Is it normal for the nursing home to be saying dad can walk but then when we asked him to go from his wheelchair to the rocking chair this weekend, he could not lift himself. It took two of us in my family to help him - he was frighten, (don’t turn lose, don’t turn lose – so now I know where the scar came from a week ago – I believe there may have been a fall).
So why is nursing therapy staff telling us he is getting therapy and can walk with a walker but every time we visit they are rolling him in a wheelchair and not allowing him to do that part to keep some strength?
In fact, majority of patients are being wheeled around – an aunt believe this is norm for patients to not be allowed to walk due to limited staff possibly or a doctor's order.
While dad is doing much better, another concern is that at every visit, I bring him something to eat but then when I go to give him food, there is already leftover food in his mouth. This part concerns me and I would hate for him to end up with additional lung issues.
I’m trying not to say anything because I am not the one that placed him in the nursing home and is not considered the person of contact. According to nursing home, only the person of contact can make decisions including signing him out.
Thanks for helping! I just want some facts before stating my concerns. And other family members plan to have a family meeting soon.
I wanted to move dad into our home but spouse wouldn't agree but he is willing to help if we could get him into a rental home or another nursing home in our area. It takes us an hour now to visit.
But I will be requesting the therapist upon my next visit. However, I'm concerned right now with this lethargic term being thrown around since this weekend.
I called to check on dad today after getting in from an appointment with my child, and today's nurse says he is even worse - again using lethargic so they've called for the doctor to come out tomorrow. They said since vitals are good, he doesn't need the hospital but my night will be spent learning more of what that means and praying.
I don't know what I'd do without this helpful and supporting forum.
It wouldn't be a bad idea to ask staff members to show you how they're transferring him, in any case. That way a) you'll pick up some tips and b) you can satisfy yourself that this is happening regularly and in the correct way.
My mother arrived at her memory care in a wheelchair because she couldn't walk the distance from the car to the front door, but otherwise she could sort of walk with a walker. The distance from her room to the dining area/common room was farther than she'd walked in years, so there was no way she could have done that three times a day. She fell trying to get out of bed on her third day there and ended up with 28 stitches in her head, so that was the end of her walking days.
Sometimes people become wheelchair-bound for their own safety, and that may be the case for your dad.
I will call his doctor tomorrow and see if they'll order a swallow study and to have his lungs checked. I'm thinking I'll need to put this in writing also so that the nursing home and doctor's office can't say it's never been addressed as a concern.
Last month he had his psa test (another doctor office) and they had a really hard time getting blood even with changing needle sizes and arms. So they asked me to call his primary and have full blood work done to check for dehydration. I did and do you know, I never got a call back with results.
So with that very same appointment that was spoken about above, the nursing home said they would bring his walker - same thing, out comes the wheelchair. Then when we get to the back for urine test, I walk back in and he is spitting up what appears to be a breakfast bar.
This is the way we use to do mom when I was the primary caretaker (we would follow closely with the wheelchair in case she got tired.) So I may have to put in a request to see his therapy.
Thanks again for taking the time to address my concerns.
Dad may be able to walk with assistance (with a gait belt, with a walker, etc) but not be able to transfer from one space to another (bed to chair, bed to wheelchair, chair to stand).
Please confer with his PT about exactly where his skills are.
As for having food in his mouth - this is called pocketing and it happens when they begin to lose the ability to swallow properly. he may need to have a swallow study done and be on a modified diet. That's no excuse for leaving him like a chipmunk though, somebody should be checking that.