Home Care. How It Should Be and How It Happens in Practice? 0 7

However, it is often necessary to navigate through bureaucratic jungles in such cases, and the quality of services is not always adequate.

After a week of treatment in the gastroenterology department of Stradins Hospital, a 93-year-old patient, who previously moved with the help of a walker, was discharged home unable to care for herself and even to prepare anything. This led to visits to the offices of the Riga Social Service, an unsuccessful experience with home care service companies, and a struggle with bureaucracy, as recounted by the elderly woman's daughter.

Getting the help that is needed immediately is impossible. Although information from the hospital about the patient's condition was sent to the Riga Social Service during the discharge, it took about a week before an assistant arrived. The Riga City Council explained that a decision on providing the service is made within 10 working days after the submission and review of all documents; however, in emergency cases, the service tries to make a decision as quickly as possible.

"I was left alone with my mother, who could no longer get up or walk to the bathroom. How do I take care of her? How do I lift her? Moreover, I have a job - I am self-employed, and I cannot take leave. And if you don't work, there is no money. At first, I was ready to pay for private care. But can an average family afford such expenses when there are other everyday needs? It is clear that any service costs money: the caregiver's work, transportation costs, time spent. For five working days a week, that is 300 euros, or 1200 euros a month," the daughter of the elderly patient recounts.

In another case, a patient needed to be transported from Stradins Hospital to her home. The social service provided free transportation, and the service was provided by the organization "Svētā Jāņa palīdzība." In the hospital, the patient was pre-fitted with an orthopedic belt for back support so she could be seated in a wheelchair. However, this was not done, and the transport bed was outdated and did not lower sufficiently to comfortably place the patient. According to relatives, one of the workers did not know how to act correctly, and the entire process seemed quite awkward. "Latvijas Avīze" contacted the organization "Svētā Jāņa palīdzība" for a comment on this case but received no response.