My dad lives in an AL facility and has for 3 years. Due to Covid, the facility was delivering meals to the residents. Now the restrictions are lifted, they want the residents to eat in the dining area. However, my dad is now under hospice care. He has dementia, heart failure, diabetes, and his colon cancer came back (his doctor gave him 6-9 months to live 2 months ago). Because of the colon cancer, he has "accidents". He has 24/7 caregivers from another service to help him with things like oxygen, cleaning up after "exploding", etc. Now the AL facility says he has to come to the dining area for his meals or have his caregiver pick up his meals for him which is a problem because he panics when he's alone. He is also a fall risk especially when he has to "run" to the bathroom (he's still mobile). AL says they will deliver his meals for a $10 a day charge. He pays over $4k for rent and over $20k for the caregivers a month. I talked to the Executive Director and she said if he has a note from the doctor they will deliver his meals....she quit last Friday. The Director of Resident care tells me he does not have a valid medical reason - even with the note. That it's only if they have a cold or flu, then they won't charge the $10/day. Is there anything I can do? There should be an exception but she is impossible to deal with....staff members have recently quit because of her.
As a side note, is this a corporate owned facility by chance? If so, I'd contact whoever runs or owns the ENTIRE corporation and file a complaint with them, using the DOR's name specifically. When I worked for a Memory Care, it was owned by Anthem and we had access to their corporate headquarters phone numbers; see if the receptionist at your dad's AL can give you that info.
I'm sorry for all you're going through, and for the added stress you're having to deal with. Sending you a hug.
I called the corporate office but it's all automated. Hoping the Department of Aging can help?!
Thanks for your response!
If he naps at all and the caregiver can pick up several meals at one time. The one that comes in in the AM to take over for the overnight could pick up breakfast. If dad naps mid day the caregiver might be able to pick up lunch and dinner. If each shift of caregivers picks up a meal on their way to dads room that might work.
I would also talk to the Hospice Social Worker and see if the Social Worker can "broker" an arrangement that would negate the $10.00 a day charge. If they can make an exception for other medical reasons you would think that being on Hospice would be a pretty darned good one!
I do hope one of these works out for you/him
That's ridiculous.