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Rsred38 Asked September 2018

My mom was found next to her bed on the floor, was never /taken to hospital, has massive brain bleed & is taken 7 days later. Any advice?

She was brought to hospital. Facility never told doctors what happened. We had to call and threaten them to find out she had fallen 7 days before. Doctors tell us it's too late for surgery, they waited too long. They tried surgery anyway, but the subhemotama bleed way to long and she is dying. Is this negligence? 1 week before we were singing, dancing, painting together. She's only 70, other than suffering from Alzheimer's is in great health. And now, she's brain dead, neurologist insisted if she pulled through not to let her go back to same facility. I quote " it is very alarming and dangerous they would not call or ensure proper care."  I am simply devastated, and at $9,000 a month was expecting... I don't know I don't even have the words right now. Is this negligence? The 3 neurologist wants us to get an attorney.... should I?

JoAnn29 Sep 2018
Want to comment on what MACinCT said about pharmacies.

Pharmacy Techs fill prescriptions, not sure what kind of training they receive. But, no prescription is to go out without the Pharmacist checking the order. The tech won't be held accountable for an error the Pharmacist will.

JoAnn29 Sep 2018
Records should show the fall and you should have been called. If there is nothing in her records then the state should get involved.

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JoAnn29 Sep 2018
I live in NJ. If a resident falls and no one saw it, they are sent to the hospital. They cannot be sure she didn't hit her head. I would report the incident to ur state Ombudsman. U may be able to sue especially if this causes her death. So sorry.

TNtechie Sep 2018
By not informing you of the fall, the facility not only failed to secure timely care for your mother, they also denied you the opportunity to visit and do your own assessment which may have gotten your mother to the hospital in time for effective treatment. This definitely needs to be reported to the state governing board and a lawsuit does make companies take notice and change procedures.

I'm so sorry that you lost some good years with your mother because of the facility negligence, but someday you may consider it something of a mixed blessing too. You also lost many of the bad years and heartbreak of ALZ progression. God bless and comfort you doing this trying time.

Daughterof1930 Sep 2018
I’m so sorry this has happened. I’d certainly follow the doctor’s advice and consult a medical malpractice attorney very quickly

katydid1 Sep 2018
If there is a fall that wasn't seen by staff, staff is supposed to initiate neurological checks and continue them for three days to ensure that a head injury wasn't sustained. They are supposed to check blood pressures, pupil size, orientation, level of consciousness etc... I would find out if this was done. As a former Director of Nursing at several LTC facilities, this sure sounds like negligence to me. There would have been some physiological changes that should have been caught by the nurses. I would definitely consult with an attorney and report the facility to the state.

FarmJelly Sep 2018
I don’t know if you have a case or not, Talk to a reputable medical malpractice attorney. They usually take cases on contingency, meaning they don’t make money unless they win your case. They will not waste their time on a case they KNOW they cannot win. So if they say you have a case, you probably do.

MsMadge Sep 2018
I'm so sorry this has happened

I cannot comment on whether you should take legal action against the facility, but if you can seek a consultation and advice on reporting the incident to your state's licensing board for investigation - falls are impossible to prevent but the resident's family (POA) should be notified immediately

I've observed in mom's memory care facility (which is in the price range you mention) folks take some horrible falls, and 911 is generally not called

Igoforward Sep 2018
I certainly would call for an initial consultation.  An elder care attorney may be of great assistance. Before you sign or agree to anything, be sure that you have covered all bases.

Midkid58 Sep 2018
When a DR tells you to get an attorney, I think you'd better do so and quickly.

so--Mom lives in a MC facility, right? Other than the Alz. she was fine. She has a tragic fall/ brain bleed and you don't know about it for a week? How is that possible? This is, if your facts are correct, negligence on the part pf the MC unit--yes, people fall, but was she trnsported immediately to the hospital or did they let it go for too long?

I'm a bit confused--NO ONE in the family was called? And no one knew about this until a week after she'd been taken to the hospital? I'd kind of like to hear a more in depth timeline here.

You should consult and attorney, ASAP and get these 3 neuro docs to be on board with their POV's.

I'm sorry about your mom. 70 is way too young to go--when you are happy and enjoying life.

I have seen stellar care at the $9k a month level and stellar care at the $2K month level--it isn't about the money, but YES, for 9K a month, mom should have had almost one on one care.
what a tragedy!

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