Mom's all set to move into AL but doctor wants to put a special diet as a requirement: low salt, fat and diabetic, on her plan of care. She is not wanting to budge on this. This facility doesn't do special diets and will not take her if the diet requirements are not changed to “regular diet" on plan of care. My mom doesn't eat this diet, never has. She has controlled high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes with meds. Is 87 and 119 lbs., with probable but undiagnosed dementia? Needs to gain weight if anything! I’m at the end of my rope, taking care of her 24/7 after she had a bad fall 3 weeks ago, nothing broken but can barely walk, very needy, terrified of falling again. We were already in the process of getting her in this facility for IL and realized she needed AL and desperate to get her somewhere safe so we are in a temporary 2 bedroom apartment here. I am Health Care POA, can I override this as health care proxy and say she does not want/need this diet? Should I find another doctor to fill out plan of care? Move her into IL with 24/7 care? I realize we can find another facility, but not really wanting to start back at square one as we finally able to get her safe and agreeing to leave her house to get help. We love this facility and the people and she is getting wonderful care here and has started physical therapy and is improving already. If this isn't resolved we may have to move her back to her house which we really don't want to do because it is not safe for her right now. Her furniture and things will have to be moved back. So much time and effort will have been wasted all because of this one doctor’s stubbornness!
This doctor seems quite rigid about eating habits. I wonder if she treats all of her elderly patients this way. It’s a shame that she caused a delay in moving in.
Are you planning on staying with this doctor?
At your mom’s age many people would feel that your mom should be able to enjoy eating whatever she wants.
IMO the doctor can recommend doesn't mean Mom has to comply. Dear Dr is not God. The AL doesn't do special diets and Mom won't follow it anyway. Since both agree that the diet won't be followed, then I see no problem. The AL can't make Mom eat that way even if it was recommended or even ordered by the doctor. Does the facility have a doctor who can override the others recommendations. This is not a NH or hospital this is a residence that provides meals.
A change of doctors is called for when doctors are unrealistic.
Your mother's blood sugars WILL have to be monitored in her facility so if they are not capable of doing that, then I am a bit worried about them. It also concerns me that they have only one diet? However, I do think at 87 your mom has the right to eat absolutely whatever she is able unless it is a diabetes so severe it would require SNF and administration of daily multiple doses of insulin for out of control Type I diabetes.
I am only loyal to those that I respect. I wouldn’t think twice about leaving your mom’s doc.
You can do better than this guy. My mom’s doctor was the opposite. Mom needed to gain weight and she was told that she could eat ice cream every single day if she wanted to.
Your mom is thin too.
Best of luck to you and your mom.