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Mom is living in a nursing home with parkinson's disease. Can I legally sign her out?

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Of course mom doesn't want to be there--but likely, dad has become completely worn out caring for mom 24/7---and most Parkinson patients do eventually end up requiring far more care than they can receive from a spouse alone.

If you sign mom out (and my best guess is she cannot be signed out by you) are you prepared to do the 24/7 CG that is going to be required?

I was the CG for a lovely woman with Parkinson's and we worked mightily to keep her home as long as possible. The kids had made that 'promise' to dad and it tore them up to have to move her to a SNF. But she did end up in one and actually, absolutely LOVED it. She got fussed a LOT, visits and activities which I simply could not do for her.

Give mom time to acclimate. Trying to bring her home is going to result in more work than you can possibly imagine. You have a kind heart, but FT CG requires a lot more than that.
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FloridaDD Sep 2020
Great advice!!!
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Dementia and Parkinson's go hand in hand. Is Mom competent to make her own decisions. Because Dad could not have placed her if she didn't want to go. I would hope that Dad has both financial and medical POA. Need both to place her and a doctor saying she needed 24/7 care. Its hard caring for an adult.

I find that when people aren't personally involved and complain about how someone else has handled a decision, they don't have all the facts. They aren't there 24/7. So if you are not willing or can't take care of Mom 24/7 then you need to be supportive of Dads decision. And don't encourage Mom wanting to go home. Help her adjust to the situation she is in.
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Your father had a reason for placing her. Why are you in charge? There are some family dynamics here that you haven’t told us. Regardless, most all elders complain about being in the NH especially at the beginning.
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Your father should now manage the future for your Mother. I agree with other posters that this is not the ideal, but it is likely the best that things can be given what things are. BarbBrooklyn has the right questions for your to think about.
Concentrate for now on giving Mom some respite from her current place when and if Covid-19 gives us an opportunity to resume real life.
Do not become divisive in what is likely already a difficult and heartbreaking decision for your Dad. Do not let your Mom divide you from what should be a family decision.
My bro and I used to tease about complaining being the first imperative for all in his Assisted Living on any given day. Keep conversations that involve only complaints and unhappiness to a minimum and tell your Mom you will call again later when she is feeling a bit better.
Sorry that not everything can be fixed. Some things must be accepted with as much equanimity as can be mustered.
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Why would you want to? Your father has the legal rights over care for your mother unless you have a POA. He presumably has done what has been advised as being in your mother's best interests. It would be unusual for a child to decide to cause issues with their relationship with a parent, or to have reason to do so. Unless you live with them full time, I don't see how you can be in a position to decide you know better than your father what is best for your Mum. It sounds as though you are struggling to think your mother needs this care, but we cannot say what the problems between you are your parents are or why you think you want to take your mother out of care.
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Is it your intention to provide the 24/7 care she needs yourself?

How is the NH being paid? (private pay? Medicaid?)

Were you involved in mom's care when she was at home with dad? Have you ever had full charge of her for 24 hours?

Did mom sign herself into the NH, or did dad need to do that because mom is no longer competent?

https://www.elderlawanswers.com/can-i-take-my-mother-out-of-a-nursing-home-over-the-objections-of-her-agent-under-a-poa-16175
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All of the questions that Barb asked.

What is the care plan for mom if you do this?

Do you really want to start a confrontation with dad over mom's care? He had been caring for her and it was hard for him to make the decision. He was the one providing care and it may appear it was easy to have mom admitted.

He is still caring for mom on a different level and decided he needed professional help. He couldn't do it any longer.

How long ago was this? Do you visit mom often? Talk with her on the phone? Is mom trying to manipulate you? Or guilt you?

The best thing you can do is be supportive of your dad, he needs you. Dad cannot just sign mom into a nursing home. There has to be a doctor's order. Evidently the doc thinks this is best for mom and dad.
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Very VERY FEW AL or SNF residents WANT to be cared for in residential settings, but often, placement is needed to provide the safest and most peaceful way of managing complex health concerns.

As you realize, Parkinson’s Disease is a complex and often difficult to manage within day to day care.

Whether she wants to be cared for in her present situation or not, skilled nursing care, and the therapies needed to maintain her health, may be best provided in a residential setting.

If you and your father can discuss her situation objectively and peacefully, you may find that being part of her team to be easier to achieve.

Sometimes a “good” resolution to a care issue isn’t available, so to achieve the best possible choices from less than perfect ones, allowances need to be made from all loved ones involved.

If you and Dad are talking, can you see if a little team building might be a good thing for all of you?

Hoping you find a positive direction.....
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You don’t want to start WWII. There is a reason that she has been put there and it was signed off on by a doctor I am sure and those at the nursing facility. You may not understand what you are getting yourself into either. There are people so worn out that come to this site needing support because they are burned out and getting sick themselves trying to attend a person who obviously doesn’t have her faculties or your Dad would not have been able to admit her in the first place. We rarely see somebody trying to outdo a parent to take another parent out of skilled care. If Dad was just trying to get her out of the house and she had her faculties, she would have bucked him at the beginning. Dad has the right to do what he did unless he too has a mental deficiency. Just talk to her on the phone and go see her when they allow it after this virus is over. It is an emotional time for families with someone in a facility at this time. Hang in there a few more months.
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My first question is this - if she has Parkinson's, do you have any idea in the world how difficult it would be to care for her? It would be horrible and your best bet is to leave her in a nursing home. Do YOU want to give up your life and whatever to do this knowing the impact it will have on you and your father? Don't do it. He was right in putting her there.
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