My husband has been in MC since 03/01/2022. Everything was going well until 2 days before Thanksgiving when the director said they can no longer take care of him and needs to be relocated somewhere else NOW! She said that it is taking 3 staff members to handle him because he is resisting. He is not combative or verbally abusive, quite the opposite. They say this has just become an issue over the last month or so. They come in to shower him three times a week and it is just one person who handles him. So, I am getting mixed messages. I feel that his resistance is pain related and have requested pain management from hospice. As of now, MC has agreed to have hospice come in daily to relieve their staff and to give me time to find another facility and to obtain additional funds from my IRA to cover the cost of a long-term “rehab facility” (their words). Suffice to say this was a gut punch. Is any MC facility allowed to basically kick someone out without prior notice or at least a thirty-day notice to prepare for a new facility and/or financial planning? Their demeanor was heartless.
You mention dad is leaning to the right......he may have had a stroke and that's what's causing the leaning which my father was doing too. Their balance is thrown off, and he might be having an issue knowing where he is in space, which causes a feeling of vertigo and that is scary. That may be why he's resistant to standing up and unable to express himself and his fears due to advanced dementia.
Talk to hospice about this leaning matter and what I mentioned. And this memory care is shirking their DUTY to you and dad by trying to kick him out now that he's having more issues,which is their job to help him with! Get hospice on board with you and see if they think calming meds would help dad relax or if he should be seen in the ER.
I'm sorry you're dealing with such a thing and I hope you can reach an agreement with the memory care admin about keeping dad.
Tall to the Hospice nurse and possibly the social worker. It is possible that medication adjustment might help. If necessary a stay in the Hospice In Patient unit for symptom and medication management might help. If that does not work it is possible that the Hospice social worker can locate a Skilled Nursing facility that will be able to manage him.
BUT the Memory Care facility has to give you time to locate another facility and arrange transfer. The facility social worker should be able to help and they should also be aware of the legality asking a resident to relocate.
Mom had a broken hip.
Ask them what they mean by that. Are they saying he needs a skilled nursing facility? For what medical issue?
Those IRA funds are Your Money, not your husband's. Please use what his funds have available for his care.
One of the good things about Hospice is that they are an extra set of eyes and ears. Use them, and good luck!
There was a resident at my mother's place who started walking around punching walls. He'd been fine and dandy until then, but all of a sudden he was in danger of putting his fist through a window or through another resident. He was big and very strong and the caregivers were all fairly petite women, so yeah, he was gone the next day.
Unless you know the reason behind his behavior is pain-related, I don't think you can expect the facility to put their employees and the residents in danger. This isn't a rental like an apartment, so a 30-day notice isn't a thing.
Confer with the hospice team; that is attend either by phone or in person the next scheduled interdisciplinary meeting that hospice has when your husband's case will be reviewed; these are held either weekly or every 2 weeks. You can of course speak with the case manager for his hospice care or call the Director of the Hospice for assistance prior to the interdisciplinary meeting. ( the advantage of attending the meeting is that the Hospice medical director and all disciplines involved in his care are present.
Now, the facility that he is in sounds like they may seriously need continuing education on how to cope with and best care for a patient such as your husband.
Changing the place of care may or may not address your husband's care needs. Speak with the administration at the facility and have hospice team present.
Evidently, the MC does not provide the level of care your husband needs. You can contact Ombudsman's office to ask them if this is true. (Read your contract as well. There should be information that describes the level of care they provide or what happens should his needs increase after initial admit)
See All Answers