bed blocker

== English == === Alternative forms === bed-blocker, bedblocker === Pronunciation === === Noun === bed blocker (plural bed blockers) (chiefly UK, idiomatic, derogatory, medicine, public policy) An elderly hospitalized person who is too infirm to return home but not sufficiently ill to necessitate continued hospitalization, creating a situation in which his or her hospital stay is prolonged while authorities or relatives search for a suitable placement amid the scarce resources of nursing homes or other long-term care facilities. ==== Related terms ==== === References === “bed blocker”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.