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Originally Posted by boopster  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. |
Some NH's are really terrible, and it can be very stressful and a great worry trying to make sure our loved ones get the best possible treatment in NH's.
Before my gran passed she spent a few months in a nursing home (she didn't suffer from dementia) she was a very proud women and hated the fact that people had to help her wash and go to the toilet. My nana (her daughter) would visit her every day and do these things for her but she couldnt be there 24/7. The nurses are suposed to check in on the residents a number of times a night and tick off their room numbers on a chart once checked. My gran was not checked at all one night and the nurse pretended she had by ticking her off the chart, this night my gran tried to get up to use the toilet and fell.. she couldnt get up and tried to drag herself for help but couldnt. She spent the whole night on that floor. My nana found her the next morning covered in carpet burns and lying in her own mess.. she never recovered and died 2 days later. This nurse is still working in NH's.....