My father has been in LTC since the fall of 2019. The facility was 'not for profit' and owned by the Catholic diocese at the time, and through to spring 2021. He got through a year of no visitation during the height of COVID-19. It was misery for him and for my mother, but they did it.
The diocese sold the facility to an LLC that is buying homes all over the northeast and mid-Atlantic. I'd read so many horror stories about corporate-owned nursing homes but it seemed okay at first.
Then a new administrator was brought in last summer and, because my mother and I had pointed out flaws and failings in my father's care, he made a point of introducing himself to us and showering my father with special attention; donuts and coffee and trips outside. He gave us so many promises about all the good things to come... and if half of them had come true, it'd be heaven.
But it's constantly 'we hired X and X this week', 'give us two weeks', 'give us a month', 'we're getting there...' and they're saying that about things like better food and better preparation of food. And they seem to be hiring countless managers and supervisors, who don't do much with resident care, but precious few CNAs.
There's a new Director of Nursing now too, who actually told my mother to talk to the nurses if the treatment for my father's contracted hand isn't done twice-daily like his care plan says, that she can ask them to do it. That's not my mother's job, is it? And that's not even counting that the primary daytime nurse on his unit said she's not qualified to do the treatment.
They always ask "how do you know that?" and "who was it?" and don't seem to listen to anything my father says, and it feels like they're trying to strong-arm us into silent acceptance of whatever they say and offer.
And now they've hired a new dietitian who switched everyone in the facility to a different nutritional supplement, passed by the nurses, to 'encourage residents to eat more of their food' instead of drinking the supplement they'd been putting on food trays. They didn't notify anyone of the change, and there's a running theme among the residents that they ask each other in the hallways what the meat with dinner might've been, then discuss how they couldn't swallow it so... the food isn't encouraging but of course "we're getting there..."
I don't know what to do. They don't listen to my father, I think because he's very softspoken they've written him off as too hard of hearing to know what's going on or not fully cognitive. Neither are true. And now they're brushing off my mother when she speaks up for him, making her doubt herself... and him.
There are good people there, the therapists and some of the aides and nurses, and my parents have made friends there. Moving him to another facility seems like it would be so traumatic for everyone, a new surrounding and starting with totally unknown people and being unknown.
Everything seems like a terrible idea right now, but I don't want to give up. So if anyone has any advice... thank you!!!
And I apparently needed to vent so thank you for reading and listening and letting me even if there's nothing to be said!!
You want to make sure that the medication orders are correct, Kats. At least in my mom's case, every time she returned from a hospital stay, I needed to check them.
You have valid complaints and so do the residents. You could get an Ombudsman involved. All NH facilities are under state guidelines that must be followed. The inspectors come every so often. Maybe the residents can grab one and tell him/her to try the food.
The squeaky wheel does not always get the grease. Like said, you may get "you can always move him".
On Medicaid with a private room is really unheard of unless someone other than the resident is paying the difference. So don't be surprised if they want to move someone in with Dad or move Dad out to put someone in the room who is paying privately. Thats the excuse they usedvto move Mom out of her semi-private room. They were making it a privateroom.
Medicaid does not pay even close to what a facility gets for private pay. My Mom contributed $1700 a month with her SS and Medicaid paid 6000 for a total of 3 months. Shortly after going on Medicaid Mom was placed in a 4 bed room. I said nothing because she was in the common area most of the day and she was declining fast. She only slept in the room. So over the 3 months she was on Medicaid, they paid an average of 2k a month. 2k plus Moms 1700 = $3700 a month. A lot less than the $9300 she paid privately for a semi-private room.
I don't know what I would have done now if I had to place Mom. For the price you pay for care now your LO should be treated like kings and queens. For that cost too, I should not have to lift a figure to do anything for my LO. Should just be able to call an aide. Buy since COVID there are shortages when it comes to aides and turn over in staff. Where I live we have warehouses being built up and down the I-295 corridor. Some are paying very well. So, if your going to stand on your feet 8 hrs a day might as well work at a warehouse making $20 or more an hour with decent benefits. Mt grandson, with experience, started out at $22.50.
While much was okay, communication between among staff was appallingly bad. I chose to concentrate on the medical care my mom was getting, since her primary needs were post broken hip mobility and CHF. She had vascular dementia, but it was pretty mild and the geriatric psychiatrist who did her med management was good.
BUT the DON, the unit manager, the nurses and the CNAs seemed to have no communication with each other. Doctor's orders didn't make it into the chart; updates did not get reported by one shift to the next.
I called one day to speak to mom's nurse. I did this once a week at the suggestion of the DON, because I could only visit on weekends.
I asked how my mom was. He said she had "xyx"-- not a word I was familiar with. I asked him what that was and he said "she has a collapsed lung".
I called my brother who lived near the NH. He was able to get there and ascertain that mom was okay. He told the DON that we were having a care meeting the next day.
I drove up (NH was in CT; I live in Broklyn). I asked the group (DoN, admin, SW) about my mom's collapsed lung.
"Who told you THAT?!"
I reported the name of the RN and the time I'd called. I was told my mom did not have a collapsed lung.
I asked, very quietly if these folks could give me a good reason for me NOT to call the Joint Commision on Nursing Home Accreditation right then. (I learned about that HERE, from a poster named Pam Stegma who is an Ombudsman).
The corrective action plan they put in place THAT day worked pretty well.
I would suggest to you that the IMPORTANT thing that needs to be followed up on is dad's medical care, especially the contracture.
Bring treats for your dad and for the nursing station. Hold the feet of the administration to the fire and keep the number of the Ombudsman and Joint Commision in your cell phone.
My dad was told that my mom had liver issues. Again, she had no liver damage.
It makes one wonder how these types of miscommunication occurs.
Very wise of you to ask your brother to check in on your mom.
I have to say that in my area our Catholic hospice was sold off to an (for profit) organization unrelated to the church.
A dear friend of mine who took care of her sister in her home until she died (Downs syndrome and dementia) was told this from her hospice social worker.
The new organization isn’t even planning to change the name right now. So, people here will believe that they are working with a ‘nonprofit Catholic hospice’ when it isn’t.
Our city had several people who filed law suits against the church for abuse and they initially paid compensation to the victims. Now our archdiocese has declared bankruptcy and has sold off property and hospice. Very sad situation.
I am Catholic but I have not used Catholic hospices for our family due to the turmoil in the church.
Certainly, things are different now. I hope that your new organization will start to make improvements. Your parents deserve to receive the best care.
Wishing you and your family all the best. Keep us posted with updates. If things don’t improve, look into other options.
Care today is not getting better. It is becoming "follow the money" and hedge funds et al have got wind of the fact there is money here. Even hospice has deteriorated from a Mission driven wonder to absymal and worse. It is now down to one RN once a week who will sit and "talk" , two aids to give two baths, and a call from a clergy person and a social worker who will likely be completely inept. For this our government pays huge amounts. It is now all about profit off the elderly often enough and to be frank it is becoming worse.
That said there are still wonderful corporate owned facilities and my brother's ALF/MC was an example. Over the years I have been utterly amazed by their devoted care, and as you said, this takes people at the bedside. Those precious few CNAs cannot deliver good care no matter what their intentions may be.
I have been an RN all my life. Medicine is changing so rapidly now that we wait two months for an appointment and then find out we are seeing a physician's assistance. Hospice has taken a dive. And as I said, one has only to follow the money.
I am down to suggesting that if your father still has assets you look around for another place, or come to some understanding that this is as good as it gets.
And yes, it is UTTERLY HEARTBREAKING. And I am so sorry for it. I wish I could give you more hope.
Thank you, AlvaDeer.