What should I do when I'm not happy with the nursing home my husband is in and am thinking about moving him to another one?

Thanks to all of you who have commented. We are in North Carolina. His Medicaid has been approved for more than a year now. My first step will be to see the administrator of the NH where he is now, but I doubt that my complaint will move them to hire more staff. Have to keep the stockholders happy, you know. A friend who used to be on the local nursing home advisory committee mentioned the ombudsman. I've begun to do some research and when I get all my ducks in a row I'll call on my youngest son, who is a trained nurse and has graduated from law school. He can be a mover and a shaker, no problem. He lives ten hours' drive away, but he visits when he can. Thanks for detailed advice, igloo572, particularly the tip about the meds. I wouldn't have thought of that. As for the amount of his copay--Social Services calls it "patient liability"--right now it's $973, but if it comes to a move, the caseworker at Social Services would have the authority to review that and make any appropriate changes.

The key to moving is having Medicaid application completed, run through the caseworker and with approval letter. I've moved my mom from one NH to another, it can be done.

If his status is that he/you have done the application and still have NOT gotten the official approval letter from the state, then you kinda have to wait for it. If you move him now - without a definite approval - then the NH can ask you/his family for payment of his room & board from Day 1 to the date of the move at either private pay rate or Medicaid rate before he can move. They might or will view it as kinda like you're potentially skipping out on paying the bill. Understand?

But if he is full accepted by Medicaid and you have the letter, then moving him is simple. The NH has to accept the regulations on moving that Medicaid sets. Find the new NH and tell them you want to move him to their facility. NH # 2 will send a RN & social worker team to the old NH - this will be a visit to see if what he needs can be provided by the new NH # 2.

For my mom it was pretty routine.I did all the paperwork to transfer her to NH # 2 in advance. The nursing evaluation team went out maybe 4 days later, called me from my mom's bedside @ NH #1 that my mom was good for them. I then faxed over a she's moving letter to NH #1. Now the old NH does not have to be all kum-ba-ya welcoming to the nurse team coming over, but you as his spouse can make this decision. So just too bad for the old NH if they get all huffy about this.

Medicaid reinburses on a daily rate, so if they take Medicaid, they have to accept payment for exactly the # of days he is there for that month. He has a co-pay, right? So what is his co-pay? It will be whatever the amount is in the state's acceptance letter. Like my mom's monthly co-pay base is $ 1,800 a month less her personal needs allowance (which in Texas is $ 60 a month) so my mom's monthly copay is $ 1,740.00. And for a 30 day month would be $ 58.00 a day while for a 31 day month would be $ 56.12 a day. So if mom was there 10 days for a 31 day month, she would owe $ 561.20. Understand? If you possibly can, you want to move him right at the beginning of the month, so that you only have to do the co-pay just a couple of days at the old NH at the most and then the rest at the new NH and you have the money to do it. If his SS pays on the 3rd of the month, then move him on the 4th as you have the money and it still is within a 10 day late fee.

Also you want to MAKE SURE you get all his medications at NH #1!!!. Medicare & Medicaid pay for these on a monthly basis and is it very hard to get them to pay for a 2nd set of RX's. You will have to private pay for this, which could be a lot of $$. The med's are his, so you will need to be firm about taking them when he leaves. They are usually in a 30 day blister packs and in either: attached to his chart in a big plastic hanging bag in a locked section of the nurses station or in a locked closet where the medication cart is kept. Take some pint size Ziplock's and a black Sharpie marker, just in case the nursing staff are witches and dump a handfull of pills on the counter as they have "no extra containers". If you aren't the pittbull type, then get a friend or family who can be, to make sure you get everything from his room and all his medications.

Ask the NH # 2 when they want him there. For my mom she needed to be there by/before 11 AM so she could go to lunch and meet her table. Also that gave me time to get all her stuff into her closet, etc. If you know a move is going to happen, just start to take stuff now home with you and wash it and re-mark it with his name and have it packed and at the ready. I was able to set up my mom's room the day before, so it was all clean & done with just a few photos to hang. Good luck.

My friend it really doesn't matter what nursing but for you...Move him your going find a lot of them short Hand. a lot has gone to private care homes because of the treatment they get, now,, not all nursing homes are bad but I will tell you at least 70 percent your going find short handed but you can be short handed and have good care,.. if you feel your love one is not getting the best of care then move him..i would but check out others thoroughly ask a lot of questions when you do . I do private care and I will tell you some of my client are so happy

where is the NH ? What state?

Reading your profile, I'd say you have good instincts. Go about your business quietly and see if you can set up another place so all you would have to do is tell them and move him, no long waits etc. If you aren't happy I'd listen to your heart and gut.

Can you put his name in for the waiting list for the other NH? I don't know if they have to accept Medicaid rates at the next home.

Try talking to other family members at the present NH to get their take on things. People want to think that the place where their LO is, is a good place, but they are the best resource you have. Also get in touch with the Ombudsman to see if there have been other questions.

Good luck.