When John ‘Jackie’ Thomas, 79, was admitted to the hospital for tests on 5 December 2025, his wife, Violet, thought he would be ‘in and out’ in no time.
Six months later, Jackie remains on a ward 30 miles away from home, not because he needs medical treatment, but because his home care package cannot be actioned.
Here, Violet shares the impact of Jackie’s diagnosis and the reality of delayed discharge.
“It’s been a frustrating and challenging couple of years. Our GP unfortunately didn’t believe there was anything wrong with Jackie when he first started falling two years ago. As a family, we knew there was more to it than just ‘old age’, so my son paid for a private consultation in Glasgow. There, Jackie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and sent home with medication to help manage his symptoms.
“The medication only seemed to make things worse. Jackie wanted to stop taking it, but we were encouraged to persist. Eventually, on 5 December 2025, he was admitted to a specialist unit 30 miles away for tests to uncover what was truly going wrong. I thought he’d be back home in a few days.
“Instead, the consultant diagnosed Jackie with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare, progressive neurological condition. They kept him in for further observations. He was still walking when he was first admitted, but due to staff shortages, Jackie received no physiotherapy. To reduce his risk of falls, he was encouraged to stay in bed. Over time, he completely lost his strength. Now, he can no longer walk, and he even struggles to eat by himself.
“Jackie was a good-sized man when he went into hospital, but he’s down to about eight stone now. The hospital food hasn’t always been suitable for someone with his swallowing difficulties; initially, he was only managing soup and ice cream. He is now given pureed food. Because of his weakness, he doesn’t really eat unless someone is there to help and encourage him. During the day, the ward team just don’t have the time. They put the meal in front of him and pop back an hour later, when it is most likely left, untouched. Now, I travel 60 miles round-trip every single day just to ensure he eats his lunch.
“The heartbreaking thing is that Jackie was deemed medically ready for discharge three months ago. To prepare, the council helped me install a wet room, a hoist, and a profile bed. He was awarded 28 hours of care per week, with two carers visiting three times a day to help. Everything is sitting at home, ready and waiting for him. The sticking point is finding the carers to do the job. The council is advertising the role with two agencies and Capability Scotland, but no joy yet.
“We live in a remote village, so securing care support is incredibly difficult. Most families here look after their own. But I’m 75 years old with my own health problems; I simply cannot manage his care by myself. My grown-up children help when they can, but they have their own jobs and families. They can’t provide the hours of support Jackie needs.
“The main frustration I have now is that no one at the council keeps me informed of what is happening with the carers. I must constantly check in to get updates. Neither of us wants to even think about using a care home until carers become available. So, even though I’m completely exhausted, it feels like I have no choice but to continue my daily trips, sit by his bed, and wait for a carer to become available.”
