What else can I do for my aunt who isn't being taken care of at her nursing home??

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tremaliz Asked January 2011

What else can I do for my aunt who isn't being taken care of at her nursing home??

Saturday I went to visit my Aunt at the nursing home. She has a broken ankle and a fractured wrist. She also had a stroke which affected her left side where her broken bones are. she has been there for 8 weeks now. Her wrist was so swollen from it dangling I almost had a heart attack. She then told me she had sat in a dirty diaper for 3 hours. I went to the director and as kindly as I could told her she needed to remedy these problems. The nursing staff was told to elevate and ice her broken bones. They have not done so. I went and purchased a sling for her arm so it wont dangle any more. Its still swollen and she complained about them not changing her again Help what should I do next???? (The staff in rehab are complaining to me about whats not being done. They work in the same facility.)

Elder Abuse

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score 0 · Answer 1

Hi trem, just wanted to see how things were going for you and your aunt.If you need help, yell. We can bombard them with e mail.d

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score 0 · Answer 2

Bless you for looking after your Aunt!!

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score 0 · Answer 3

Doesn't the rehab people have some say about their patients? I would think they would have a little clout at least. As for the diaper thing, 3 hours seems like along time to us, but in reality the staff at a nursing home is pretty thin at best. They are understaffed and over worked most of the time from what I've seen. I found that it's both the squeaky wheel idea and the positive reinforcement plan that gets things done around a nursing home. Either one or the other will work for ya, just got to find which one.

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score 1 · Answer 4

Call the state and report this as elder abuse. Do not soft soap this and back it up with documentation. do not threaten to call just do it.
DOCUMENT everything

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score 0 · Answer 5

Good advice on the ombudsman, etc. But see about osteoporosis treatment too. Sometimes that still gets neglected medicallyfor reasons that are beyond me, as there is bound to be at least one treatment option that most anyone will tolerate. Just checking a vitamin D level is pretty basic but does not always get done.

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score 1 · Answer 6

Luvmom is 100% right. No one and no place can come close,THERE"S NO PLACE LIKE HOME !

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score 3 · Answer 7

This is why my mom is HOME with me, regardless of the work involved. I said get her out, poor thing. I have heard hundreds of these stories , and seen it myself in rehabs and skilled facility nursing homes. IF anyone says they have good ones, they are making themselves feel better because its not true, unless they are visiting. Sorry to be blunt, we need to take care of our families, regardless. just have to make it work. If she is out of money, you can still get medicaid, its possible, hard work possible. Please give her extra hugs, poor baby.

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score 1 · Answer 8

Time to drop a dime.Hanging on the walls of every nursing home, is a copy of the patients Bill of Rights. It contains a toll free, "hot line " number to report just such things. This is CRIMINAL NEGLECT. Your Aunt is suffering.Make the call.

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score 1 · Answer 9

TREM:

Sounds like a lawsuit to me; so don't forget to take pictures. In cases like these what you say isn't as important as what you can prove.

-- ED

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score 1 · Answer 10

The very first thing you do is look in the phone book or on the internet for "elder abuse" lawyers. They specialize in nursing home neglect and abuse (which this qualifies as) and sometimes, even just a letter from them indicating that you & your mom are a client of theirs, gets their attention and they will take appropriate action. If not, then you ask the lawyer to file a suit against the nursing home. If you can't afford a lawyer, go to legal aid. There is NO reason you have to put up with this. There are many wonderful nursing homes and rehab centers that have their act together and sometimes, if the threat of legal action doesn't produce results, the threat of moving her to another facility might.

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score 0 · Answer 11

You may contact your ombudsman( you find them by calling number that should be listed on the bulletin board at the center, if not then go to internet and look up your state ombudsman program and they will give you your representative). The ombudsman will represent your parent's interest and investigate with you and they will get followup for you.

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score 0 · Answer 12

Call your Area Agency on Aging and ask if there is a patient advocate or nursing home ombudsman in your area. You might also ask whether this particular nursing home has a history of poor care. You'll find your area agency on aging at http://www.eldercare.gov

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score 0 · Answer 13

Thank you for the help! She has soft bones so the did use a splint and soft cast due to the stroke. I went in yesterday and now her ankle is swollen. I have an appointment with the director today!! I did take some pictures!

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score 1 · Answer 14

I would go back to the director, hey take some photo's on your cell phone or digital camera to look at and say hey, if this is not taking care of I will report it to government authorities. Geesh why is there no cast on her breaks? They have soft casts now anyways....geezus. And about the 3 hours in dirty diapers...well they have sections in the depends (or similiar product) that wicks away wetness and has some protection barrier.....but if your aunt is TRYING to alert someone to this issue (many don't even say anything and don't like to be changed...lol..go figure) and they still don't come and help to change her I would also get a little bit testy to the director about that as well!

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What else can I do for my aunt who isn't being taken care of at her nursing home??

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