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Mom was send to the Dr.by transportation the facilty provide. Her apt. was for 1pm. I arrive at 12:45 and my mother was in the office by herself, the office was out to lunch. Then I notice my mother had no coat on, I ask her what happen to her coat and she stated they where rushing her. My mother already has a cold. they left a card with my mom to call transportation when she was ready to come back. My mom has dementia and a behavior problem. I call the faclity while i was at the dr. office and spoken to the nurse that send her out and told her my mother was send out without a coat, and she stated i am sorry. After the apt. I and my daughter took her back in my car to the facilty and made a complaint to the DON. And was told he would let the unit manager handle it. I really feel that nothing is could to took place. How should i handle this. Is this call elderly neglect.

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To me it seems like neglect to send a dementia patient anywhere unaccompanied. Could you meet them at the NH and ride with her in the future?

A sister and I met our mother at an appointment. She, too, had a number to call when she was done. The NH knew we would be there, and also the office was used to this procedure so they took the card from her and made the call for her. But except for us daughters there was no one around at first to help Mother. But what if we had been delayed and weren't there to meet her? She would really have been upset all alone in a large reception lobby.

I think you've handled this as you should. You've made your complaint. Unless it happens again, assume the word has been passed along appropriately. If it does happen again, report it to the ombudsman.
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When my mom has a doctor's appointment, I ask the NH to send her with a CNA. I meet them there. I can't handle my mom, the wheelchair, the bathroom and entertaining her while talking to the doctor.
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Trident JB is right but I would also diary it what happened what you did how your Mum felt. Details can be essential so who you spoke to etc is important dates times places people - if you like the who what why where when how of it all. Don't think you will remember - you won't
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This story breaks my heart... I have tears in my eyes..

We trust these homes to care for our loved ones and understand their health issues..

Imagine being another patient sitting in the waiting room and seeing this poor women sitting there in a wheelchair without a coat.. And being who we are, we would know she had Dementia... So heartbreaking...

If it was my Mom I would have been a raving lunatic..
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Me too AA I have to say while I know it was handled correctly I would have gone ballistic - in fact you might have had to pinch the OPs name and called me trident or exocet
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I just recalled a time when my in the NH it was roughly a month before he passed and they transported him to an appt.

I met the ambulance there and stayed with him the whole time.. He was on a gurney and couldn't walk..
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Oops "Dad" in NH...
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In a Nursing Home? or in Assisted Living? Are you sure you are at the highest level of care?
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For pamstegma : I thought I was with the highest level if care.
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I am confused. When our mom was in AL, she was transported to MD appointments, but at the Nursing Home, she never had to leave the facility, there was always an MD there or on call. Even for behavioral issues, the MD took care of everything.
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One has to remember that patients with Alzheimer's/Dementia don't always cooperate, and might not wanted to put on a coat. It's like trying to dress a definite 4 year old.

I remember whenever I needed to take Dad, who at the time didn't have dementia just old age decline, to a doctor appointment it was a struggle to get him there on time.... we'd be halfway out the door and he would need his wallet and the scavenger hunt would begin only to find the wallet in a pair of pants in the hamper.... then Dad would want a certain pair of eyeglasses to wear, again another search... then his cane was missing so instant replay of the scavenge hunt.... etc.
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The only reason my mom has had to be transported out of the NH is for a procedure, i.e. to go to the dematology office for the removal of what turned out to be a basal cell carcinoma ( it looked very much like a melanoma). In general, we have avoided outside appointments, as Pam says.
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I don't want you to feel as though we are " blaming the victim here", but doing a doctor's appointment at lunch time is not a great idea.
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My mom had to go to a nearby clinic for scans of her hip fracture several months after it happened. She may never have another outside-of-facility appointment, since most care is available in the NH. But if she ever does, I would not meet her at the appointment, but go to the NH and accompany her. That's hindsight, which is always perfect vision! :)

People with dementia should never be sent out on their own, in my opinion. But my opinion and what the NH is set up to do may not always match.
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jeannegibbs, your opinion is exactly right! I would meet mom at the NH and go with her or pay extra for a qualified professional to accompany her. I might even go AND bring a trained person.
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I've discovered that if I go to the facility first, they make excuses why they can't free up a CNA to send. I meet mom and the CNA at the appointment ( I'm coming from 90 minutes away, so anything can happen). Talking with the social worker got this problem fixed.
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