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My mom fell and injured her wrist. I was not called nor was she given ice or any real help from the care givers. She did not complain after the initial fall, until a few days later when she mentioned it was still swollen and sore. I took her for an xray and we found out she had a hairline fracture of the wrist! I am very upset that her assisted living facility did nothing to treat this or contact me....and acted surprised when they learned that she had a wrist FX. Isn't standard procedure that any senior who falls and complains of pain should be checked on, and also their family should be called? Until now, this has been a wonderful place and we've had no problems. Now I am concerned. Moving her would be difficult as she has macular degeneration and is well acclimated to her surroundings where she is. Not sure how to handle this. PS/Mom is fine and handling the soft splint on her wrist and hand with no problem. Would be interested in comments regarding this situation.

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I guess it's time for a sit down with the administrator to see what the protocol is when things like this happen. My mother-in-law also has macular degeneration and lives in an asst living facility. A few weeks ago she choked on some food while at her table and although she was breathing fine after wards, she got upset that her throat hurt because of it. The place she's at called an ambulance that took her to the ER, and they also called me. Turned out she had just scratched her throat down by her adams apple, and is fine. But that little jaunt cost her $720.00 for the ambulance, so over reacting can also be bad. I would've preferred they had called me only, and I could have taken her to her doctor instead. So talk to them, tell them what you want them to do next time an emergency/non emergency happens.
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My father had a similar situation years ago.

The "Five Star FUN", "Resort Style LIving" place he was living at had scatter rugs in the lobby. He was yakking with one of the pleasant receptionists, turned to walk away & the stupid rug slid out from under him. His face smashed on the marble countertop

Everyone jumped to his aid & he was all right. The rugs disappeared that evening - but I was shocked they were naive enough to place them there in the first place!
He wore horriblle bruises on his face for several weeks.

This place is so cheap they have heavy locked fire doors without windows from as the outside entrances. More than once I was using my pass key when someone would fling the door open as I was entering!
Safety?
My friend with polio was visiting her mother bringing groceries, using her pass key when a carpet repair guy flung open the door knocking her over!
Her canes snarled in her legs.
He was sorry yet the management didn't bother filing an incident report..

I spoke with the head of maintenence about installing doors with windows ... HE laughed to keep from crying! He said his hands were tied b/c corporate wouldn't spend the money!
He retired in frustration but he loved the residents.

Their priority was making the place look like a palace despite the safety hazards. Funny to note ~ if you enter Mercer Island $40 million mansion into google you'll see that the owners lived quite well.

The wonderful staff were just that. Absolutely magnifiecent! But the lousy pay & poor management can't keep the good ones around.
Also, they tended to hire people with poor language skills so there were many translation problems.

The stories are endless.

Since Dad enjoyed the place, his fellow "inmates" & most of the staff, I chose no to report anything. The managment started out great when they first opened, but it stayed so compassionate.

Please follow up on the incident. I hope you have better luck with improvements & reporting than my friend's did.
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Definitely, talk till you get heard say manager or owner as often as it takes, if that doesn't say legal action and see if they listen, usually just a talk with someone in change and a reassessing of procedure should bring results though or the great facility may be isn't that great.
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Sorry, I kind of dumped the thread when a friend phoned to see if I was surviving ...
HA!
Yeah ... she's out riding her horses in the forest ... as I sit waiting for Dad to finish up on the can.

The place my father lived was built maybe 15 years ago. That means they were Grandfathered in on many of the ADA code requirements.
Not enforced but should be.

It is a lovely structure with fountains, expensive galss art, huge paintings through out the hallways, gardens, holiday lighting & events ...

yet my concern is the lack of ADA enforcement! (American Disability Act 1987)

No signs inside the 5 stairwells of a 3 story building. ADA code is to place 12" x 12" signs on every level with the stairway number in 5" letters, which stairway it is, North, south, Ease, however they decide, whether there is roof access or other exterior access.

The reason being that during an emergency (smoke filled building) the firefighters can know where they are located & if they have access to an exterior exit or a roof. Many stairways don't have roof access...
Up you go - only to be stuck with no way out carrying an disabled person.
Often they are packing the people along with lots of gear.

OK ... I am talking extreme emergency, but look at the Twin Towers. Who ever expected that?

Most of the local firefighters know this building, yet in a serious evacuation, fire, earthquake, flood, the neighboring fire departments will respond, even for medical aid..
They need to find their way around in an unfamiliar building!

Look at signs in public buildings. You likey don't notice the signs in stairwells or directly exiting a a stairway or elevator. They are there for a reason.

Courtesy directions & emergency evacuation!
For the public As well as Emergency Response Teams.

As you ride an elevator to the 15th floor of a building, think about an emergency situation. What would you do? Signs really have a purpose!

I don't want to give anyone nightmares since most current buildings have fire doors & proper signs for evacuation.

It just seems to me that every senior facility should have appropriate ADA signage. Most residents use the elevators so the stairwells are foreign to them. It's not safe or fair to himnder their exiting when simple signs can help.

Soap box?
I was there during a fire alarm. Commercial kitchen fire. Skreetching alarm sounded for 40 minutes. (* hint - cover ewith duct tape to mute)
Many residents were unable to used stopped elevators & were not familiar with the stairways
Management was running around claiming a "false alarm' ... still many people wanted outside.

Dad is ringing me again.

PLEASE!!! Ensure your senior is in a safe building with proper lighting & exit strategy!
A qualified, responsible person on duty 24 hours.
Another story of the Aid crew trying to enter the locked building as my father was in agony form a UTI.
The desk guy was away from the desk.
It took the aid crew 20 minutes to enter the locked building.
What if it had been a heart attack.

UP to respond for Dad's latest request. I am is safe home with me.
He misses his friends but hi safety is my responsibilty.
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& my keyboard is gritty ....
hope you all understood my mis spellings & dropped letters.

Cheers, my friends ....
Dad wanted me to change the TV channel.
Life can be so simple .... yawn ....
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Turn it upside down and gently tap tap on desk it knocks the crud out. Just not hard enough to knock keys out! You'll miss that "q" when you need it!

Again with the area rugs, man these people should know better, we had to all but burn the ones my grandmother kept finding every time we removed them and put them back out (after we left)!
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Many states and/or counties have ombudsmen to help resolve problems with assisted living. These services are free and can help avoid law suits, moves, etc. Also Social Services (called CYFD, Children, Youth, and Families Department in my state) has Adult Protective Services that should monitor complaints and assure safety.
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Talk to the head of the place--administrator. Get the social worker involved, as well as the nurse(s) who takes care of her. (It's only 1 nurse for my MIL). I'd also make some noise to the front desk person of her hallway. I'd want to start with the nurse, social worker and administrator. I'd be upset too. They should have called you and let you know what happened to her. Actually, so you don't have to speak to each person individually--I'd ask the nurse and social worker to call a CARE CONFERENCE and to INCLUDE the administrator. You'll want whomever is taking care of her to be in on it and as many family members (that are interested) to be there. Or you could be the spokesperson for your family. ...but I would definitely get an answer on their protocal. ...and if calling the family is not on their list of protocal, then
I would have them add it. Give them your name, address, phone number
to contact you if anything should happen to her.
Consult an attorney if need be. In fact, I might even consult one before you bring this to your attention. Then that way, you'll have this little bit of information to bring out, only if necessary. Good luck!
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I do not know how Assisted living places are regulated or license but have hears of one in another state that checks the person once in 24 hr. to see if they are still alive. You need to make a lot of noise sometimes like the time the nurse on duty did not know where my husband was at noon on a Sunday so I told her I would go the the nurse in charge and tell her you lost my husband she got off her duff mighty fast and within 1 min had found him.
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Thank you all, for your comments regarding the safety situation at Assisted Living facilities. I agree. My boss, who is a health care professional also stated that their protocol should nail down the procedure to be followed. . . . when someone of that age falls, a thorough assessment should be done, and if the person is complaining of pain, an xray should be standard procedure according to protocol. I will be meeting with the administrator regarding this issue. I appreciate everyone's comments and suggestions. I am not only concerned for my mother but for all the residents of the facility, How awful to suffer an injury and have no response from the care givers.
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I had a similar experience when my father broke a bone and I was not contacted---and this was an excellent facility. So now I've learned to be proactive, and call them....call the administrator, call the doctor's office ( if there's one right there "on campus"-)--and make myself known around there. I periodically "check in" and talk with these on-site caregivers and keep the lines of communication open. They can tell I'm involved and I want to be "in the know" and now things are going better.
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Kind of like being involved in the PTA, or being a room mother - show up often and be on a first name basis with the nurse. The thing is, I don't just want good care for my mom, but for everyone there! I'll be on top of this, and appreciate the advise and shared information.
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