Dad is in hospital again with a hip fracture. He broke his first hip in May and second fracture in August to other hip. Dad's first hip fracture has never healed properly. Last time I posted I was distraught as dad had to be discharged to a nursing home and I felt that I had failed him. Now a few months on, he is bed bound and eating very little, he has lost so much weight and I can't bear to see his obvious suffering. The transfer to the nursing home was a huge failure, the first home allowed pressure sores to develop and in the second he had a unwitnessed break to the hip and they failed to give proper pain relief. I have refused to let him go back to that nursing home so he is still in hospital awaiting a suitable place. The thing is I have no faith in the care system here in the UK anymore. I don't want dad to suffer anymore, he is so weak but so confused. Anyone any ideas what to do or hope for now?
You know what to watch out for at this nursing home which may be an advantage over switching nursing homes and having to restart the getting to know patient and facility process all over again.
Get him evaluated for hospice.
The thing is, old people fall. At home, in facilities, with several people in the room.
My mom fell with 2 aides in her room. The discharge planner at the hospital said to me "my mom fell with 3 RNs in the room and one of them was me, her daughter".
Sometimes falls are caused by spontaneous fractures; the bone breaks and then they fall, not the other way around. This was the case with my mom.
Have you considered hospice? Pain relief and comfort care may be what dad needs right now. Not what you WANT, I get that. Be at peace.