Ostomy & Oxygen & Independent Living. Any suggestions?

CNAs (certified nurses aides) are not medically trained. There are things that family members can be trained to do but the State may not allow a CNA to do it. A catheter would be something an aide could not do. I had a Nurse I worked with that would not do a catheter. A CNA can't do a med planner. She reminds the client to take their meds but cannot hand them to them. Only Medtechs can do that.

I too think Mom needs to be in an AL. They have at least one RN on duty.

Details of regulations can vary from state to state.
Your description of the 'old facility' sounds as if there were caregivers who reminded her to take her meds (unskilled), empty ostomy (unskilled), help with supplemental oxygen (may be unskilled if pt just needs simple help to turn on the concentrator - but not if pt does not know when to put on oxygen, cannot state flow rate, can't clean device, etc.), and change ostomy appliance (similar to oxygen criteria.)
However, if her prior independent living did not allow her to return to their care, the reasons likely have to do with changes in her functional level.
A fall, a trip to hospital, and to rehab can leave a 99 1/2 y.o. with cognitive slowness, general weakness, and a need to rest and return (if possible) to previous level of independence.
Oxygen and ostomy are often considered "skilled nursing" tasks. At the very least, see if her MD can order skilled home health care for safety at home after a fall, and whatever else is reasonable considering her discharge diagnoses.
I'm surprise the rehab center didn't arrange this in advance.
RN and PT can treat and assess her, and see if she can manage O2 and ostomy on her own, or guide staff within the limits set by the facility of how much their staff can do.

What you are describing most Independent Living facilities would not do that would be for Assisted Living.
the definition of independent living would be that the resident does not need help with daily or personal tasks. I would think this would be a liability issue as well as possibly the thoughts of…”why am I paying for assisted living when Mrs Smith in Independent living gets help and does not have to pay for the assistance”

I see. The IL she was in seemed to think she was fine in IL with their added help. She is mobile, cogent, and likes to participate in activities. But I certainly understand that the added care may require round the clock nursing.

I'm curious that O2 and Ostomy are such bugaboos. They are very easy to help her with, imho. Seems like something a CNA should be allowed to do.

Yes - we talked all about her needs before we chose to move her, and we thought we were good except for ostomy bag change.

Anyway, I just wondered if there were home care givers who could manage a portable concentrator, and emptying and replacing the bag.

Even with talking with elder-care resources all around, the instruction manuals are hard to come by :)

Jim

You are surprised that you can't find caregivers to care for a 99.5 year old woman who lives in an INDEPENDENT apartment who needs help with emptying an OSTOMY bag and oxygen, plus meds? Why would you think your mom is capable of living independently after a fall, a hospitalization and a stint in rehab? That's the surprising part of your post, honestly! Elders living in IL should require little to no care at all, ergo 'independent living'.

My suggestion is you move your mother into Assisted Living right away, but not before you find out if THEY are equipped/willing to help her with such things as emptying an ostomy bag. You may have to place her in Skilled Nursing for such care. The AL my dad lived in would not help him with catheter care; I had to take him back & forth to the ER each & every time an issue arose with his catheter. All they would do at the AL was empty the urine out of it, nothing more.

Good luck!

You were lucky with her last IL. IL means just that, they need no care. My Aunt lives in a community where IL, AL and LTC. She is able, in her IL, to have some ADLs done, at a cost. But some ILs do not offer any of this.

Did you make the IL aware that Mom needed some help? Usually an aide is not certified to do oxygen or ostomy.