My MIL was showing symptoms of flu but informed us that a doctor had been called and would visit her. After the 5th day, we approached the nursing staff who looked at the book and stated that a doctor had not been requested. We requested that one be called the next day.

This occurred and she was prescribed anti-biotics. The night of the doctor's visit, she rang us and was hallucinating and dilirious, believing she was in another nursing home and concerned about us not knowing where she was. We continued to voice our concerns to the nursing staff.
Four days after the doctor's visit, she was transferred to casuality where they admitted her to hospital with pneumonia where she stayed for four and a half weeks. We were told the hallucinations were as a result of the chest infection where in the elderly often goes to the brain as well.

We hate to think what would have happened if we had not followed up the supposed doctor's visit.

Coincidence??? She was transferred to hospital the very day they were being audited by the Department of Health and Ageing which have placed sanctions on their facility.

This home has had sanctions placed since and one of the biggest flaws was that they have one qualified RN on each shift and sometimes none at nighttime. When my husband spoke with the RN on Sunday, the RN had no idea that MIL had been sick. The report on the accreditation stated that often care assistants were in charge of residents and did not report illnesses back to the RN's. She was showing signs of flu and maybe the assistants didn't think it was bad enough - who knows.

The doctor had not been called for her. My MIL was just under the impression that that was the case as she had commented on her unwell feeling to the staff. When we bought it to the RN's attention, a Dr was arranged for the next day. Unfortunately, the infection had already hit the brain causing hallucinations and 4 days later, despite anti-biotics, she had deteriorated enough to be admitted to hospital with pneumonia.

The poor RN's have way too much responsibility - medication records, changes in residents health/appetite, etc and often don't get to actually spend time with the residents. If they had, they might have picked up her illness and acted upon it earlier.