Hi. My father had a stroke a few months ago, got home after 4 weeks and then had a severe setback 3 weeks ago when he came down with Covid and had to be readmitted. He is ready to go to a rehab unit but cannot give us any idea of how long the wait might be. I am very concerned for his mental health as it had markedly deteriorated over the 3 weeks and the environment is pretty chaotic (disruptive patients etc…). I am desperate to get him out of this environment whatever the cost so have raised the question with the discharge coordinator as to whether we can just get him into respite care in a nursing home at his own expense. Does he/we have any rights to move him on this basis? Yes, he will still need some rehab care but he has expressed suicidal thoughts on more than one occasion. Thanks in advance to anyone who offers any thoughts/advice.
I think you’re right, there. Good luck
I think that the SA help line
Stroke helpline
And Citizens Advice
Are the right places to try 1st.
Also, assuming your in England the NHS PALS service
Let us know how you get on 
Caio
Simon
@EthelAA sorry to hear of the difficulties your father is suffering at the moment.
I don’t know the answer for sure but I was told recently by someone that they had done this with their father…put them into a private care facility expecting the previously agreed NHS care funding to start up at the relevant point. Only when the needed it they were then told that the funding was no longer available & they didn’t get the care he needed. It only got sorted when he ended up back in hospital.
Not sure if this would apply in your case but I would triple check before you agree to anything just in case. Hopefully the hospital can advise or Adult Social Services maybe.
In the meantime are the hospital aware of his suicidal thoughts? I think they need to be so they can keep a watch on him as necessary.
Hope the rehab comes through quickly for you.
Best wishes
Ann
Hi all. Thanks for the replies. They are all good food for thought. On the plus side (sort of!) the hospital have referred him to their own internal mental health team for urgent assessment. Am not sure what they can do though as he is already on a fairly high dose of anti-depressants. Dad did call me earlier to say they had told him he would be discharged Monday but when I phoned the ward they told me he had misinterpreted the fact that they had said he MIGHT be discharged next week. I’ve tried to gently let him down on this but am not sure it sank in. Am trying to ensure we have a little time to ourselves as well to give our own emotions a bit of a rest.
Regards
C
hello ,I hope your father is discharged soon. the hospital can be difficult place for stroke as the patient is also confused and their brain the stoke has changed their moods and they get depressed . I went to health watch and complained as they gave my husband too much meds that prevented him from getting stroke treatment as he was very confused after meds. they did discharge him home.
you have to fight for them to get stroke support as well even when you go home get physio and stroke team as if he is being treated for mental health they may stop stroke treatment . all the best .
Thanks. Cross your fingers everyone, he is supposed to be transferring to a rehab unit today!
Finger duly crossed
My fingers are also crossed