"My mum is not being treated with kindness and respect"

My mum was transfered to Stonehouse hospital at beginning of June 2021 for rehab after hip operation following a fall.

I visited on regular basis - she was fine and at first staff seemed nice and she was happy in unit.

This all changed when her catheter (put in before the op) was removed after approx 2 weeks and she had to leave the bed to go to the bathroom or use a toilet aid in bed., She was told that she was not to get out of bed without nursing staff present as she was phyically unable to stand or move on her own and had not had rehab.

She tells me she has been ringing her buzzer as instructed then has to wait sometimes 45 mins to 1 hour before it is answered. When nursing staff eventually  come to room they moan at her for ringing buzzer.

When she has tried to explain she is deemed unsafe to leave the bed (which she did once and got into trouble for this) she tends to be cut off and she has been told the staff are not present to run after just her. This has not happened on one occasion which could possibly be excused, but multiple occasions.

This has become less tolerable since a COVID19  beakout in her unit - the forced isolation has worsened her feelings of being left in an undignified and inhumane manner. I have not been able to visit due to restrictions. I have spoken to mum on her mobile and she is very down and depressed as staff no longer come to the room when she wants the toilet they speak to her through the intercom, saying she needs to learn bladder control.

This is not only a disgusting way to talk to anyone that you are supposed to be caring for but also risks her health deteriorating further as holding in urine (while not harmful occasionally) can damage the organs of the urinary system and give rise to kidney stones, cystitis, infection, pain and incontinence among other issues. The fact she is not wetting her bed (which would actually be more time consuming for staff) shows she has good bladder control  and staff seem to be unaware they could actually cause functional incontinence (in addition to being mum already being disabled due to her hip fracture) for which she doesn't seem to be getting much rehabilitation.

 I'm fairly sure in terms of rehab terms this does not meet clinical guidelines. It feels like my mum is being let down and disadvantaged due to her age and frailty and what was a temporary set back -breaking her hip - is now impacting on her outcomes of getting back to her baseline level (living alone with home care assistance) and walking with a frame. This is fairly shocking to me, I'm sure anyone would agree this falls short of any agreed care standards.

Another point is that to pass her time mum wanted pen and paper to write letters which would help pass her time and meet her general wellbeing and psychological outcomes.  My sister ordered stationery to be delivered, and staff refused to open the package of pens which she was unable to open due to her rhematoid hands/grip strength, on the grounds they were too busy. Eventually her consultant's assistant opened these.

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While my sister and I have complained directly about this staff have involved a social worker, who has thankfully been much more supportive.  There has been a further communication issue where the social worker was advised by nursing staff that mum wanted to go home when in fact my mum is as terrified of going home as she is of pressing the buzzer to get to the toilet  -her human right. Again it feels like staff are washing their hands. To me mum is being depersonalised and treated without care and respect