Bring back convalescent homes to ease NHS and social care crisis – Yorkshire Post Letters

YOU told (The Yorkshire Post, January 3) of a pilot social-care scheme to cut pressure on hospital services.

Human rights and dignity of elderly to define decade – The Yorkshire Post says

Is this not resurrecting the convalescent homes of some years ago? These were situated often in coastal resorts and, after a spell in hospital when you no longer need acute care, you could go to one and with a minimum of nursing care get back on your feet, ready to go home.

We’re not a civilised society when elderly denied access to the toilet because of social care inaction – Mike Padgham

After major surgery recently in Sheffield, I felt it would be foolish to go straight home as I live alone and would have needed a lot of care.

Fortunately I was in a position to book myself into a nursing home for a week and was able to gently get back on my feet, knowing there was help on hand if needed.

For example, I had a bad reaction to the medication prescribed and the home arranged for the on-call GP to come and see me. Think of the pressure on my local surgery and care assistants if I had not been able to do this – to say nothing of the danger of my falling and ending up back in hospital.

It would be interesting to know the cost of opening up the equivalent of convalescent homes, compared to the cost presently incurred with patients being discharged straight to their homes.