How to remove spouse from rehab?

If he was put there by a hospital social worker, call that hospital department back and let them know about this particular place. Demand that they help you find another rehab that's better -- with perhaps dementia care.

Many people have had very bad experiences with their loved ones in residential facilities. These are the people we haer a from not those whos loved one has been cared for like family by staff.
Having said that someone can not be kept in an acute hospital bed when they no longer need it, some one like you or me may need it for a heart attack. I am assuming in this case the patient was on Medicare/Medicaid. That being the case the patient has to be placed in the first available N/H bed whether the family approves or not. After that the family has two choices, either take their loved one home or private pay for a better facility. if the patient is still competent they can discharge themselves, if not the POA can take the same action. After that it is the patient's famillies responsibility to transpot the patient to their home and provide the needed care. if the loved one is able they can leave by car or if needed an ambulance service can be hired at family expence to make the transfer.
If the loved on is at end of life Hospice can be called and they will provide their usual services to the loved one at home.
In the case of apparently neglectful care it is best to start with the facilities administration and find out why these things are happening and if conditions can and will be improved.
Wearing the same clothes for 24 hours is not in itself a major problem. when I was hospitalized for 2 weeks I was assisted with bathing everyday but my gown would only be changed if still clean with the bathe and that could well be more than 24 hours depending on the work load of the aide.
Being left in soiled garments is indeed both a health hazard and uncomfortable but again it depends on how long the patient was ignored. Was the patient capable of using the call bell, was it answered promptly? Was the spouse able to request a visit to the bathroom, if not were they taken regularily. It is usually easier to take someone to the bathroom than to have to change clothes and bedding.
I am in no way excusing neglectful care and fully recognise that it happens more often than one would like to believe and I urge everyone with a loved one in a facility to visit regularily at different times of the day especially on weekends when it is most difficult to get enough workers to cover each shift.
A patient's age has little to do with the standard of nursing care. it is the medical care you have to monitor closely foe anyone over 70 especially those who can not speak for themselves.

canyon i absolutely agree there has been gross negligence in this case. Every facility should check the bowel activity daily of all patients as part of their monitoring of vital signs and as soon as someone starts narcotic pain relievers they should be given stool softeners or laxatives and if necessary an enema. His belly should have also been assessed for bowel sounds nad general tenderness and firmness. All easy to do and reported to the Dr. once a bowel has obstructed like that especially if it has perforated the only option is surgery. In this case it was too late he either was not strong enough to with stand the surgery, infection had spread too far, or too much of the bowel had died.
Having said that he may have obstructed for many other reasons and died in any case.
The next of kin or POA can request a copy of his records and it is essential to obtain these before making any law suite noises. be sure to also include the nurses notes, they are really important. for your own peace of mind being able to read them your sleves will bring closure even if you don't want he addition stress of a law suit which may take years or months and could be very expensive..

I am in agreement with Veronica. The small thing I will disagree about is that
the explaining of rehab. If indeed he is in for rehab in a NH, then he is there under Part A Medicare which is covered for 20 days full coverage and then 80/20 which can be picked up for supplimental. To qualify, the discharge hospital therapy/Dr assessment was that this patient needed therapy to regain strength, functional, and also this environment helps to plan discharge planning.
Someone can have dementia and still get rehab. This will happened after pneumonia . Therapy will wean off supplimental oxygen, could be after MI, etc. etc. If the above is true, you are free to transfer your parent to a different facility, if as Veronica has explained, the right person makes that decision. As a therapist myself, I think the biggest questions are what is the quality of his therapy since that is what he is skilled for. Is he getting better? Unfortunately states have their nursing/patient ratios that don't change facility to facility. I will tell you it is terrible in many states. Some not so bad. All the best!

Thank You ALL for your answers. Yes I did speak to his Dr and staff as to the condition I found my spouse in on WEEKEND days( administration not around) and he was totally wet two days in a row. I have been going everyday after(and before) address matter it seems better but I still go everyday and had a talk with Social Workers and ALL who have his case in and out of Rehab. Doing good with therapy and don't want to pull him out . The Staff did not address underlining problem I had to tell them he cannot speak for himself. After this experience I won't let him out of my sight home is the best place not with strangers who for whatever REASON don't much care. GOD BLESS Stay Strong!

This iss how I look at rehab. Years go hospitals were responsible for the rehabilitation. No longer and insurance companies decide hen its time to release a prsson. So now we have rehab and i on Medicare the faclilty has to show how the patient is progressing. I they hit a plateau then they r discharged. Now, you've talked to the staff and feel nothing was done, then go higher up to the administrator. Maybe your spouse needs Depends for nighttime. You can have ur spouse any where u want as long as that facility takes ur insurance. You don't have to take their recomendation.

I guess I'm lucky here. Its a small town and I know what facilities I would not allow my Mom to go to.

Sorry about all the errors. Hard to see what I've previously typed.
Just want to say, just because they reccomend rehab you don't have to go. My Dad turned it down so did my friend. Both was after doing rehab before.

Hope1007-you are not alone. #1 take your spouse out of their as soon as possible. You have seen the signs of horrible care. It will not get better. Make moving somewhere else your priority. The facility knows what is going on. MOVE!!! I speak from experience. Find another facility. Go tomorrow. Talk to the head nurse. Get a bed secured. Tell them you need to move and as soon as possible. Every day take some of his belongings home. When you get that call that a bed is ready, you won't have much to move. Tell him you are taking him out. And drive with him to his new facility. There are good ones. You have to find one!! I I did it! You are in charge!!!!!

I found out a lot working, a a secretary for a Visiting Nurse Assoc and having an RN as a daughter who works in rehab/nh. Nothing will be perfect. The facility is only
As good as the employees. One thing I recommend is trying to find out what the turnover with staff is. This will tell u if the place is good to work for and that staff is happy. Where my daughter works, CNAs have been there 20yrs. Find out what the duties CNAs are to perform on a daily basis. They can have 20 to 30 patients and they do all the dirty work. Not an easy job for $10 an hour. Like everything else, you have good and bad. If u can figure who the bad CNA is request that he/she not tend ur loved one. You should get a billof rights when admitted.

This is not specific to your question, but the one experience I have had turned into a nightmare. My 80 yr old dad had a cardiac arrest with CPR at a hospital, They discharged him 4 days later. Since he had broken ribs from CPR, he could not tolerate Physical Therapy and he needed pain meds. He ended up with no BM for 9 days, even though I reminded the nurse every day. I came in at noon one day, his belly was huge and hard, and he said he felt like he was dying. I asked for the staff to call an ambulance for FIVE hours, and they said that the doctor said kept saying "'no." I had to get aggressive and demanded they call 911 or I would. They finally called. He had a bowel obstruction, with a perforated colon, had emergency surgery and died the next day.
Medicare guidelines require discharge from hospitals way before they are medically ready, especially for the elderly. I had no idea that Rehab did not do medical evaluation, EKGs, or x-rays. If I had,I would have insisted he stay at the hospital.