# Hospital stay



## Guest (Jun 24, 2014)

The recent tragic thread by strandedingranada (I hope she's found the help she sought) has thrown a spotlight on a serious problem. It's bad enough if you only have one relative, usually the spouse, but what happens if you are in hospital and incapacited and have no-one. Does the Spanish health service provide for you?


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

Yes - at least where we are

I was in hospital for a week and was worried my husband would have to provide my food and look after me. Although he chose to stay with me most of the time he went home each night.

The hospital provided all my food and although they said it is usual for family to do things like change the bed, as my husband was unable to do this they had a nursing assistant do these things for me.

From what I have read in that other thread about the woman in hospital in Granada I can only assume that not all regions are like Comunidad Valencia.

If that were here in our hospital the family would have help from the hospital staff.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

DunWorkin said:


> Yes - at least where we are
> 
> I was in hospital for a week and was worried my husband would have to provide my food and look after me. Although he chose to stay with me most of the time he went home each night.
> 
> ...


Food is definitely provided here in Andalucia, and they also change the patients' bed linens. 

What they don't do is help the patient to eat, move, use the toilet/bedpan, bathe, dress, etc. And no, my experience has been that no help is provided even when you have no-one. I was actually in that situation - me in hospital, my husband at home with flu, my mother-in-law taking care of my kids, my friends working - and the hospital staff didn't notice or care in the least that I had no-one staying with me. Fortunately my room-mates' family members took pity on me and gave me a hand with things.


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

I woman I know who has been living in Albir since January broke her foot last week. She was plastered up and told she could go home. She had no way of getting there, no help getting in / out of the flat and more to the point, no crutches. In the end she phoned someone from work, not exactly a friend, and they bought crutches on the way home from a chemist. 
I suppose the alternative would have been to ask someone how to get a taxi.

Food is definitely provided in ALL hospitals.

Apparently there are lot of Spanish nurses working in hospitals in the UK and they are well thought of.


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## Madliz (Feb 4, 2011)

This is a very important area to consider when choosing to settle here. Having been in the carer's role when my husband had cancer, through 14 admissions over two years, I know the demands all too well. I would be at the hospital for 22 hours a day, whizzing home when things allowed me to leave, simply to load washing, feed cat, iron pyjamas, check post, buy a few extra bits and bobs for us for the next 24 hours, etc.

When my house sells, I would have loved to have loved to Cantabria. However, I know nobody there and the prospect of _me_ being the one in the hospital bed with nobody to help _me_ has made me realise that Málaga, where I have family and friends, must be the sensible choice. My elderly in-laws might appreciate me being there too, in case they are the ones in need. It really is important to have a support network, from everybody's point of view.


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## GallineraGirl (Aug 13, 2011)

DunWorkin said:


> Yes - at least where we are I was in hospital for a week and was worried my husband would have to provide my food and look after me. Although he chose to stay with me most of the time he went home each night. The hospital provided all my food and although they said it is usual for family to do things like change the bed, as my husband was unable to do this they had a nursing assistant do these things for me. From what I have read in that other thread about the woman in hospital in Granada I can only assume that not all regions are like Comunidad Valencia. If that were here in our hospital the family would have help from the hospital staff.


When my Mother-in-Law was in hospital in Denia for 6 weeks, the staff attended to all her needs. We did not stay overnight once and there was no suggestion that we should.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Another important factor to consider when thinking of moving to Spain, as well as fluctuations in exchange rates and changes to tax regimes.


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## DunWorkin (Sep 2, 2010)

It sounds to me that the level of care depends on which area and which hospital you are in.

One poster said that family/friends were need to help them eat, use the toilet or bedpan, bathe dress etc. 

I was in San Juan hospital which is a big teaching hospital near Alicante. My friend is currently in Alicante hospital. In both of these there has been no need for anyone to be there - of course they like it if there is someone but they would never see you go without care if there was nobody available.


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