Mail Online

HOSPITALS ROB THE ELDERLY OF INDEPENDENCE –THIS MUST STOP

LAST week The Mail on Sunday told heart-wrenching stories of people leaving hospital with incontinence as a result of pressures on hospital staff. Family members said older relatives had gone on to wards for simple procedures such as hip replacements and were unnecessarily put in adult nappies or attached to a catheter – which funnels urine into a bag – because staff didn’t have time to take them to the toilet.

This stops the bladder working properly.

Emails from readers tell me that many have been affected by this. But they also reveal an even more disturbing trend: patients emerging from hospital unable to put one foot in front of the other. They are admitted for a minor procedure fully independent, and come out unable to do simple daily tasks.

In most cases, staff had failed to support them to get up and about. I know hospitals are stretched, but this shouldn’t be happening. I’m interested to know if your loved-one has been robbed of their independence after a hospital stay. Write and tell me at the email address below.

Health

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2022-12-04T08:00:00.0000000Z

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https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/282772065597789

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