We enter this world with our own strength and leave this world with our own strength. For some people this is true. But for others, the process of dying may be lonely, unique, and personal, but you don't have to die alone, without your hand held or surrounded by loved ones.
Once upon a time, death was expected and accepted. It was customary for family members to take care of people at the end of their lives. They gathered together and took turns caring for their deceased relatives and holding each other's hands during their final weeks and days. A “good death” was gentle, loving, and natural, and the process was supported by the presence of loved ones.
In modern times, death has become less accepted and is often seen as an unnatural event. It has become a feared, unwanted and taboo subject. Death is no longer a natural, socially supported process. Rather, it appears to have been a planned and orchestrated medical event. In many cases, a premature, unnatural, and lonely forced death through drugs appears to be the norm. Similarly, births are now planned, induced, and performed in cold clinics and operating rooms surrounded by equipment and medicine. Has the provision of medical care and the path to the end of life been replaced by the solemnly beautiful process of birth and death? Are medical workers playing the role of God?
Gone are the days when ward doors opened at 2pm in most UK hospitals and nurses welcomed family and friends to visit their loved ones. Loaded with magazines, a TV (yes, a portable TV at the end of the bed was a common sight), the obligatory grapes, fruit, and beautiful scented flowers in tall plastic vases. Visitors eagerly entered the ward to check it out. About their loved ones.
The nurse in charge often rang a handbell to signal the end of the visit at 4 p.m. There were only two visitors per patient at a time and they never sat on the clean bed. This was followed by evening visits from 7pm to 8pm, when the lights dimmed and patients felt much calmer after seeing their loved ones.
In those days, visitors and families were welcomed with open arms. Not only are they the perfect tonic for the patient, they also feed the patient, offer them something to drink, and most importantly, have a conversation, report on how the rest of the family is doing, etc. , was keen to carry out some of the care. Nothing cheers me up more than seeing a familiar, friendly face. For patients in the hospital, it was a long, sometimes lonely day, and visiting hours were a welcome window of normalcy.
Visiting hours were also very important for nurses and medical staff. All concerns from relatives and staff were made public and could be discussed openly and honestly over tea. Yes, you read that correctly. Difficult conversations always become easier with a cup of tea. It was not uncommon to see medically healthy patients and their families pushing tea carts or serving other patients waiting to be discharged. Well, that wouldn't be allowed now! The real hospital regulators were the visitors. Medical staff were on constant alert and nothing was spared from visiting family and friends.
It appears that visitors are not welcome at this time. Family and friends are restricted from visiting their loved ones, with no one exempt, and visitation restrictions also include pediatric patients, infants and the dying. The hospital has an imposing appearance and is guarded by uniformed security personnel, making it seem to be a safe facility. Some patients are now allowed to have visitors. However, the situation could change at any time if a patient tests positive for COVID-19. At this point, you and your loved ones may be left on your own with only the patient's phone to contact family back home.
This not only causes extreme anxiety for the patient, but also a great deal of stress and confusion for the family, who may feel helpless and isolated. For people suffering from dementia, confusion, or loss of consciousness, contact in this inhuman situation is negligible. Many patients with confusion and dementia cannot cope without familiar surroundings and familiar faces, which can make them even more upset and distressed. Their environment becomes a sensory nightmare, filled with strange noises, unusual routines, and unfamiliar faces and voices. Many relatives lament that they are unable to contact anyone in the hospital ward and that the phones that keep ringing go unanswered.
Families left at home are unable to contact anyone at the hospital, unable to inquire about the safety of their loved ones, and are left in a state of senseless anxiety. Compounding this, decisions are made without family consultation, leaving relatives in conflictual interactions with medical staff desperately trying to communicate their wishes. Some frustrated and concerned families have been accused of aggressive behavior and told to leave the hospital premises. Some people are forced to frog march by security guards. Since when did sick people need uniformed bodyguards to monitor their families?
In 2023, patients who test positive for Covid-19 will end up undergoing Covid treatment protocols that will often lead to symptoms such as: end of life care Passages are constructed without family consultation. Many patients have do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders added to their files without notification. Some people learn that a loved one has passed away without being told at the time. Families who were not allowed to be with their loved ones when they passed away are suddenly admitted to hospital wards to collect their assets immediately after death.
That doesn't make sense.
You are now receiving your own UK healthcare, even if you are at home. As the NHS announces thousands more beds and hundreds of ambulances, you may be wondering where all these new beds will be. The answer is, this means your bed. To avoid hospitalization, many will receive telemedicine from their homes. 'hospital At home' It is attracting attention as a way to solve the lack of care in the community when hospitals try to discharge elderly and vulnerable patients. Community care teams will be appointed to visit patients at home if necessary, while other teams will be cared for through video conferencing. A mental health vehicle is dispatched to attend to a patient who appears to be suffering from a mental illness to the rescue of an emergency 999 ambulance.
A recent UK Column interview with former NHS trust chairman Roy Lilley highlighted the many flaws of 'virtual care' stemming from multiple factors including cost, access to care and availability of trained community nurses. It became clear. Many elderly and vulnerable patients simply do not have the equipment or knowledge to access video calling apps or the internet to facilitate remote care. Can we expect it? Excess mortality at home?
The “Autumn Team” will be sent to those who have collapsed at home. All measures are taken to prevent hospitalization and this work is prioritized, leaving the most vulnerable people at home, often alone and scared. This will affect not only the patient but also their relatives. Many people have to take time off from work or relocate to care for a loved one.
Humans are social creatures and need other humans in their lives, especially when they are at their most vulnerable. Physical contact with people is often the difference between good health and poor health. Compassion and compassion are replaced by computers and convenience, and common sense goes out the window.
If you are alone when you are healthy, it generally means that you have decided that you do not need the help of others. Being alone is usually a choice. Patients who are sick and need hospital treatment need Help from others. That's why they're in the hospital. No one wants to be hospitalized. Understandably, most patients in the hospital feel fearful, anxious, vulnerable, and exposed.
For this reason, I would like to offer the following for your consideration, preferably in advance of the need.
Are you ready to strike out on your own? Are you ready to isolate yourself from family and friends? Are you ready to leave your loved ones in a “hospital at home”? It is comforting to know that your relative is alone in a hospital or nursing home Do you know who is caring for you or your loved one?
What kind of staff will be newly hired? Are they qualified? Do you know what medicines you or your family members are being treated with? The people who manage the health care we rely on do not know what they are Do you know what you are doing? Do they follow a professional code of conduct?
easing At the expense of pressure within the NHS. increase In my opinion, pressure within the community is pointless and dangerous. The clichéd idea that the NHS is safe is no longer enough. The question now is “Do you feel safe?” alone What about the NHS? Do your family and friends feel safe? alone What about the NHS?
These are questions we all must address with urgency and honesty. Too many patients are currently neglected, vulnerable and fearful for their lives. Hospitals should be sanctuaries and safe places, not the “smart” and safe facilities we see in 2023.
do no harm. Tender, loving care is for everyone in healthcare.
