My parents have been in the nursing home for a little over a year. They share a room and have been in the same room since they have been there. About 3 month ago the nursing home moved a resident (a lady) across the hall from them. This lady was at the nursing home when my parents arrived. She is mentally challenged and has no family. The nursing home has moved this lady at least 3 times since my parents have been there. She yells all the time. And I do mean all the time. My parents say they can't sleep. My mother has trouble hearing and she still hears this lady. My parents are far away from the nurses station and I believe they moved the lady there so that the staff did not have to hear her and deal with her. I have requested that the lady be moved. I have asked nicely. Yesterday I requested it again and the nurse said she would let admission know. She called admissions as I was standing there. Today when I arrived the lady is still across the hall from my parents. So I went straight to admissions. The lady said I can't request that another resident be moved. She said I can request that my parents be moved. I think this is unfair because they have been in this room since their first week. Please advise. Am I being unreasonable?
It sounds like they are, understandably, trying to put the yelling resident wherever she will get the least complaints. Don't let that be within loud earshot of your parents.
Furthermore, the poor lady who is making the noise and disruption may be undertreated for anxiety and dementia symptoms. She too deserves to live in a secure, dignified environment and be adequately cared for.
Please consider contacting the Long Term Care Ombudsman office in your local county government to discuss your concern. You'd be helping your loved ones, and also bringing attention to the needs of the disruptive lady who has no family to advocate for her. Don't give up ... the situation is not acceptable, and the nursing facility should be working on a better solution. Good luck!
one morning showing up intentionally at a different time one lady was feeding eight people with all their food cold...she was concentrating on one man...
don't these places know that smoothies with all fresh ingredients would be better that the cold hard food that is delivered by slow moving help.
We have also been in the situation you describe, with a screamer next door. We had to just put up with him. White noise is nice, but only covers some noises.
Good luck.
You could also add that you are "worried about the lady, not having family to advocate for her, for her to have the benefit of peaceful rest. She sounds like she's frightened, or agitated, or uncomfortable or upset. Poor thing." . . . and, maybe they can get her some help.
First borrow/rent audio equipment & record this as well document the decibel levels both in the hall & their with door open then door closed - video some of it - let the NH see you do this as it will show them that you will always protect your parents so they will work faster when/if something else comes up - I would send a bill for this to NH too
This takes what you say from subjective [she's too loud] to objective [at 100 decibels it is same as a jet taxing which endangers my parent with the length of time they have been subjected to this] - then bring the 'evidence' to the local health authorities & see what happens
Then tell the NH due to the poor efforts on their part that you are going to lower how much you will pay by 25% until the problem is resolved - put that 25% in an escrow account until some measure of help comes about - talk to your bank manager on how to do this
Ear plugs?
You might want to review the contract for your parents care and see if there are any statements in there about the quality of the care environment. Is there a director of nursing or other administrator more involved in patient care than admissions to discuss this issue?