Getting to the hospital

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JayneWonders

JayneWonders

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What is it like in your area?

Do you use friends to help you?

Are there other ways?

In @KayTheCurler 's thread there was a discussion on ambulances, so thought i would spin this one up.
 
They started just dumping and leaving here but there's still a shortage.
I usually just drive myself sometimes Chemguy will take me.

Sometimes firetrucks are used instead of an ambulance. If I called an ambulance and Chemguy wasn't around I would likely be calling a cab next, or reaching out to neighbours.
 
Jayne - I think my choice would differ if it was an emergency vs a scheduled visit (eg for a test etc) ora concerning but non-emergency situation.

Sometimes the mobility of the person needing to go to hospital is also a big factor - if they cannot independently get out of the house, or in/out of a vehicle then ambulance transport may be necessary.
 
One of my challenges was dad with his advanced dementia. It was not safe to be in the car, as he might freakout or require calming
 
I have only called for an ambulance once. Very quick service with a couple of 1st Responders showing up within a few minutes. They checked the patient and notified the ambulance about the situation they would encounter when they arrived. It is an expensive service but covered by our Blue Cross insurance. I haven't heard of any cases arriving at the hospital here and waiting for treatment. Apparently that happens in the bigger centres.
Most people try to find a family member or friend to drive them if there is time .
 
With health systems collapsing with the economical trimming of interest in maintaining health ... should one rush to a hospital? Here in NB there are powers raising conditions to discourage that and improving savings in another faction ... to the detriment of yet another an thus civil degrading ... improves conflict on the larger scales ...
 
I believe in NS they have now some paramedics right in the ER department who take over from the one’s coming in until a nurse can be assigned to the incoming patient. That way, the ambulance gets freed up earlier. We also have stretchers now in hallways, use rooms that used to be for one patient with two ( a temporary wall in between) and the area for same day patients is now divided up and houses admitted patients until a bed becomes available on the unit.
I was surprised about the upset in the news that in Ontario people waiting LTC might get to be sent somewhere else from the hospital. We have had that for years- it’s called “ the 100 km rule”, and means that if a bed comes up within 100 km from the hospital you got to go there. You will still stay on the wait list for your desired nursing home from there. Due to the division in health zones, nobody ever would have to go 100 km away- the furthest that ever happens is about 60 km, often it is just about within twenty km. But they also might send you to a different hospital to wait there, rather than plugging up the beds at the more specialized hospital. So in NS, if you want to go to your choice of public LTC facility, you need to get yourself on the waitlist from the community in time- and not wait until you have to be admitted because you and your family can’t manage anymore. I find that reasonable. After all, humans plan a lot of things- weddings, jobs, kids, houses- they need to plan their old age as well.
 
Mrs.Anteater said:
I was surprised about the upset in the news that in Ontario people waiting LTC might get to be sent somewhere else from the hospital. We have had that for years- it’s called “ the 100 km rule”, and means that if a bed comes up within 100 km from the hospital you got to go there. You will still stay on the wait list for your desired nursing home from there. Due to the division in health zones, nobody ever would have to go 100 km away- the furthest that ever happens is about 60 km, often it is just about within twenty km. But they also might send you to a different hospital to wait there, rather than plugging up the beds at the more specialized hospital. So in NS, if you want to go to your choice of public LTC facility, you need to get yourself on the waitlist from the community in time- and not wait until you have to be admitted because you and your family can’t manage anymore. I find that reasonable. After all, humans plan a lot of things- weddings, jobs, kids, houses- they need to plan their old age as well.
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I found it strange that they announced this as a "change". As far as I know, it's been the rule in Ontario LTC since my mother was admitted. She was admitted to LTC from hospital, and her name was already on the LTC list, but not at the top. She ended up spending about 18 months in a LTC in Creemore, about 50-60 km from Barrie. It was rough in the winter, as it required driving on a highway legendary for being dangerous in the winter. She then got into one of her preferred Barrie homes (although not her first choice). (And Mrs. A., while one can plan old age, it's very difficult to plan the time length after a stroke before you can no longer weight-bear, which is a total deal-breaker when it comes to looking after people at home.)
 
You know, when my dad was in hospital, we were given time to figure out what 5 LTC and in what order they would be in. It was complicated by his requirements being unknown as he was recovering from a head injury. It was further complicated by his aggression when first in emergency. Given that, not all homes would take him. Luckily we had the list made and in oder by the time he could be released.

I wonder if he was ready to go before we we and the ltcs were done their evaluations what would have happened
 
Similar to what Bette indicated - I worked in a hospital in large urban area with unending bed shortages; ALC patients would often be charged a daily rate if they declined to move or 'wasted' time making choices. As I recall, they would choose 3 prefered locations AND 3 from 'bed available' list - then would go to 'bed available' location to await the preferred location. Who knows how those wait lists even got managed - seems there would be a level of complexity & gov has never been good at managing those. I don't recall any geographic limits or guidelines. Was there choice? Well, theoretically.

Moving to LTC is hugely difficult for many/most? families. I recall some couples who had never in their many decades of married life spent ANY time apart; some who could not drive or take transit to visit; some for whom the financial toll was excrutiating. For some elders, their "children" were in their 70s or older - also experiencing their own issues - not a 'spry child' that springs to our imagination.
 
My brother and I were quite competent and we found it challenging, in part just emotionally knowing he would not want to be in care.

Cannot imagine the strain of so many . Staff, kids, friends, etc
 
Carolla said:
Who knows how those wait lists even got managed - seems there would be a level of complexity & gov has never been good at managing those. I don't recall any geographic limits or guidelines. Was there choice? Well, theoretically.
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The more I think about it, the more I suspect that the District Health Unit manages these lists. I wouldn't think it would be provincial, as distance guidelines would have to be adjusted depending on whether one was from an urban/suburban location, or rural, or northern, etc.
 
BetteTheRed said:
The more I think about it, the more I suspect that the District Health Unit manages these lists. I wouldn't think it would be provincial, as distance guidelines would have to be adjusted depending on whether one was from an urban/suburban location, or rural, or northern, etc.
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The lists for LTC? That's not health unit, it is under Home and Community Care Support Services, aka HCCSS, formerly LHIN, formerly CCAC. At least it was when we were doing it for Dad. It's the same people who manage home nursing and home support. But, yes, it is regional, not provincial. So my area (London-Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Huron, Perth) are under Southwest HCCSS, Essex, Kent, Lambton are Erie-St. Clair HCCSS, and so on. I forget how many there are. Eventually, there is supposed to be a single administration under Ontario Health with the regions retained for the reasons you state (need for local management of distance, etc.).
 
Mendalla said:
The lists for LTC? That's not health unit, it is under Home and Community Care Support Services, aka HCCSS, formerly LHIN, formerly CCAC. At least it was when we were doing it for Dad. It's the same people who manage home nursing and home support. But, yes, it is regional, not provincial. So my area (London-Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, Huron, Perth) are under Southwest HCCSS, Essex, Kent, Lambton are Erie-St. Clair HCCSS, and so on. I forget how many there are. Eventually, there is supposed to be a single administration under Ontario Health with the regions retained for the reasons you state (need for local management of distance, etc.).
Click to expand...

The complexity piles up and yet there are those that say the great leaders make it simple ... perhaps of their simplicity!

I reinforce the statement that we just don't know: not thee, not me, not the blind I and thus the accrued unknown as contained!

It needed somewhere to be put in ... such is word play as we amuse God the word is out ... thus gone ...
 
In MB I was surprised that oxygen was a really limiting factor, it greatly limited what options my grandma had. I would have throught for LTC oxygen use wouldn't be all that atypical.
Wondering what will happen with my grandpa. He was in the hospital with pneumonia. The plan was to put him into a COVID ward until consent wasn't granted for that (WT?! why was that even an option?). He's been transferred to another hospital now.
There's been a debate where he should go, his knees are shot and has many, many falls because of it. He was pretty independent though, but didn't seem to be great options with where he could go. With his health taking a turn that may open up some options. Sad it took that.
 
ChemGal said:
In MB I was surprised that oxygen was a really limiting factor, it greatly limited what options my grandma had. I would have throught for LTC oxygen use wouldn't be all that atypical.
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Really? At work, we supply oxygen to patients in LTC all the time but we operate solely in ON. We even have contracts with some of the chains and individual homes to supply oxygen when it's their house doc prescribing it (if prescribed by the patient's doc, then that doctor chooses who gets the referral). Not sure what's up with MB.
 
Mendalla said:
Really? At work, we supply oxygen to patients in LTC all the time but we operate solely in ON. We even have contracts with some of the chains and individual homes to supply oxygen when it's their house doc prescribing it (if prescribed by the patient's doc, then that doctor chooses who gets the referral). Not sure what's up with MB.
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Yeah, even with the places that do it it's specialty wards. Weird right?
 
Perhaps the restriction mentioned re O2 was in retirement level facilities. As I recall, when my m-i-l lived in one, she had to use a concentrator, not bottled O2 when in the facility, had the bottles just for when she went out. When she moved to LTC she was on O2, not from a concentrator.
 
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