"Poor experience in hospital"

What happened?

Mum is in hospital.  Again. 

She has dementia and poorly controlled diabetes due to poor diet (she forgets to eat).

The last time she was admitted I asked that her food intake to be  monitored.  It wasn't and she would describe hiding the awful food from the staff so they didn't see she hadn't eaten it.  This time I was very clear that eating was an issue and needed monitoring.  I was assured this would take place.  

Tonight I asked how the food chart was.  The nurse went to check and did not return.  I went to the nurses station and was basically told how ridiculous an idea it was that she had her food intake monitored  and was advised that they check her blood.  We also discussed the desirability of 'baked egg and mashed potato' as a dinner choice and was assured it was 'eaten by a lot of people'.

I was also advised that, just like the last time, home care would be arranged.  But that this couldn't happen now until Monday (today is Friday) due to the home care team being too busy to take referrals.  However I was advised that home care wont make sure your mum eats either.  We then debated the relative merits of a meal being provided over NO meals being provided.  

I left having been assured that nothing much was happening in Ward 5A that couldn't realistically be happening at home.

How do I feel?

I feel like invoking my POA and refusing to allow mum to be discharged until suitable care can be arranged, and you can see how not monitoring food intake works out long term for yourselves. 

PS I previously attempted to raise an official complaint related to mum's care during her previous stays (and our caring role being utterly dismissed) but she was deemed to have capacity at that point and I was not allowed to complain without her written consent.