"Asking for help for my parents"

Both of my parents were in their eighties and becoming increasingly vulnerable. They have multiple physical ailments you would expect with ageing. Also my father has a history of a significant stroke and Alzheimer disease. My mother has had cancer several times. Both have advanced forms of arthritis limiting their daily ability to carry out tasks safely.

Repeatedly my father began having nasty falls every few days. Unable to move him my mother felt helpless. I live over two hours away by car. He lay outside injured on concrete several times. Ambulances called and were helpful. Hospital A&E saw him. No one followed them through to sit down and see them at home and look at what they needed. As a family we were worried and trying our best but it was always reactive responding to the crisis. They had no equipment and no support service.

Then one day so concerned that one fall was going to kill him or give my mother a fatal heart attack through the trauma, I decided to ring the care services. I spoke to a triage lady who was understanding and completed a questionnaire assessment with me. She listened. She knew we had been asking the GP but there was no record of a referral even though the GP said they had rang the care team.

The final straw was when after another fall on concrete the ambulance staff advised a medicine review and to see his dr. The GP responded there was nothing they could do, not even seeing him to check for broken bones or the bruises as he is on blood thinners. Was it his heart, strokes, trips, his tablets.?

The relief came when Michael from the urgent response team called me and had arranged an assessment in their home the very same day of me speaking to the triage lady, Lydia. He assured me they would have a plan of care from his visit. He was so insightful to exactly what they needed but how to interact with them. They are proudly independent and frightened of not being able to stay at home. He telephoned me after the visit just as he promised to do. His assessment had been comprehensive covering everything appropriately that would help them both.

Equipment to aid walking was arranged for the very next day. GP was advised he needed to be seen and medication reviewed. Lifeline service also to give them reassurance. I was given information how to access the service if the situation deteriorates.

I cannot praise this team enough. They did everything with kindness compassion and professionalism. Their specialist knowledge and comprehensive holistic assessment was exactly what we needed.

From a resource point of view we hope by having given this support it will avoid the emergency calls to paramedics to assist him and also his suffering and injuries. It has helped both parents and us as a family knowing they have more support of exactly what is helping them to live the best quality of life they can.