My dad was terrified of being put in a nursing home. He had seen so many people he new just dumped in homes. And despite laws to protect patients, conditions in some of these places are still awful. Several times after a hospitalization, Dad's doctors sent him to different convalescent homes for "intermediate" care because they didn't think we could provide the care he needed. I can tell you some horror stories -- from the place that didn't give him his heart and emphysema medications for two days because the pharmacy they get deep discounts from (owned by the same owner) didn't have them in stock, to the place where he shared a room with a patient with dementia who moaned and cried non-stop, to the place where patients were allowed to shower only on odd or even days regardless of their need.
I actually showed up at the first place the day after Dad was admitted with all of his medicines from home and they told me I could not give them. To a man who depended on them to keep his heart beating! I gave them anyway and told them they were free to call the police -- and we'd see who won that battle. We kept someone in the room with Dad during all visiting hours after that until we got him out -- to make sure they gave him all his meds and protect him from retaliation. I was so relieved when we got him out of there. In hindsight, I would have called his doctor and demanded that he be moved immediately. But with so much stress going on, you don't always think as clearly as you should. |