I have had dad in the ALF for 5 months now. Its a really nice building but I immediately found a sadness from most residents and almost defensiveness from the staff... starting at the top with the Chief of Patient Relations or some special title. I tried my normal approach, which is to meet and greet and be pleasant yet persistent. And after that didn't work, and my expectation were continually ignored (front door left unlocked all night, dads nurse button going unanswered, etc) I had a sit-down with the ED. She did get the front doors locked, but the rest hasn't changed because she has one major clog -- and her attitude rolls downhill and always will. I have instances but no matter.
Last week his back flared up to almost an unbearable level of pain. He couldn't hardly get out of bed. So they noted his chart as "uncooperative" and when I called in I got a lecture.
Since my Aid and Attendance is approved and June is promised to be the first check, I have researched and found a place that proves to be a better fit:
MY QUESTION: their handbook (which for some reason I cant get until AFTER I moved him in?) says that he can leave with a 30 day notice. I want to move him as soon as I get the A&A check in but I don't feel, because of their breach of contract, that I should be paying the entire month.
Does anyone have any advice as to how I should handle this with them? They have a ridiculous $150 late fee if the entire month is not prepaid for the 5th of the month, which means I have till next Thurs to figure it out.
thanks. what a journey his has been....
Linda
Based on what you're saying, there are defaults as well as possible neglicence on their part, which you could use as justification for removal w/o 30 days' notice. However, you could end up in a legal battle so I would be prepared for that.
I removed my father from a bad SNF and gave verbal notice but had adequate documentation which I planned to use, but Medicare was paying for his stay so private pay wasn't an issue.
I see two approaches:
1. Get an attorney involved, ASAP. But this will get their backs up and treatment of your father may deteriorate in the meantime.
2. Just get him out of there, send a certified letter documenting all their abuses, and hint at action. Typical wording we used in law firms was that on behalf of our client we would "take any and all action necessary to protect" our client's interests. Dont's say "legal action" and limit yourself.
They may come after you for the month's rent and late fee, but you also have the option of filing complaints.
Hopefully others will have better suggestions. This is a tough situation.
And I may be being a Negative Nelly but the AL holds all the cards and can make life very difficult for you if you leave without 30 days notice. You can try to fight them and I'm sure your concerns are valid but unlocked doors, unanswered call lights, and back pain don't equal the breach of contract you will be in if your dad moves sooner and the AL has all the power here. I'd be worried that the AL would think your complaints were a smokescreen just to get out of the contract early.
I know it must be frustrating but if it were me I'd wait for the 30 days. The AL can do a lot more harm to you than you can do them.
I remember how mad I was when a nurse did not recognize my mom's retropulsion due to parkinsonism for what it was and labeled it resistance or uncooperation. How inhumane and judgemental that was!! I hope you can get decent legal help and nail these people for being the uncaring, victim-blaming, profteering jerks that they obviously are. Other resources besides APS would be the state long term care office or ombudsman.
but it would take a lot of emotional turmoil to do that; maybe not somewhere i want/need to go. maybe i just give them their 30 day notice with next months rent that's due by june 5 and take him out as soon as i can make arrangements he's not in jail, im assuming. as long as the rent is prepaid throughout 30 day period, i assume i don't have to keep him there.... then again, financially it would make sense, but i just might have to spend all my days and nights protecting him. since i earn about as much as it costs him to live there, either i spend the month with him and not get paid or i work and move him and eat the costs. kind of a rock n hard place. i never did give in very easily. a trait my father taught me....
:)
bom bom bomp bom , every - one knows , this s*ithole blows
me and the old man , have formed a plan,
a dam we have not an ounce , youre checks will bounce ..
meh , something along those lines , use your imagination ..
But, like with jobs, and as Pam S says, make sure of the next place before you take him out of this one. Meanwhile, draft a report on your concerns in any case, because even if you don't need to use it as part of a claim or a formal complaint you should still send it to the manager of the ALF cc'd to whichever regulatory body supervises care standards in your neck of the woods.
Where was he x-rayed, and how long after his fall? As I'm sure you know it can take a few days for problems to show up on x-ray. In your place I would go over there, and try to gauge how much is worrying pain and how much is ordinary soreness after a bump, and do any necessary stamping and shouting to get their a**es moving if necessary, but I wouldn't take him to the hospital on my own. You can't stay with him indefinitely if he does need treatment, maybe ongoing treatment, so it's important that one of the ALF's staff is with you to take notes and provide explanations of what happened when he fell.
I don't blame you for being fed up with them, I must say. Unco-operative. Tchah.