Just wanted to take the time to say thank you to those who have provided invaluable advise on this site. My neighbor's father was recently admitted to the hospital and was unable to live independently after discharge. He is mentally alert but physically disabled. The hospital demanded that she come and pick him up and take him home with her. I had read advise on this forum that hospitals cannot force you to take your parent home with you if you are unwilling or unable to care for them. Her father is a very abusive person and there is no one else that could care for him. The hospital has the resources to make arrangements for a patient to be placed in a NH. The hospital did find a place for him. It wasn't what he wanted but it is where he needs to be. The NH then proceeded to mail (neighbor lives in a different state than her dad) paperwork that needed to be signed. I had warned her to read everything very carefully and do not sign anything accepting financial responsibility for his stay. Buried within all the papers was a form to sign stating she would be liable for paying for his stay. She immediately contacted the NH and informed them that she would not sign or take any responsibility to pay for his care as he has insurance and is mentally competent to sign his own papers. She stayed strong and did not give in to any of the bullying from her Dad, the hospital discharge team or the NH. I am very glad I was able to pass the advise I have learned from these forums on to her. Thank You!
And it's good to know that she wasn't manipulated by either the hospital or the nursing home!
Sometimes I think caregivers are like the fictional heroes and heroines in action movies - defending themselves left and right from attackers, whether it's some aspect of the medical or care community, or busybody meddlers.