Thank you for your comments sunny girl - nc certainly sounds much more affordable than so cal ! Memory care facility is $315/day and private caregivers are $20/hour
What medications have her doctors tried to prescribe and why? There are some medications that do not cause a person to slouch in their wheelchair. My cousin, who has dementia and is in Memory Care, takes Cymbalta and it has helped her tremendously. She suffered from anxiety, depression and pain. She is much more content and is very alert. She propels herself with her feet all around the place. Not until recently has see wanted a nap in the afternoon. I've never seen her even slightly groggy. So, there are med options that might work for her, if they are needed. I would explore it.
If she is getting out of the wheelchair and falling, I would explore getting her a seatbelt for her chair. There are rules about those, so see what the doctor and facility say. These are belts that can be opened by the patient, however, they can have an alarm that attaches and alarms the staff when she gets out of it.
If she is NOT in a wheelchair, then I would explore all measures to keep her from falling. Once they start falling, it's very difficult to stop. My cousin suffered multiple falls, even fracturing her spine, because she kept forgetting to use her cane. She just did not have the ability to remember to use it and then she would go down. She didn't stop falling, until she went to the wheelchair. Her balance was horrible and her legs would no longer function. I've stood right next to her and caught her going over backwards, just from poor balance. She was unaware of how much she fell.
I know of someone who falls so much that they have him in a wheelchair right at the nurse's station. He will actually fall over while in the wheelchair.
I don't think I understand what you are wanting them to do that they have not done. And I never heard of a $17,000.00 per month cost for Memory Care. That's really shocking. Average costs for Memory Care in NC is $4800.00.
Have you thought about moving to a different state? There is a luxury Secure Memory Care facility in Youngsville, NC that is very nice. I am not affiliated with them in any way. Good luck with your situation.
I've had two care meetings in the five months my mom has been there both were at my request and one followed a fall where she had to be taken by paramedics to the ER
Some 90% of the residents are on anti-psychotics and since I refuse to allow their doctor to prescribe for my mm - we have are own doctor and neurologist - they use every tactic in the book to ge me to sedate her during the day - she's nearly 93 and I didn't put her there to have her slouched bee n a wheelchair
This is the root of my problems with the executive director who ignores me when I say hello - have a long list of issues which never get resolved but I carefully choose which I will do battle. I go out of my way to have relationships with staff and nurses but admin is another matter
The present matter involves what I feel is retaliatory action by the executive director - all levels of staff and night nurses have expressed their concern to me over her action but a the moment I have no other facility and there are too few choices but. Cannot continue to pay $17,000 a mnth for facility and now private caregivers for 12-hours a day
That's a good idea. I would try to get written information on the process in your jurisdiction. I would make sure I had written notes, including dates and times of things that are of concern. Have you questioned the facility about the things to see what their response is? Are you relying on things that you observed or things that a resident with dementia told you? I'd try to make sure that I had accurate information and knew the process. I would hope that you will get more responses here. I've never done that kind of thing. When I had issues, I put them in writing and requested a meeting with the director and staff, nurse, med tech, etc. We discussed the issues and upon advice of her doctor, set up a plan to address the issues and a timeline to see how it would work.
Is there anyone in the facility that you can talk to about your concerns?
I have not filed a grievance and do not know the details of your concerns or exactly what type of facility, but I do wonder if you have reached out to the local Ombudsman to assist with resolving the concern? They act as advocates for the people in long-term care facilities, know the state laws, etc.
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If she is getting out of the wheelchair and falling, I would explore getting her a seatbelt for her chair. There are rules about those, so see what the doctor and facility say. These are belts that can be opened by the patient, however, they can have an alarm that attaches and alarms the staff when she gets out of it.
If she is NOT in a wheelchair, then I would explore all measures to keep her from falling. Once they start falling, it's very difficult to stop. My cousin suffered multiple falls, even fracturing her spine, because she kept forgetting to use her cane. She just did not have the ability to remember to use it and then she would go down. She didn't stop falling, until she went to the wheelchair. Her balance was horrible and her legs would no longer function. I've stood right next to her and caught her going over backwards, just from poor balance. She was unaware of how much she fell.
I know of someone who falls so much that they have him in a wheelchair right at the nurse's station. He will actually fall over while in the wheelchair.
I don't think I understand what you are wanting them to do that they have not done. And I never heard of a $17,000.00 per month cost for Memory Care. That's really shocking. Average costs for Memory Care in NC is $4800.00.
Have you thought about moving to a different state? There is a luxury Secure Memory Care facility in Youngsville, NC that is very nice. I am not affiliated with them in any way. Good luck with your situation.
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Some 90% of the residents are on anti-psychotics and since I refuse to allow their doctor to prescribe for my mm - we have are own doctor and neurologist - they use every tactic in the book to ge me to sedate her during the day - she's nearly 93 and I didn't put her there to have her slouched bee n a wheelchair
This is the root of my problems with the executive director who ignores me when I say hello - have a long list of issues which never get resolved but I carefully choose which I will do battle. I go out of my way to have relationships with staff and nurses but admin is another matter
The present matter involves what I feel is retaliatory action by the executive director - all levels of staff and night nurses have expressed their concern to me over her action but a the moment I have no other facility and there are too few choices but. Cannot continue to pay $17,000 a mnth for facility and now private caregivers for 12-hours a day
Is there anyone in the facility that you can talk to about your concerns?