Apparently It's Mad- If Not Downright Illegal- To Refuse Medical Attention.

[poliphilo]

My mother-in-law had a fall and called for assistance. An ambulance arrived and the paramedics checked her over and said she needed to go into hospital. She said, " I'm 87 and quite happy to die. You can't do anything more for me than you've already done so stop messing me about." They said, " If you won't come with us we'll have to declare you temporarily insane".  She still refused to go with them so they called for back-up- including a policeman. After which she went quietly.

They did some tests at the hospital, kept her hanging around, then sent her home.

I understand the paramedics had to cover their backs but even so...

Comments

[lblanchard.livejournal.com]

Moral of the story: call for medical assistance and you're going to get medical assistance, by gum. Moral of the story II -- if all you need is someone to give you a hand up, set something up with a neighbor in advance.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You're right, her actions weren't entirely consistent.

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

Such strongarm tactics do seem excessive.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They're the outcome of a culture that's prepared to sue over the least little thing.

[artkouros.livejournal.com]

Good for her.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[faunhaert.livejournal.com]

here there is a bill of patient rights-
it includes the rights to not get medical help

maybe there it this sort of thing there
but the person you encountered might be used to bullying
their agenda- so I'd question it.

you call the cop first.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I've no idea what the situation is over here.

These kind of issues come up so rarely- and nobody- in uniform or out of it- carries around a folder telling them what their rights and responsibilities are.

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

It's a tricky one. To be fair to the paramedics, they were very likely concerned that she'd hit her head when she fell and was thus confused. They also probably wanted to check whether there was any underlying medical reason why she fell. Also there have been many cases where relatives have made a huge fuss if they didn't think that a loved one had been given sufficient medical care, so people are concerned to protect their careers.

Mind you, at least she did call for assistance. Despite having one of those alarms provided by the council, when my Dad fell, he didn't use it and instead called his stepson, who then called me and I had to drive nearly 2 hours to go and see what was happening. Of course by the time I got there and I called the doctor who eventually came to look at Dad, there was no way of telling what had caused him to lose his balance and fall.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I believe my m-i-l has one of those buttons- and that's what she used to call for help.

She isn't confused, but I can believe her ditheriness may have led the paramedics to think she was.