Four positive tests

Can’t believe they would send home someone of your Mums age who’s positive with Covid. I’d be concerned too, seems odd.

It’s not unusual for people to keep returning positive test results even after they have recovered from the virus. It’s very important to her at her age for your mum to get back to her own environment to rehabilitate, there’s nothing more disabling than being stuck in a hospital bed when you don’t need it. As long as the Care Agency know she is still testing positive and use full PPE of course? There is a risk for you, so window visits until she tests negative is probably the best option?

Hi. Yes the care agency have agreed to care for her with PPE . She is confused and not sleeping well in hospital, so hopefully will improve at home. I’m a worrier and stressed out at the thought of her being on her own during the night, but the hospital and social worker are telling me she should be okay ?

I can fully understand your worries. If I were in your shoes I guess I would have no alternative but to trust the experts. Hopefully all will be well, if she is well enough to go home hopefully it will do her more good and result in a speedier recovery.

I can understand you worrying about her, I think I’d ask the Care Agency to let you know straight away if they think she isn’t managing overnight so you can get on to Social Services. If she isn’t safe to be left on her own she would be entitled to a night visit or a night sitting service. Hopefully though being in her own environment will settle her down quite quickly, and all will be well.

Hi Casdon. I didn’t know there was a night service available Is it a new thing or does it depend where you live. I know many years ago I had to get somebody for overnight stays for my dad as mum was in hospital, but we had to pay and it was very expensive.

Most councils do offer something now, whether it’s a roving service where the careers go in to visit a number of clients at different times through the night (they use telecare technology to know when the person most often wakes up needing to use the toilet for example), or a short term night sitting service, which a lot of them use contracts with voluntary organisations for. It’s definitely worth asking, but it does vary between areas I know so may not be available where OPs mum lives.

Thank you Casdon I’ll look into that. She has telecare but they’ll only come if I’m not available, but there may be something else. Thank you to everyone that has replied. I’ll update in a few days.

Katyj

Hi. Yes the care agency have agreed to care for her with PPE . She is confused and not sleeping well in hospital, so hopefully will improve at home. I’m a worrier and stressed out at the thought of her being on her own during the night, but the hospital and social worker are telling me she should be okay ?

Probably confused because she's not sleeping well!

Your quite right to be concerned - the clever people say the test they use will pick up positive indications long after the infection has gone. Its so accurate it picks up the destroyed particles of the bug. I would definitely check with the Ward or your GP, Be Safe cheers

A risk assessment has probably shown she is better off at home

That is not right. What does your doctor say.

It seems to me that your mother would be better off at home with good care. It’s what I would want for her if I was you.

Well done though to those who have to care for her.

Is your mother at all tech savvy? If she has Wi-fi there are all sorts of devices that can help to allay your worries at night.

I would refuse to accept her home. How the hell do they know she's not infectious? Nobody knows for sure.

I don't know how easily or quickly it could be done, but could you get cameras installed in her home so you can keep an eye on her.

My mother in law lives alone and has had a series of falls recently, so my sister in law (who lives close by - we are 200 miles away) installed a GrannyCam so they can keep an eye on her.

Would that maybe be a possibility in your mother's case?

You will still test positive for up to 90 days after contracting covid due to the antibodies

Phoelbundle they know she is infectious, that’s why the carers will be wearing PPE. The fact that she’s still infectious doesn’t mean that she’s still ill though, so she doesn’t need to be in hospital, she will flourish much better in her home environment.

It is much the best for her well being that your mother returns home as soon as possible. Even a little time away from her normal routine makes it difficult to pick up the threads of her life again.

If you are worried you might like to agree with her to install a system like Just checking. This will give you peace of mind and alert you to problems. It also will allow you to know that the carers have visited and how long they have spent with your mother. You put one sensor to monitor the front door, one for the toilet etc. They are infra red beams not cameras.

justchecking.co.uk/

Another alternative is ask her social worker in hospital if she can go into a respite home for a couple of weeks. We did this with my mother when she came out of hospital until we were happy that she should be at home and could be left for a few hours here and there in between carers visits. Don’t just take their word for it that your mother will be fine when she’s home, go with your gut instinct and insist on respite care if your not happy for peace of mind.

Hi Everyone. Mum came home yesterday after spending 5 week on a rehabilitation ward, they’ve deemed her well enough. She so wanted to come home and has the mental capacity to still make her own decisions. She had a good nights sleep, is still a little confused, but just about coping. The carers stay for 30 minutes each time she’s desperate for a shower but their saying there isn’t enough time as they have to make a meal as well . Think I’ll need to get in touch with the social worker, see if we can have more time awarded.

Thank you to those that suggested the cameras ,they do look great a very good idea but unfortunately their too expensive for mum.

Hi Katyj
We’re in exactly the same position, 81 yr old mum coming home on Wednesday after 6 weeks in hospital, and 10 days after testing positive for Covid - she lives on her own and recently had 2 strokes so not mobile. Carers coming 4times a day, Sister & I who live 60+ miles from mum (in opposite directions) & both clinically extremely vulnerable have been told she must isolate for 14 days after discharge & we mustn’t visit, so only carers will see her. We’ve got a food delivery coming the day before she comes out, and going to be there to accept it, have planned 14 days of 3 x easy/quick meals for carers to prepare, and have created a downstairs bed space in the lounge for her. We’re both really worried and just hoping everything goes well, we’ve tried to think of everything (lights on timers for her as she can’t get to any switches etc)
Like your mum, she has full capacity & is determined to get home as she can’t sleep due to the excessive noise from some very poorly patients.
Fingers crossed, scary times

Hi, Helen. So scary as you say, it’s the complete opposite of what would normally be happening. I would usually bring her home make her a meal and stay a while, of course non of this can happen I feel like I’ve abandoned her. It’s surprising you have been told you mustn’t visit, the social worker and nurses said I could visit with Ppe but the carers said best not to. I don’t feel it’s safe enough at the moment, snd mum doesn’t want to put us at risk. Did they say wether they would be retesting your mum ?

Katyj

Thank you to those that suggested the cameras ,they do look great a very good idea but unfortunately their too expensive for mum.

We had a WIFI security camera for my mum which could be viewed from our smart phones. You can get one for around £25. She had dementia so we could keep checking she wasn't trying to get out of bed.