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I'm caring for a beloved elder relative to keep her out of a nursing home. I called a visiting nurse agency to line up help and was told they wouldn't come out because she hadn't seen her doctor in ninety days. I explained that she's been too ill to leave the house and they just don't care. I grew up in the era of house calls and this kind of indifference makes me ill. There should be less red tape in senior care. Is this common or is it just my part of the world❓

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My daughter has taken careof up to 40 patients.
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Callous is a function of too many patients for the number of health professionals. It is easy to be impersonal when you are a health professional and you care for fifteen patients. They become an obligation. When there is a one-on-one relationship of healthcare professional and patient the relationship must be caring because the healthcare professional is directly accountable.
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irishboy... I agree with you! Anyone that deals with seniors or their problems and is NOT empathetic...should NOT be working there!
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Irishboy: I disagree! All of staff treating my mother were nothing but empathetic towards her In the NH. And nothing is truly recession proof!
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Contact Hospice their docs do visit. Or you might want to get a non-emergency medical transport company that will take her on a stretcher or in a wheel chair right to the docs office. Best of luck!
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Elizabeth, we're you able to get the care your LO needed? Let us know what steps you took;we learn from each other!
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I just came back to this post, my very first one here. So many awesome responses! I've toughened up a lot since that night - I was in a state of panic and never got back to respond to this. Thank you all for your thoughtful consideration.
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An agency can't do a thing without a doctors orders,they can't diagnose,prescribe meds or treatments.so ask the primary doctor to order home health care.If not possible,get hospice.Hire a good private duty caregiver with references and a background check.Agencies are more about the money,most of them
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llama lover, that is a lot of BS. Part of being a professional in the medical field is having some empathy.

There are people who go into nursing for example because their only concern is they think it is a "recession proof" job, that's not a good reason.

It's like someone going into teaching who doesn't like kids.
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IPs are far more compassionate than agency workers I find.
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It's a business. They're just acting in a professional manner, as they should.
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I think there is bias in the system toward institutionalization. Hopefully that will change and home care givers will get more support and help as the population ages and alternatives are sought. I am providing a much more humane experience for my mother in my home than any institution ever could and I often get criticized rather than supported for this choice. Bravo to you and I hope you are able to find a compassionate agency. If not, hire your own caregiver- many well trained and experienced people will come to your home if you pay a bit more than an agency and treat them respectfully.
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Your relative probably has a primary doctor,theyc an refer you to an agency or visiting doctor.And definitely hospice has doctors.the agencyh as to have orders before they can come out.
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It's a medicare regulation that a patient has to have been seen by the doctor to receive VNA services. Nurses can only work under a physician and if a physician hasn't actually seen the patient within 90 days, medicare does not think a nurse should just be providing care independent of the doctor.
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It is common and it is a clear evidence that the health care system is not a system at all nor is it HEALTH care. It is a medical care system, sculpted by practitioners who fleece the American public and always have been. They don't know 1% of what they claim to know, make fatal errors, and we delude ourselves into thinking that they are the top profession from whom to seek help when ill. Actually, do some research and you'll see that their interventions are the third leading cause of death in America. I am a medical cost adjuster and I provide a service to American citizens to analyze and correct medical billing "errors". I worked in health care as a clinician and business executive for over 45 years. Over $75,000,000 spent annually by our citizens for medical services that were either not provided, duplicated, illegal, or fraudulent. Do not blindly follow the orders and advice from your medical providers. Hire a professional who can assist you in planning your health care strategy, especially if you have a chronic disease or have recently had a prolonged stay in a hospital or skilled nursing facility.
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It's not that they're callous. It's just that they're doing their jobs and are doing so in a professional manner. They're in the health care BUSINESS.
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if the elder you are caring for is to ill to leave the house then maybe the elder should go to the emergency . the decline can be something as simple as a urine infection or any infection. once in the hospital you can state that your elder can not go back home without some services in place. make sure they fully understand exactly how you have been caring for your elder. this way your elder has seen a doctor and the hospital social work can direct you to your next step to gain services such assisted living, nursing home, or in home care.
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I find independent care is MUCH better than agencies. BY FAR! Good luck. Mycare Medicaid won't give names of who is contracted with them. I've contracted politicians...still nothing. :( Ohio is mycare and I hate it.
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Call her doctor and run it by him.
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I scanned again so sorry if this hass already been said. I worked for a Visiting Nurse Assoc. We were not allow to see a client without a written order from their doctor. By having an order the doctor will give the agency info on the patient. The agencies keep in touch with the doctor. Most can bill Medicare. Not sure if this is not a requirement of Medicare.
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Gardenartist....I don't think anyone is questioning how difficult nursing profession or getting there is. I certainly don't. (I admire those that go into and STAY there for so long). It's the red tape of insurance and businesses that is in question here. I pray everyday for those in the healthcare field and that goes for the aides that take care of my mom. The aides are truly my heroes for all the work they do. But like I said there are many people that are really good at their jobs and can offer the help that is needed and then the frustrated ones that are beaten down by the system. You are right though about asking questions and collecting all information you can.
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I'm going to challenge the suggestion that health care professionals are callous. Have any of you who express this attitude ever been to nursing school? Do you know what the curriculum is? Do you have any idea how difficult the classes are and the amount of learning and memorization, the vast knowledge of medicine, that's required to be a nurse? And do you realize how much compassion, patience and tolerance nurses need to have to put up with what they deal with on a regular basis?

It takes a real dedication, a sincere commitment and desire to be in this field just to get through nursing school. And it takes as much if not more to be in a hospital environment and deal with a multitude of patients and illnesses.

I honestly don't know how nurses tolerate some of the behavior and lack of cooperation they get from patients.

It's true that there are a few who are less than enthusiastic, sometimes after being a nurse for decades, or perhaps just getting tired of the abuse they have to take.

Elizabeth, the individual you spoke with most likely was a clerical person, not a medical person, and her answer was spot on. The correct and proactive method of handling the call would be to ask if there's anything else that should be known about getting home care, then act on that information to get the care you wanted.

It's also up to people who deal with medical professionals to learn as much as they can about how the system works so they can understand it and not draw broad derogatory conclusions.

I get more than a little tired of people criticizing professions because of a bad experience.
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I agree with all of the above. System, area, etc. I want to add that a lot of times these people are all frustrated as we are. They need their jobs and can only do so much since their hands are tied. They come across non caring because they are frustrated with the system and can't help a lot of people that need it. Like Mollydolly said they are just doing their jobs and hoping to keep them. It's a shame. But keep in mind there are some really good people out there too so keep trying. Good Luck and God Bless
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Where I live and work the Dr. can make a referral for VNA but has to do a face to face visit within 30 days. I believe this is a US wide requirement via Medicare. We do have a few docs who will make house calls. Mollydolly please don't be too quick to judge the medical "system" in terms of those of us who work in the field. We certainly don't go into it for the money. Most of us in home care (if not all) put in hours of extras for the patients (everything from getting equipment to food to just staying to listen to a patient or family member who needs an ear) and often we purchase or help fund things that people need but can't afford because we can't stand to see them go without. We do have to meet Medicare guidelines to provide care - not a choice. But those I work with go above and beyond for our patients as a rule. (I'm a physical therapist for a nonprofit VNA in a semi-rural area).
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In many metropolitan areas depersonalization has occured,andregulatoins outweigh common sense. It is not patent centered as yet. The regulation is designed to protect a senior from an unqualified aide. It also serves to protect the aide from over-extending her abilities. Getting a senor to a doctor's office can be a major issue. If you deem it an emergency call 911 and ask for help. They have to help as a first responder,or call a medical transportation company..You did not state what her financial resources are.
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Those among us who are nurses will enjoy this! A young nursing student, who was not quite up to the required standard was asked by her Nurse Educator, "Why on earth do you want to become a nurse?" Her response (and I kid you not!) "Because it is easy!"
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Unless you have someone dedicated to your mother, they are all be impersonal. Key is to have the care assistant focus on your mother, not be spread out with all the other patients.
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Just to clarify.... Are you trying to line up in-home care to assist on a regular basis, or trying to get a doctor or nurse to check on a specific health concern?
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There are many who should not be working in healthcare. Especially nursing, some go into because they have a calling, others just see it as recession proof job. You can tell the difference pretty quickly.
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Because of Medicare guidelines, all governmental regulations are very strict. The person who spoke to you could have been more helpful in terms of suggesting a way for your loved one to be seen by a physician. in the meantime, do gather up all of any needed medical information that will be helpful. Part of the required criteria for home care is for the patient to be home bound. so it sounds like this part has already been met. Hang in there!
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