“Elderly Man with Dementia Forced to Sleep on Hospital Floor for Two Months Before Finally Receiving Nursing Home Placement”

After living for two months on a mattress on the hospital floor, the 89-year-old with dementia has finally been given a place in a nursing home.

Harstad Tidende and VG have previously discussed the conditions under which the 89-year-old man has lived.

Since 23 February, the man has been living in hospital in a private room.

He was not allowed to have a bed, because the hospital was afraid that he would fall out of it.

On Thursday came the message that relatives have been waiting for. The 89-year-old has been placed in a nursing home. He can move in as early as next Friday.

– We are very pleased that the municipality finally found a solution. It has been a tough time, especially for mum and dad, but also for us siblings, says son Tore Ellefsen to Harstad Newspaper.

Although the family is now relieved, Ellefsen is critical that the municipality has not found a solution earlier.

– Dad has been waiting for a place for over two months. He has been sleeping on the floor of the hospital room on a mattress because the hospital was afraid he would fall out of bed. A watchman has been sitting outside his room making sure he doesn’t get lost, says Ellefsen.

The municipality has decided to establish a new department, but has not been able to staff the department.

Why so long?

On Thursday, care for the elderly was debated in the municipal council. Several solutions were proposed.

– What strikes me is why on earth these solutions did not come before the municipal council’s meeting on Thursday. Why was the North Sea rotation not introduced earlier to get employees to apply to the new department that has been set up at the Health Centre? asks Ellefsen.

The 89-year-old was supposed to move to Stangnes nursing home, but got a place at Bergsodden nursing home 7.7 kilometers away.

– For mums who don’t drive, it can be difficult to get between them. However, mum was very happy when she was promised that she would occasionally be allowed to spend the night in his room, says Ellefsen.

Should have apologized

– I am critical of the fact that no one from the municipality has called my mother and apologized for the conditions my father has been living in for over two months, says Tore Ellefsen.

He says that the family has complained to the State Administrator in Troms and Finnmark, and here the case is being worked on fully.

Harstad municipality has had a large increase in elderly people who need help in the municipality, after having been in hospital.

Mayor Kari Anne Opsal (Ap) believes the situation in Harstad is not unique.

– For us, this is perhaps the proper start of the elderly wave. This is something all of Norway should take seriously, Opsal told VG yesterday.