact with our Community Matron. She was amazing…got things sorted very quickly for us.

it seems the role of Community Matron is a state secret! These marvel can be found attached to GP surgeries.

pollx

Heather5…have you had that home assessment yet and the care one?

pollx

Hi Poll Thanks for taking the time to email.

Home assessment not completed. Care home will have a space for hubby in the next few weeks.It’s coming up to Xmas so am keeping fingers crossed and everything else.

Social worker on the phone just now, updating her. She will relay what’s not been happening. Need a carer’s assessment still but hubby is a priority at the moment.

He is going into a Leonard Cheshire home, which with their help, a more robust medical assessment can be completed. I did say that he may deteriorate but he may be stimulated by the other people around him. Won’t know unless we try. At least it will be completed by competent people. Social worker is going to visit him and update care home.

Just very tired at the moment, looking for some time to myself. Am not going away, just going to have a few days in bed and visit my sister and friends. Just everyday normal things without thinking about care.

I do seem to have a magnet switched on at the moment and attract people with a glass half empty!! Positivity we all need, luckily we both haven’t lost our sense of humour.

Keep reminding ourselves we are just another couple amongst so many people experiencing difficulties and trying to adapt constantly to the changes this illness presents us with.

Some positive news!! Tel call from assistive technology dept (local hospital) they will visit Wed to fit new equipment they assessed him for. He will be able to operative TV and laptop.

Hope you are ok, sorry to go on. Can’t unload on hubby and even if I did is short term memory is not making it easy for him to know what’s actually going on around him.

Take care Poll, hubby calling, want’s me to change channel. Going to have a cuppa.

Take care.

Sue xx

It sounds like things are moving in the right direction Sue.

Enjoy your much needed rest. Time to charge your batteries!

Pollx

Thank you Poll, we all need to re-charge whether your the one with the illness or the carer. I did say to him it’s like being his worst nightmare having the missus with him 24/7!! He just laughed and gave me a lovely smile. He is never grumpy or rude which I hope continues.

Am not looking forward to actually leaving him at the home, but I can have a good cry and get some rest. At least he won’t get upset hearing me ball my eyes out. Not good for him.

Take care Poll.

Sue xx

Xxxxx

Pollx