The nurses at my aunts nursing home took away the remote for her bed! What to do?

Was there any explanation as to the original nurse's action?

I am happy to inform everyone, that after my mom had a meeting with a superviser, the bed remote was returned to my aunt. This was last week. Thanks everyone for the advice!

Is it possible she was adjusting the bed back down flat when she needs to sit up, or vice versa? Is she risking giving herself a pressure sore or lung problems? Is she refusing to get up out of bed because she can use the remote to just sit herself up? Something is not right here - they would give her the remote back rather than hassle with her and with you if they thought it was OK to do that, you would think.I don't get why no one can tell you the real reason...

taking away the remote to a bed or a lift chair is a form of restraint this needs to be discussed with administration.

Nurses are not in the habit of "punishing" obese patients, and probably due to her size they may have thought she would get the remote stuck underneath her obese body and cause harm. Really. Bring your concerns to staff and administration and stop "assuming" the worse of staff. They are there to help. Do not forget most obesity issues were self-inflicted so blaming others is pointless. Sorry, but as a nurse, I have seen more people destroy themselves with food than anything else. Having a food addiction is just as deadly as illegal and legal drug misuse.

Nikki, let us know how it went. I have toendorse Pam's suggestion about the Joint Commission. The mere mention by me at my mom's last care meeting did wonders in getting better response from the facility, resulting in less frustration for us and better care for our mom.

nikki, if I were you I would go to jointcommission.org and fill out the online complaint form for this facility, including the remote and the bedsores and the fact that you were laughed at and pushed off by the head nurse.
Then tomorrow AM I would call the Director of that facility. Of course you won't get to talk to them either, but you can leave a message that a complaint has been filed with the joint commission.

She should have a bariatric bed which is wider than the standard bed and would be much more comfortable for her. Contact the long term care ombudsman. Call your local Area Agency on Aging or Bureau of Senior Services, they will be able to connect you with the ombudsman who is an advocate for those in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Your mom should be comfortable and that includes proper fitting equipment.

Thanks everyone. And I will keep in mind ombudsman, if the meeting doesnt help.

I feel like there's some missing information. First, find out why they don't think she needs her own bed remote. If you are not the actual power of attorney or guardian, they may not give you very much information.

Can your aunt say why it was taken away?

Document as much as you can. If the meeting with administration does nothing, talk to the nursing home ombudsman to get satisfaction.

Bed Sores are nasty. They can start up in 4 days or less and turn to be really really bad, and bad to the bone, in which case can be very toxic. They have air mattress that are on a machine to help reduce these. Or egg shell covers, easy, cheap, and very effective...Yes, do ask hospice for evaluation. it cannot hurt

She does not need hospice. She has been living in the same nursing home for sevenbyears, they have the necessary equipment to care for her, and the gave other obese patients. She has a moving mattress bed- the issue is that they took away remote for the mattress.

The obese are a real issue for a NH. Staff run the risk of their own medical issues in having to move, clean, etc the obese much less the obese bedfast resident. I would be somewhat careful in how you come accross when you speak with management - instead of what they are not doing perhaps approach how we all can do whatever for auntie approach. You don't want this NH to do a specialized level of care review for auntie. If they did one, it could come out that due to aunties obesity, she needs a specialized nursing unit that provides bariatric care for the morbidly obese that this NH does not have. Auntie would have a "bariatric care addendum" added to her chart. It would be difficult I think to find another NH to take her as most do not have the rooms set up for bariatric care. This is why I suggest you want to do whatever to work with this NH

Does she have enough comorbidities that she can be on hospice? I'd ask about her md to write orders for a hospice evaluation. If she goes onto hospice, the NH will have more hands to help with her care which benefits everbody. Hospice will come in 2 or more days a week to do care which helps NH staff. Also hospice can order specialized equipment - like a moving mattress bed so less bedsore issues; a shower Geri chair for bathing so she an actually be rolled to shower room to be cleaned.

She has been in the same nursing home for seven years. She changed floors last month, and her care has change with new nurses. She does have a good wheel chair that fits her, and they have a good lift to move her. But im thinking they should get her a bigger bed if they cant put her on her current one properly. My aunt has had mobility issues all her life, and moved into the nursing home when she lost use of her legs, she can slightly move them, but not much else... She is not one to try to get out of bed, or even move around in bed. When my mom asked for the remote back the nurses laughed at her. She has been using remote controlled beds for decades, and has never injured herself. I feel they are using this as punishment. An illegal form of physical restraint. They dont even keep the remote in the room!

I am guessing that they don't have a proper bed for her, nor a proper lift. Do they even have the larger wheel chair for her?

I have worked in many hospitals and nursing homes and unless the patient is at risk of harming their self with the remote you have to leave the remote within reach of the patient. The patient is at higher risk of falling if there trying to get out of bed to get the remote. This place doesn't sound safe they sound very uneducated

Weekends are not good days to find that kind of stuff out. Good luck!

My mom tried sunday. She went to, it must've been either the head nurse or social workers office in the building, but the woman was to busy to talk, and said to call and make an appointment. Was very rude. Im going over there today.

You call and talk to the head nurse on the unit, then take it to the social work head. Not by appointment, just call today.

She can:t get up, and doesnt try. She doesnt have use of her legs, and being overweight, and out of shape makes sitting up on her own difficult.

Do they have her on a bed alarm? Maybe they are actually afraid of her being able to get up if she can adjust the bed. Then fall. While bed alarms are great in some cases, they do not go off before a person is out of bed.