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Author Topic: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?  (Read 11361 times)

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Offline Romantic Reg

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Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« on: November 13, 2017, 10:17:31 AM »
My Russian girlfriend has been having a terrible time in Russia over the last 3 months. Her father was ill and taken into hospital where they discovered he has Parkinson's. He can only be fed through tubes in his nose, he can hardly talk, he can hardly move. They discharged him from hospital actually in a worse state than went he went in for my girlfriend to care for him is his apartment without medication or any plan for his care !!! How on earth she is supposed to do this i don't know, he needs constant attention 24 hours a day and she has hurt her back lifting him.
Is this the normal way of dealing with very ill people in Russia ? He should be in a specialist hospital or care home receiving specialist care, basically they have just dumped him as if he were garbage !!
I am absolutely amazed, i just can't believe what has been going on over there, it is a total disgrace !! I never realised just how bad things appear to be in Russia right now, worse than a third world country.
Obviously as a result of this my girlfriend is in despair, she does not what to do.
Has anyone else had a similar experience or know of any solutions?

Offline Steveboy

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #1 on: November 13, 2017, 11:26:16 AM »
My Russian girlfriend has been having a terrible time in Russia over the last 3 months. Her father was ill and taken into hospital where they discovered he has Parkinson's. He can only be fed through tubes in his nose, he can hardly talk, he can hardly move. They discharged him from hospital actually in a worse state than went he went in for my girlfriend to care for him is his apartment without medication or any plan for his care !!! How on earth she is supposed to do this i don't know, he needs constant attention 24 hours a day and she has hurt her back lifting him.
Is this the normal way of dealing with very ill people in Russia ? He should be in a specialist hospital or care home receiving specialist care, basically they have just dumped him as if he were garbage !!
I am absolutely amazed, i just can't believe what has been going on over there, it is a total disgrace !! I never realised just how bad things appear to be in Russia right now, worse than a third world country.
Obviously as a result of this my girlfriend is in despair, she does not what to do.
Has anyone else had a similar experience or know of any solutions?

Does she need you to send her any $$$$$$ ?
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Offline Steveboy

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2017, 11:29:30 AM »
Lots depends on what part of the country you live... I wouldn't get to stressed over it though. The main thing to remember is it is NOT the UK...not that medical care will be much better there by the time greedy Richard has taken it over..
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Offline Romantic Reg

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2017, 03:16:40 PM »
No she does not need any money, she has a decent job here in the UK. The way they have dealt with him is an absolute shambles, they seem to have no idea of what to do with him, how to improve his situation, how on earth can you discharge someone from hospital who can only be spoon fed through tubes in his nose, can't walk or even stand up ?

Offline el_guero

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #4 on: November 14, 2017, 11:00:31 PM »
My Russian girlfriend has been having a terrible time in Russia over the last 3 months. Her father was ill and taken into hospital where they discovered he has Parkinson's. He can only be fed through tubes in his nose, he can hardly talk, he can hardly move. They discharged him from hospital actually in a worse state than went he went in for my girlfriend to care for him is his apartment without medication or any plan for his care !!! How on earth she is supposed to do this i don't know, he needs constant attention 24 hours a day and she has hurt her back lifting him.
Is this the normal way of dealing with very ill people in Russia ? He should be in a specialist hospital or care home receiving specialist care, basically they have just dumped him as if he were garbage !!
I am absolutely amazed, i just can't believe what has been going on over there, it is a total disgrace !! I never realised just how bad things appear to be in Russia right now, worse than a third world country.
Obviously as a result of this my girlfriend is in despair, she does not what to do.
Has anyone else had a similar experience or know of any solutions?

You might read up on Parkinson's a little ...

As far as FSU doctors go, they are often well trained. You have good ones and bad ones. BUT, very few have access to to 'modern' diagnostic equipment. 

Online andrewfi

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #5 on: November 15, 2017, 03:01:36 AM »
I can understand what el Guero is saying.

Parkinsonism is a slow onset disease. It is very hard to believe that he'd only just have been diagnosed with parkinsonism AND that his condition was already so severe that he needed nasogastric feeding.

That's something that might be expected at the end of the process, a process that would have been ongoing for many years.

Given what you have shared with us, I suspect that you are the intended victim of a money scam.
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Offline Ste

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #6 on: November 15, 2017, 05:52:15 AM »
I know someone quite badly afflicted by Parkinson’s - he’s adopted a strong Barnsley accent and keeps interviewing people...

Better get me coat...


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Offline Romantic Reg

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #7 on: November 15, 2017, 06:42:51 AM »
My girlfriends father was first diagnosed about 18 months ago but we believe that since then he has not had the correct care and medication. I am fully aware of how Parkinson's can affect people differently, the initial basic symptoms are common but then there can be many other symptoms that can affect all individuals differently and the condition runs with time.

I know many people here in the UK that with the correct medication, physiotherapy, diet and monitoring live to a reasonable standard with the disease, but of course with time things can go downhill.

The simple fact of my post is that my girfriend's father has been dumped out of hospital into his apartment, he can't walk, eat or even speak properly and they expect her to care for him on her own, she is even struggling to assist him to stand and he needs constant attention for around 20 hours a day. There is no way anyone in this condition should be in this situation.

My girlfriend has taken temporary leave from her job here in the UK and gone to Russia to help him because he has no other relatives of any use. He should be in hospital or care home being looked after by professionals.

Money is not an issue in this case and there is no money scam, as i said my girlfriend has a good job here and has her own money. The only scam going on is with how the Russian health authorities have dealt with this case !!

A brief search on the internet reveals just how bad Russian healthcare is and it appears to be getting worse, i just never realised that it was already so bad.








Offline yankee

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #8 on: November 15, 2017, 07:01:25 AM »
How old is her father?  What were his symptoms that led to the diagnosis 1.5 years ago?  They didn't offer to put him on medication at that time? 
What is worse than not being able to get what you don't even want?

Offline Romantic Reg

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2017, 09:55:58 AM »
He is 78 years old. He was on medication but suddenly about 3 months ago he found that he could not eat / swallow, lost a lot of weight as a result and was taken to hospital on deaths door looking like a skeleton and that is when my girlfriend went to Russia because she thought he was going to die,

In her city they have two hospitals, he spent 3 weeks in the lower grade one where he was stabilised. then they sent him home for two weeks because there was no space in the main hospital, then he finally got into the main hospital, was there for two weeks, then sent home in a terrible state, a lot worse than when he went in ! During this time they stopped all of the medication that he had been taking.

His doctor visited him today and said he does not need any medication ? Which i find very difficult to understand.
Right now he can't move at all, he is trapped on a sofa and too heavy for my girlfriend to lift so she has had to go and buy nappies to stop him soiling ! The only word he can speak is her name, nothing else and that is with a struggle.

Maybe they have decided that he is terminal and have just give up on him ? She is now battling to get him back into hospital or maybe a care home but they seem to be very reluctant to do this.

She is in total despair. I can only imagine how she feels, her last blood relative whom she adores in this state trapped on a sofa, can't speak, can't eat, can't move, it is really beyond belief in 2017 !!

Offline Ste

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2017, 10:43:57 AM »
Try for an Adult Dependent Relative visa for UK. Expensive and little chance of success but better than nothing.


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Offline Ste

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2017, 10:49:16 AM »
Another thing is I found Russian health care ok, not fantastic but does the job. Suppose it varies from area to area.

At least it’s free at point of use, can you believe there are some countries where you have to pay, I saw one item in a bill for a hospital birth for $45 for transferring baby from birth hole to mother’s breast.

How backward is that?


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Offline Contrarian

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #12 on: November 15, 2017, 12:30:59 PM »
Another thing is I found Russian health care ok, not fantastic but does the job. Suppose it varies from area to area.

At least it’s free at point of use, can you believe there are some countries where you have to pay, I saw one item in a bill for a hospital birth for $45 for transferring baby from birth hole to mother’s breast.

How backward is that?


Sounds like the USA. Healthcare costs are insane here.

Offline Contrarian

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #13 on: November 15, 2017, 12:34:20 PM »
He is 78 years old. He was on medication but suddenly about 3 months ago he found that he could not eat / swallow, lost a lot of weight as a result and was taken to hospital on deaths door looking like a skeleton and that is when my girlfriend went to Russia because she thought he was going to die,

In her city they have two hospitals, he spent 3 weeks in the lower grade one where he was stabilised. then they sent him home for two weeks because there was no space in the main hospital, then he finally got into the main hospital, was there for two weeks, then sent home in a terrible state, a lot worse than when he went in ! During this time they stopped all of the medication that he had been taking.

His doctor visited him today and said he does not need any medication ? Which i find very difficult to understand.
Right now he can't move at all, he is trapped on a sofa and too heavy for my girlfriend to lift so she has had to go and buy nappies to stop him soiling ! The only word he can speak is her name, nothing else and that is with a struggle.

Maybe they have decided that he is terminal and have just give up on him ? She is now battling to get him back into hospital or maybe a care home but they seem to be very reluctant to do this.

She is in total despair. I can only imagine how she feels, her last blood relative whom she adores in this state trapped on a sofa, can't speak, can't eat, can't move, it is really beyond belief in 2017 !!

I think it’s fairly obvious that these hospitals decided he was terminal. Clearly they should have informed.

Offline yankee

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #14 on: November 15, 2017, 12:57:16 PM »
My wife spent 6 weeks this summer in Russia to get medical care that was just too expensive to get done in the US.  She believes the American medical system sucks. 
What is worse than not being able to get what you don't even want?

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #15 on: November 15, 2017, 02:51:47 PM »
If money is not an issue then he can go into residential care, have a private nurse, or a private hospital.

But, of course, money IS an issue.
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Offline Contrarian

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #16 on: November 15, 2017, 03:37:06 PM »
If money is not an issue then he can go into residential care, have a private nurse, or a private hospital.

But, of course, money IS an issue.

Residential care is the least expensive and best choice, IMO.

Offline Romantic Reg

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #17 on: November 16, 2017, 03:16:16 AM »
He does not want to leave Russia, we asked him about this last year. Yes residential care is looking like the best option but not easy to arrange, hopefully will get something sorted within the next week or so.

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #18 on: November 16, 2017, 03:43:41 AM »
Yes but surely if your living in the UK and so is your wife, she has a good job as you say, you would of taken some kind medical  of cover out for him?

If I lived in the UK with my wife and we had a good income I would of done it years ago especially if he was in his 70's ..

Not very considerate.
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Offline Manny

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #19 on: November 16, 2017, 03:00:21 PM »
Yes but surely if your living in the UK and so is your wife, she has a good job as you say, you would of taken some kind medical  of cover out for him?

If I lived in the UK with my wife and we had a good income I would of done it years ago especially if he was in his 70's ..

Not very considerate.

I dont agree. My wifes folks are knocking on a bit now and they have the odd health issue as older folks do. She tips up a few bob now and again as and when if they need something as any of us would do with our parents.

We knew an old lady in Russia who needed long term care. The method seems to be they sign their flat over to the carer (often a relative, neighbour or friend of a friend) and they look after them till they drop off the twig. Of course, one must choose carefully as it can happen that the "carer" does not do much caring and wants to hasten the dropping off the twig or eviction of the old person.

This happened with the old lady we knew in Russia. Thankfully, as Olga was close to the old dear, word duly arrived at the "carer" that Olga's "rich foreign husband" tiphat who had met the old lady in question and was favourably disposed towards her, was happy to cough up for a Moscow lawyer to relieve said "carer" of the flat in question via the courts if she didn't pull her finger out and do the needful ongoing.

Said "carer" then became remarkably more diligent..........
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Offline Romantic Reg

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #20 on: November 17, 2017, 03:56:21 PM »
Why should we have to take out medical cover for him? He is a Russian citizen who has worked all of his life in his country, in his hour of need they should take care of him if he needs it ! I we had of taken out cover he would have received the same poor quality of care, it would have been a total waste of time and money !!
If all he needed was care at home we could sort that easily without signing apartments over to anyone and of course we would help if there is a viable solution to the current situation.
The fact is that he has ended up as he now is because of late diagnosis of his illness, been given the wrong medication for a long period and has not been monitored. From the information my girlfriend has gathered it seems the medical people that have dealt with him have little or no understanding of his condition and how he should have been treated and now they have just abandoned him.





Offline Lord of the Dance

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #21 on: November 17, 2017, 04:15:36 PM »
I'm afraid my ignorance of Russian culture is showing, but what does in-home care have to do with signing over an apartment to the caretaker? As payment? That sounds an awful lot like a scam in the making. Hospice care is covered by insurance or out-of-pocket. If no funds are available there is usually some form of assistance program to provide basic care services (here in the US anyway).   
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Offline Manny

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #22 on: November 18, 2017, 06:16:11 AM »
I'm afraid my ignorance of Russian culture is showing, but what does in-home care have to do with signing over an apartment to the caretaker? As payment? That sounds an awful lot like a scam in the making.   

If you are an old person with no family, and you need care and you have a flat, why not use it to pay your carer? Not ideal for the carer if you live 20 years and the flat is only worth £15k though.

In that circumstance in the UK the government swipes your house to fund your care. No difference really.

It's quite commonplace in Russia. Its often a family member but in the absence of family it can be anyone you trust.
Read a trip report from North Korea >>here<< - Read a trip report from South Korea, China and Hong Kong >>here<<

Look what the American media makes some people believe:
Putin often threatens to strike US with nuclear weapons.

Offline Manny

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #23 on: November 18, 2017, 06:23:57 AM »
Why should we have to take out medical cover for him?

Because he is now your relative. If this man is your wife's father, the problem is yours to solve if there are no sons.

He is a Russian citizen who has worked all of his life in his country, in his hour of need they should take care of him if he needs it !

Like our government takes care of all our old people faultlessly?

The Russian health system is far from perfect, but it mostly works in its own way. That way is often bribery. £200-£500 to the right person would get him into a decent government care home probably. As a citizen, your wife knows this.

However, Russia is a country where families tend solve their own problems and look after their old without expecting to lean on the government for everything. He looked after your wife for the first 20+ years of her life; now it's her turn. Which means you.
Read a trip report from North Korea >>here<< - Read a trip report from South Korea, China and Hong Kong >>here<<

Look what the American media makes some people believe:
Putin often threatens to strike US with nuclear weapons.

Offline Wiz

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Re: Medical care in Russia - third world standards ?
« Reply #24 on: November 18, 2017, 10:13:19 AM »
Why should we have to take out medical cover for him?

Because he is now your relative. If this man is your wife's father, the problem is yours to solve if there are no sons.

Absolutely Agree.....

He is a Russian citizen who has worked all of his life in his country, in his hour of need they should take care of him if he needs it !

Like our government takes care of all our old people faultlessly?

The Russian health system is far from perfect, but it mostly works in its own way. That way is often bribery. £200-£500 to the right person would get him into a decent government care home probably. As a citizen, your wife knows this.

However, Russia is a country where families tend solve their own problems and look after their old without expecting to lean on the government for everything. He looked after your wife for the first 20+ years of her life; now it's her turn. Which means you.

Sounds very familiar and similar to the Greek family customs.

My own mother died many years before I married my Russian wife. When I married my wife, I deprived her mother from her daughter, the only support and company, naturally we had to take responsibility for her and we have been doing it for the past 10 years.

Thank God babushka, nearly 80 is still able to look after herself..... and prefers to live in my wife's flat but....I expect soon other arrangements has to be made. Luckily there is a divorced sister who will take her into her large house and of course we will continue the financial support until her departure. Sister is a qualified nurse working for many years at the local hospital and know what to do.

In my view for us living here, money is not the biggest problem but personal care is the important one, as you said too.

Well some people have to learn that different countries have different ways to care about their old parents.

 ;D


 

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