"trying to deal with anyone about a 92 year old patient"

Some time ago my mother aged 92 (dementia) had a fall she was whisked into hospital and then examined (eventually) discharged after some tests.

Follow up appointments are a nightmare. The hospital does not accommodate for the fact she is 92 just issues appointments by letter (which she opens and throws away not realising they need to be arranged )We find out and then the real fun begins how to rearrange the appointment??

I live 130 miles away she has some domicilary care but it costs money for them to provide a service for my mother to attend an appointment. We try to ring the telephone number on the appointment letter but can never get through and even when we do its an answer machine . We leave a message which never gets returned. We cant do ring back as the facility is denied!!

Why does the hospital fail to understand that if you cant get to talk to someone about appointments then its unsurprising people dont turn up for appointments?

It cant be beyond the wit of Man/Woman to devise a patient friendly process so that people can relatively easily change their appointment. The elderly need support and ease of access to make everyone's life easier and then the non  attendance of patients might become a thing of the past!!!!