Mrs Patel is a 73 year old Muslim lady who has come to live in the UK from Pakistan. She has lived here for about forty years but still speaks little English she relies on her son who was born in the UK. Her health has started to deteriorate in the last few years and she has now been diagnosed with dementia. She lives at home in a 4 bed roomed house with her husband, son and pregnant daughter – in – law. It is stated in the, Transcultural nursing care for adults that the eldest son should stop at home with his parents to look after them in their later years this is also classed as an honour.
RCN 2005 Case Study. Mrs Patel arrived at accidents and emergencies via a taxi with her husband and son. She had fallen down the stairs. Her son was out at work when the accident happened. Her facial expressions clearly indicated that she was in a lot of pain, she was pointing to her leg and groaning also her left arm seemed to be held in a fixed position. Her feelings were made known through her husband and translated by her son from his fathers broken English.
Mrs Patel was examined by a female doctor as requested by her son; Muslims do not like to be touched, especially by a member of the opposite sex. Gina Marie 2006. Specific attention was paid to the already bruising ankle and the left arm. The son was informed and asked to interpret to his mother and father that Mrs Patel was going to be taken down to have an x-ray, to see if anything was broken. She had fractured her ankle and dislocated her shoulder. Whilst being x-rayed, other bruising was noticed on her body, this was a concern that was discussed with Mrs Patel, Mr Patel and their son.
It was brought to light that over the past few months mainly, that Mrs Patel had started to become rather clumsy and forgetful, often walking into things, falling, forgetting where things were or quite often repeating herself. Mrs Patel had forbidden any member of the family to seek help because she feared her old age creeping on and dismissed signs that something was wrong, so that as a true Muslim woman, she could still run the home and rear her soon to be new generation.
SMW 2003. The family was asked if extra tests could be carried out on Mrs Patel to see if the new unexplained signs could be checked out, to put the families mind at ease. Mrs Patel voiced her concerns of having to spend time at the hospital, as she feared hospitalisation and requested that the majority of tests be done within the home; these concerns were voiced through the father and son interpreting her needs.
Her personal details were written on an assessment sheet along with her blood pressure and pulse rate, taken when Mrs Patel was admitted and these were to be sent to Mrs Patel’s General Practitioner (GP) and Social Services. Mr Patel junior was asked if there would be somebody at home to interpret for Mr & Mrs Patel when somebody calls, he informed nursing staff that there was always him or his wife, who also speaks fluent English, at home.