I would say try to be VERY understanding and keep trying. Can you even BEGIN to imagine the distress of their residents, the amount of time they must spend with them when they would otherwise have been occupied with family? The extra feeding and things that families always do. And perhaps they have people out sick and afraid. Please try to be understanding. I know this is terrible for everyone, but we will increasingly depend on the good will of strangers.
They may be short staffed. This virus has created a lot more work for everyone in the health care industry. You don't know what's going on with the other 4 residents. If your sister is okay then there is no news to give you. I would be patient and assume that no news is good news.
Combination of only 4 residents and most are going to sleep at some point, they can't make a 2 min call to say all's well when most or all are asleep?
I can understand they being too busy to answer, esp if they have to do extra cleaning, so it might take a while to get back to you, but seriously, they can't respond after 2 days? Even if staff is tied up, where is the owner or the person who oversees everything? Text, email, phone, there are many ways to let everyone know what's going on.
I got the first email about their initial steps to protect everyone, with an attached detailed PDF listing everything that they were doing to protect the residents.
The second email was warning that gov'na might be ordering lock down of all NHs and ALs. THAT was followed up by a phone call, to ensure I was aware and got the email. The call allowed me to ask a few questions. Given the potential, I made sure I went to visit and bring some extra supplies.
The third email was another PDF attachment about going lock down (only news I read said NHs - mom's facility is IL/AL/MC.) It was also very detailed and specific.
When others are caring for our LOs, there needs to be communication, esp for those who can't communicate on their own (my mother has no phone, wouldn't know how to use it and can't her on it anyway, has never done any "social media" so that's out - I NEED to rely on someone there who gives a crap to answer me if I ask something. It doesn't have to be instant, or even same day, but TWO DAYS? No. THAT is wrong! A quick email or call, to contacts for 4 people, isn't going to be overwhelming.
I would be upset if a phone call wasn’t answered. Family members want to know what is going on. I like open door policies. I want clear communication with people.
They should be in communication with family members at all times and certainly at a time when there is extra concern about loved ones.
If they don’t have time for many phone calls they could send out emails, set up auto text message system or have a Facebook page with updates.
I don’t think you are out of line to ask for a well check to put your mind at ease. Best wishes to you and your family.
I don't understand why anyone is advocating that someone call the police if the facility does not answer the phone. I see this suggestion from a lot of posters here so maybe I am under-reacting but I don't think calling the police or APS is a valid idea. If you have been satisfied with the care your LO has received up to this point, then there is no reason to think that the care is absent now. I do agree that facilities should be sending out emails and updates in general. But calling the facility and warning them that the police will be called if they don't answer is really an extremely bad idea, in my opinion. If you are near enough to stop by, I would do that. I do understand how stressful this is and if they don't answer the phone, that just ratchets it up. I have 2 LO's in 2 different facilities that we cannot visit. But I am sure they are well cared for and if there is an issue, the facility will let me know
However....OP states there are only FOUR residents in this facility. Given this factor alone, if it were my loved one and i didnt get a response in 48 hrs and i didnt live close enough to go there in person, yes i would definitely ask for a wellcheck...,
CWillie, good point! I was thinking of e-mailing, or dropping a letter off at the site, but forgot to mention that. Thanks for the good reminder that phone contact doesn't seem to be effective now and another means of communication is required.
Help them out by suggesting some of the solutions posted here. They may be overwhelmed and don't know how to cope or provide updates. I think daily e-mails is an excellent idea. If they and the families have Skype capability, that's another option.
Tech people, any suggestions for keeping in touch?
Personally if it were me in your situation and youve had no contact from them in 48 hours, i would be on the phone with police dept asking for a well check.
Is it run by an organisation? Is there an head office?
Call again. Advice Police coming if don't get a reply.
If no reply, call Police. Ask for welfare check as very vulnerable people there. May have low staff who are busy (but just in case of worst scenario no staff).
They NEED to have get a communication method for worried families - group txt, Twitter whatever. I know it's extra work so whatever is the quickest way. Group email probably with a "All good here".
Maybe leave a message asking if they could send out a short daily email about thngs? Maybe a general one to all the families or spokespersons? It would be easier on them than all those phone calls.
These are extreme circumstances. Even at that NH in Kirkland that's on the news all the time they don't answer the phone. That's one reason why the relatives are all freaking out. They can't find out if their LO is still alive.
If their LO was not alive or even if sick, they would be notified. In Kirkland, people are sick and so those family members are really upset but still, they would be notified. In Illinois, where I live, we do have one facility that had a positive patient over the weekend. I have not heard of a lot more and we just need to be grateful that staff is coming to work and taking care of them.
I would send the Police asking for a well check. Tell them the home is not answering calls. If Police can't do anything, call APS. You have a right to know how your LO is doing.
Oh, seriously. She does have a right to know how her LO is doing but maybe in these extreme circumstances, she can assume if there is a problem, she will receive a call? We should all be glad the staff is showing up at all. Call the police? Maybe they might be busy with other things? And then, APS. If there are 10 people in the home, having people calling to ask how their loved one is, would be 10 calls they don't have time. We need to relax a little; yes, I know it is stressful, I have 2 LO's in 2 different facilities that I cannot visit either but I do know that the facilities will call if there is a problem.
I expect they are a bit busy. If four people each have (say) ten people who because of all the news headlines are newly concerned about them, and if all those ten people ring four different times, and if when each of them does get through they have twenty unanswerable questions about what effect the lockdown will have on their loved one's care...
Do you have any specific thing you need to tell them or ask them? If not, and you just want to let your sister know that she is not forgotten, I should mail a card to her instead.
They should be updating the primary contact person. And most LOs do NOT have 10 people calling, and if they do, some of those are optional as to call back.
I can understand they being too busy to answer, esp if they have to do extra cleaning, so it might take a while to get back to you, but seriously, they can't respond after 2 days? Even if staff is tied up, where is the owner or the person who oversees everything? Text, email, phone, there are many ways to let everyone know what's going on.
I got the first email about their initial steps to protect everyone, with an attached detailed PDF listing everything that they were doing to protect the residents.
The second email was warning that gov'na might be ordering lock down of all NHs and ALs. THAT was followed up by a phone call, to ensure I was aware and got the email. The call allowed me to ask a few questions. Given the potential, I made sure I went to visit and bring some extra supplies.
The third email was another PDF attachment about going lock down (only news I read said NHs - mom's facility is IL/AL/MC.) It was also very detailed and specific.
When others are caring for our LOs, there needs to be communication, esp for those who can't communicate on their own (my mother has no phone, wouldn't know how to use it and can't her on it anyway, has never done any "social media" so that's out - I NEED to rely on someone there who gives a crap to answer me if I ask something. It doesn't have to be instant, or even same day, but TWO DAYS? No. THAT is wrong! A quick email or call, to contacts for 4 people, isn't going to be overwhelming.
They should be in communication with family members at all times and certainly at a time when there is extra concern about loved ones.
If they don’t have time for many phone calls they could send out emails, set up auto text message system or have a Facebook page with updates.
I don’t think you are out of line to ask for a well check to put your mind at ease. Best wishes to you and your family.
Tech people, any suggestions for keeping in touch?
Call again. Advice Police coming if don't get a reply.
If no reply, call Police. Ask for welfare check as very vulnerable people there. May have low staff who are busy (but just in case of worst scenario no staff).
They NEED to have get a communication method for worried families - group txt, Twitter whatever. I know it's extra work so whatever is the quickest way. Group email probably with a "All good here".
Do you have any specific thing you need to tell them or ask them? If not, and you just want to let your sister know that she is not forgotten, I should mail a card to her instead.