My aunt (91) is now basically bedridden. We brought hospice in because she is not getting proper care. APS was involved and they did nothing. Now what?

Call the Long Term Care Ombudsman in your state if you feel the nursing home is being negligent. The Ombudsman Program works to address shortcomings in nursing homes - they make sure the nursing home facility is following the rules. APS works to develop service plans and arrange for services on behalf of individual clients.

Hospice is usually called in near end-of-life situations. If you can talk to the hospice person, ask if there is a hospice facility that she can be transferred to.

Now what? You are not 'helpless' in this situation: Take your aunt home with you if you feel she's being neglected where she is. That's always an option. Or, realize that she's getting double the amount of care with hospice involved, AND the caregivers that regularly see her, and leave it at that, or move her to a different facility. If APS closed the case with this facility, then there IS no case to pursue. As the others have said, why would the staff come into your aunt's room to 'check on her' while your sister was there for 4 hours?

Hospice was not 'brought in because she is not getting proper care.' Hospice is brought in and paid for by Medicare b/c your aunt was diagnosed with less than 6 months to live.

Good luck!

tdhcouncil, any time I had visited my Mom when she lived in a nursing home, the Staff gave us private time. If I felt my Mom needed something *important*, I went to the nursing station and the Staff did respond.

My Mom also was on Hospice care, but please note Hospice isn't 24 hours a day. One has to read the manual that Hospice presents that tells what is their care schedule.

As AlvaDeer had posted, your sister was there, so the Staff felt your Aunt was in good hands.

Can I ask what specific care duties you are expecting but your Aunt is not receiving?

If your sister was there and capable of pushing the call button, of COURSE they weren't there. They knew SHE was and could summon them if help was needed. You have contacted APS. They have disagreed with your assessment of care. You can now call the Ombudsmen for the facility if you wish to pursue. You may want to reassess your own judgement before doing so, and you will need to have clear evidence with proof.
I am sorry you feel your elder isn't getting good care. This is painful to see, and you must feel helpless.

Talk to the Hospice Social Worker as well as the Nurse see if they can not get her transferred to either the Hospice In Patient Unit or another facility where she will get better care. Even if the transfer is a short one to give time to locate a better place. Medicare will cover a Respite that is paid for so moving her to either the Inpatient Unit or another facility should be possible.

A side note to your question...
Hospice does not "come in because someone is not getting proper care" Hospice comes in because a person is dying and Hospice will help make what remains of their life more comfortable.
Hospice got APS involved because of the lack of care being provided.
At that point Hospice SHOULD have done what they could to transfer your Aunt.
(personal thought..I am not one to sue but it sounds like you might have a case for neglect )

The staff in those facilities are aware that their patients are going on the way down. They know that their patients are practically "terminal". I assume that they don't put the best effort to care for these people. In many instances, State inspections of these facilities have found so many irregularities that have to close some of them. I'm not saying that all of these facilities are bad, but the good ones are difficult to find. It's easy to understand that the moral and motivation of the employees must be low. Those members of this fórum who are caregivers will understand. Yes, you have to be vigilant and always check the care your loved ones are getting.