Hello, advice welcome please. My 85 year old mother is currently in hospital due to very high blood sugar levels. She is confused and thinks she's in a hotel. The hospital says it's trying to get her blood sugar levels down. Currently high 20s. 2 days ago I visited and found her eating sponge pudding and custard provided by hospital catering. When I querried whether she should be eating this the response was "Oh no, we'll get her a yoghurt instead". Too late - sponge pudding and custard already eaten, followed by a sugar-laced yoghurt. Blood sugar level 29 at next reading. Yesterday - visited - found mother with tea and biscuits! Has any one else experienced this incompetence and negligence by hospitals? Any advice? Are they trying to kill her off as quickly as possible? I can't be with her watching what she's eating every minute.
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Hospital food
- Thread starter katz
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Copepod
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Welcome to the forum Katz. Can I check - do you and your 85 year old mother have type 2 diabetes or your mother only?
Has she been diagnosed and having treatment for a while or just very recently? What is the cause of her confusion - acute confusion due, probably to combination of infection (urinary tract infection is the most common cause of acute confusion in oldr women) and high blood glucose level, or longer standing (chronic), perhaps dementia of some type?
Obviously, puddings and biscuits are not the way to tackle high blood glucose levels. Does she usually live with you? You need to speak to her named nurse - registered nurse, who oversees care by all other healthcare assistants etc - and discuss possible solutions such as a sign above bed and / or on table saying something like low "carbohydrate diet". Depending on the arrangements in the ward, you might be able to select food on your mother's behalf, usually on the day before.
One small positive is that blood glucose levels are being recorded. Is food and drink intake also being recorded? If not, then push for that, too.
Has she been diagnosed and having treatment for a while or just very recently? What is the cause of her confusion - acute confusion due, probably to combination of infection (urinary tract infection is the most common cause of acute confusion in oldr women) and high blood glucose level, or longer standing (chronic), perhaps dementia of some type?
Obviously, puddings and biscuits are not the way to tackle high blood glucose levels. Does she usually live with you? You need to speak to her named nurse - registered nurse, who oversees care by all other healthcare assistants etc - and discuss possible solutions such as a sign above bed and / or on table saying something like low "carbohydrate diet". Depending on the arrangements in the ward, you might be able to select food on your mother's behalf, usually on the day before.
One small positive is that blood glucose levels are being recorded. Is food and drink intake also being recorded? If not, then push for that, too.
There are a lot of hospital staff who have not got a clue about carbs. I really hope your mother is ok & wishing you the best. Please have a word with the Sister or Consultant. I always test myself when in hosp & went through 200 test strips one time. sore pinkies. Good luck
Hello Copepod and thanks for your reply. My mother has type 2 diabetes. She has had this for about 5 years. the district nurse calls at her house for daily insulin injections. She lives alone, one hour's drive from me. She was taken into hospital last Friday after the district nurse called as usual and found her in a state of confusion with blood sugar levels at 29. She is in a huge teaching hospital where it is dificult to find the same member of staff. I am unable to visit more frequently. She has had episodes of confusion before, usually linked to blood sugar spikes. Other than memory lapses, she does not have dementia.
Amigo
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That's a pretty standard experience unfortunately and both hospitals and care homes seem clueless about diabetic diets even though the little ordering slips for food indicate diabetic friendly choices. The others have given excellent advice but if it doesn't work, ask to speak to the Matron with responsibility for the Ward.
My mum is 88 and has dementia but still has a fair bit of awareness. She's also a type 2 diabetic. Her Care Home really don't offer her diabetic options (and the hospital didn't bother either) and in honesty I think there's an attitude that deprivation is unnecessary at that age. Thankfully mum isn't a big eater and her Hba1c remains stable. However, in your mum's case, it's clearly causing medical problems so it needs addressing. Good luck
Hello Hobie and thanks for your reply. My mother is very confused and is just eating whatever is given to her. I have already raised the issue with nursing staff after finding her eating cake and custard, but then found her the following day with biscuits. It is difficult because she's not herself and I'm not very close.
Copepod
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OK, well next time you visit the hospital, get the name of your mother's named nurse. If they're not on duty when you visit, get a contact phine number and time to call. Or phone the ward - you might get hold of the named nurse, and, if not, find out when to call. There will be one named nurse who co-ordinates care for each patient.
Does she prepare her own food when at home? What sort of foods does she like to eat at home?
I will do that. I spoke to her named nurse the first time though. Her friend also spoke to the named nurse, prior to the biscuits incident. At home she tends to avoid using the oven. I think that's because she worries that she'll forget to turn it off. She has porridge and toast and sandwiches that she makes herself. She likes bananas and probably eats too many of them. I've avoided taking bananas in for her as I've assumed that they have too much sugar at the moment. She drinks a lot of very strong black coffee. She is very thin, but that's nothing new, she's always been very slim. Her friend takes her out for a meal once a week and she always has something with chips as she misses cooking them. Prior to the diabetes she had quite a sweet tooth.
Lucy Honeychurch
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When I was in hospital when I was first diagnosed I asked for a diabetic friendly meal and got told that everything on the menu was fine for diabetics 
, it certainly wasn't. One dinner I opted for the fish and asked not to have the white sauce and mash with it, but extra veg. Yep, it came with the white sauce and mash and no extra veg. Was told, you're on insulin so it doesn't matter 😱
, it certainly wasn't. One dinner I opted for the fish and asked not to have the white sauce and mash with it, but extra veg. Yep, it came with the white sauce and mash and no extra veg. Was told, you're on insulin so it doesn't matter 😱
pottersusan
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Having just been in hospital I can say the food is a nightmare for people with diabetes. Breakfast = cereal, sweet yoghurt, bread...😱
They don't have a clue generally
They don't have a clue generally
Ljc
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Hi. See if you can have a word with the ward Sister. The problem might lie with the staff who are ordering your Mothers food.
Imo the hospitals diabetic dietitian should be involved with Mums care too, as they can organise special diets if needed. Though getting one involved is real difficult. Failing that caontact PALS .
I agree with the others re hospital food, lots of high carbs with a dear little bit of veg and yes I was told that everything on the menu was suitable for diabetics, inc jam sponge and custard 😱.
Imo the hospitals diabetic dietitian should be involved with Mums care too, as they can organise special diets if needed. Though getting one involved is real difficult. Failing that caontact PALS .
I agree with the others re hospital food, lots of high carbs with a dear little bit of veg and yes I was told that everything on the menu was suitable for diabetics, inc jam sponge and custard 😱.
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Thanks everyone. I'm sorry to have to report that things have got worse at the hospital as she was left to try and get to the toilets alone, in a confused state due to high blood sugar, she fell and has fractured vertebra. I'm feeling very depressed about the poor care she is having. I feel like just taking her home but I know I can't do that and this fall has now complicated things even more. She's really distressed as you can imagine.
Copepod
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That's terrible news @katz - very distressing for both you and your mother. For now, it's best to concentrate on getting your mother's care improved. Please keep notes about what you observe and report to PALS (assuming you're in England?) when you feel time is right. Has there been any improvement in your mother's blood glucose levels since she was admitted? Any consideration about causes eg infection?
I'm not in England, but i will keep notes. that's a good idea. Her blood glucose levels are fluctuating, but still very high, in 20s. I don't know what they're giving her to eat and she's too confused to question it. She just wants to go home, but that's not going to happen for quite a while now, if at all. I wonder if this fall will be the beginning of the end. I'm having trouble sleeping - it's 4.30 a.m. now! I have asked repeatedly about the cause of the high levels but get no answer. They have checked for a urine infection (they say). I've lost confidence in them. It's the bank holiday weekend now so staffing levels will be worse than normal probably and it will be more difficult to find anyone to speak to. Thanks for all your responses. My initial question has been taken over by the latest developments. I'll post an update later once I have been to the hospital. I have to get the care improved.
Copepod
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Other nations in UK have equivalents to England's PALS, but without knowing where you are, I can't state. I assume you're not in Scotland as you state it's a Bank Holiday weekend.
If hospital staff have ruled out urinary tract infection, then they should be looking for other infections eg chest / lung.
It sounds like this weekend will be even more difficult for you and your mother. Make sure you look after yourself eg food, sleep (when possible!), rest, fresh air exercise etc.
If hospital staff have ruled out urinary tract infection, then they should be looking for other infections eg chest / lung.
It sounds like this weekend will be even more difficult for you and your mother. Make sure you look after yourself eg food, sleep (when possible!), rest, fresh air exercise etc.
Good luck Katz. Can you take some time off work so that it will at least remove some of the pressure on you to concentrate on your Mum?
Amigo
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- Type 2
I've been where you are Katz both personally and professionally. It's very tough!
Has a social worker been assigned to undertake an assessment for your mum? There needs to be some discharge planning and it depends how it's arranged at that hospital. There needs to be a Care Plan formulated with support and safeguards put in place including a Carer's Assessment for you. It's a statutory right.
There are what's called Discharge Teams in most hospitals and you have every right to ask what's being planned to support your mum at home. If her confusional state isn't transient/physical in nature and may be due to an underlying dementia, she need further referral to the Consultant and team who deal with this...possibly a CPN. She needs a multi-disciplinary assessment including Occupational Therapy if she's having falls. That assessment should look at her house too to see if she has safety needs there. Does she have a pendant alarm at home?
In terms of dealing with the Ward and the inadquacies in care, are there any other family members who could support you in doing this? Make an appointment with the Ward Sister and make your serious concerns known. Don't be afraid to advocate for your mum, you're in the right and she deserves better. I've been in this position and it's not easy because the wards are so busy and the same people never seem to be on duty.
You have every right to expect your mum to be safe and properly cared for in there and believe me they'll be more attentive if they know someone is carefully watching their actions. I've had to kick ass more times than I can say. Take care and hope things improve for your mum.
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