Adelaide woman denied access to dementia patient grandmother left in corridor at Lyell McEwin Hospital

An Adelaide woman is demanding answers from SA Health after a distressing experience at Lyell McEwin Hospital, where she claims she was refused entry to see her sick grandmother as the elderly dementia patient lay alone in a corridor.

Katie Hoskin received a call on Saturday morning telling her that her 92-year-old grandmother Patricia Constable had been rushed to the hospital after a suspected stroke.

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“[I] got the kids ready, got to the hospital about 8.30,” she said.

But when Hoskin arrived, she wasn’t allowed to see Constable.

“They’re like, ‘well, no, you can’t see her because she’s in the corridor’,” she said.

After breaking down, Hoskin was eventually let through, but was told she could only see her grandmother for two minutes.

Constable has advanced Alzheimer’s and can’t speak for herself.

“She can’t tell you if something’s wrong. You can only visually assess,” Hoskin said.

Having worked as a nurse, Hoskin says she’s seen firsthand what can happen when elderly patients don’t have an advocate.

“If she did start choking or she did just slip away, is anyone going to see her?” she said.

The incident comes after 64-year-old Helen Sargent died in October last year after being admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital with breathing difficulties. She, too, was left waiting in a corridor.

“It hurt. It hurt because that does go through your mind,” Hoskin said.

She is now sharing her story to help shine a light on the healthcare system and hopefully prevent others from slipping through the cracks.

“Do better,” she said. “Just step back a bit. We’re just people and we want to see our loved ones.”

SA Health has apologised and says it’s now actively investigating the matter, adding it is now contacting her family to discuss their concerns, though Hoskin says she’s still yet to receive that call.

Constable is still waiting for an official diagnosis and remains in hospital as she works to recover.