"If I hadn't seen it for myself I wouldn't have..."

Whilst visiting my mum in the care home she now lives due to dementia, I witnessed patient transport services bringing 'home' an elderly resident from Hull RI. A lovely, gentle, dignified lady with the most beautiful smile whom I have sat and talked to whilst visiting the care home. She was brought in on a stretcher by the transport staff who explained to the care home staff that she was wearing just a gown. All staff had to work together to move her into a wheelchair whilst trying to maintain her dignity. Very difficult when she was unsteady on her feet (her bare feet which didn't have any shoes or socks covering them) and with a gown gaping open at the back. Care home staff were handed her bag of possessions which contained clothes, slippers etc. The care home staff had not received notification that this lady was coming back to them and the first they realised this to be was when the patient transport arrived on the drive. I cannot believe the state in which this lady was 'returned' to her home. You should be ashamed that you have staff in your organisation that allow vulnerable people of any age to be treated in this way. A similar situation happened to my mum a few weeks ago when I received a call in the night saying mum was going into hospital and I was asked 'did we want to go to York or Hull'. We asked for York and I am so glad that we did - a completely different story. Dignity, respect and compassion are the words I would use for the experience we had at York Hospital, compared to what I witnessed today. Whilst I could completely lose faith in human nature, it was restored when I saw every single member of staff on duty from the Londesborough Court Care Home in Market Weighton, react in shock and dismay when their 'resident' was brought back. They quickly and compassionately rallied around to take her to get dressed, brushed her hair, stroked her face, spoke to her with love and feeling and made her a cup of tea. I felt blessed that my mum was in their care and not the care of Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust. (I would not normally write on blogs but it is not possible for me to contact the hospitals PALS team as I am not a relative - but I felt that I could not simply keep quiet about what I witnessed).