How do I go about transferring my mom from a horrible rehab to another?
At first I was so greatfull because she would be 5 minutes away from my house and her pets who are sooo sad.This place is a horrible,nasty nightmare!! I’d rather her die at home than be in there another day! Plz help
Can you please describe for us what you are seeing at this facility? Have you documented it?
Have you requested an omsbudsmen? Have you documented what you are experiencing? Have you reported the facility to the state licensing agency? Have you spoken to the Social Workers and MD in charge of care?
I posted earlier but I would like to add a few things.
It’s been stated on this site that people who have strong advocates in their corner will receive the best care. This is certainly true.
Your mom is one step ahead of the game because she has a daughter who is concerned about her welfare.
I had an issue with the place where my mom did rehab. This place was recommended to me by people I trusted.
Overall, the care was very good. The problem came from one particular nurse and I addressed the issue. The other nurses were fine.
This wasn’t a ‘personality’ clash or something petty. This was a medical issue that could have been dangerous for my mom if it continued to occur.
The facility was understaffed, which I feel sorry for the workers who are pulling double shifts. I know that this is hard for them.
Still, they should never place a patient’s health at risk. The nurse double dosed my mother on purpose so she wouldn’t have to make a second trip back to her room.
My mother caught the incorrect dosage immediately and told her that she was giving her twice the amount.
The nurse told her to take it anyway. Mom asked if it would hurt her to take double the amount of pills. She said no.
Mom trusted her as an educated authority figure but was uneasy about the situation. Mom didn’t want to make any waves and took her meds as instructed.
When I visited her the next morning mom told me about it. I was livid!
I called her pharmacist and asked if she was in any danger. The pharmacist was very upset and said, “Not this time with only one extra dose of her Parkinson’s medication but if she continues to do this, there will be a problem. Please tell the DON that this is happening because if she is overdosing your mother, she is most likely overdosing other patients as well and she could cause serious problems for the patients in rehab.”
Mom was fearful of the Nurse being written up and thought that she might not treat her well. I told mom that she had nothing to fear because I would handle it.
I reported the incident to the DON. The DON said that the matter would be handled properly.
I said that mom felt uncomfortable being treated by this nurse and I was told that the nurse wouldn’t be allowed to enter my mother’s room.
I was satisfied with how the DON handled our situation. I was told that when the nurse was confronted that she confessed to everything. I don’t know what the consequences of her actions were. I didn’t ask.
All I cared about at that point was that my mom was not going to be overdosed again and that they could deal with the solution of how to handle the disciplinary actions.
We had different situations with my father’s rehab after his heart surgery and stroke. Geeeeeez, this place was so bad that the state actually shut the facility down! We were constantly watching over my dad’s care.
The staff there were panhandling patients families in the bathrooms! I had to tell my mom not to give them money! They were asking my mother for “bus money” to get home after their shift was over. I am a person who gives money to those in need but this was crazy.
Daddy never had water in his room. I asked if he could have water. They said yes. They never got any for him. I got it myself. Daddy drank it like he was dying of thirst.
That place was horrible. I caught them many times sitting on the edge of his bed watching soap operas instead of serving the needs of the patients in rehab.
Theft was rampant, food was disgusting, etc. Very sad place! As soon as we could find another place for rehab, we did. I was thrilled when I heard that the state shut them down.
You find a better Rehab, take a tour. Ask what you have to do to transfer him there. You may have to hire a private transport. The NH sent my Mom to the hospital. She was released to us so we took her back to the NH. We were told she had to be sent back by transport. At 12am in the morning the transport was going to take a while. In the meantime the Nurse on duty at the home called her supervisor and she allowed us to bring Mom back. The Nurse met us at the door. Lessoned learned.
Be aware though, that his 20days where Medicare pays 100% do not start over. If he has been there, lets say 10, he starts at 11 at the new place.
I was in the same spot w my mother and a "Medicare 5 star rated" rehab SNF I wouldn't allow a dog to stay in. I found another rehab SNF heads above the one she was in, spoke to the admissions director there who called Medicare FOR me and got the authorization underway. Then I informed Rehab Hell mom was leaving and stayed on top of them to make sure they didn't kill her AND hurried their arses up making the transition. The new SNF sent a mini bus to pick mom up, and it all turned out well. The review I left them was scathing. You can NEVER trust a "5 star rating" of any facility (especially Medicare) unless you check things out firsthand. That was the moral of my story.
I moved mom's hubs after hip replacement. The rehab that he was initially sent to was dark and depressing with staff that were abusive, a night nurse. He enjoyed the therapists but moving was the best decision.
I got online to look at reviews of other facilities. Then I got on the phone to find another rehab with a bed that would take him. Then I talked with the Director of the facility he was leaving to tell him that we were moving. He asked why, apologized for staff and made the move very easy.
I am confused by your question. Was she sent to rehab to die?
My condolences, Lizreece67. My dad was in a very mediocre sub-acute rehab after surgery right in the middle of the Omicron surge last year. Most of the staff were actually fine, but they were way too few of them and almost everything was shabby and depressing.
My dad’s wonderful main home health nurse had looked over a list of rehabs we were given pre-surgery and advised us of the best ones and crossed out a few (including the one my dad wound up in) but because of the virus surge there was literally almost no room at the inn by the time Dad was stable enough to leave the hospital and he almost was going to have to go to a spot a couple of counties away.
We coped by basically spending all our time at the bad rehab (I hid behind the dividing room curtain to stay past visiting hours a bit) and would have hired someone if my sister or I couldn’t have gone each day. We just couldn’t bear to leave him alone in such an understaffed place: my dad was a quadriplegic and couldn’t use the call button, etc. (They promised a special button made for quads but it never showed up.) I think he wound up having to be there about a month.
Hopefully the virus shouldn’t be a factor now and my first advice would be to call your parent’s PCP office or any PTs or nurses or clued-in locals you might know or on Nextdoor and ask for where they would recommend, and then check out the reviews on Yelp, etc. Not sure how to proceed from that point but I wish you good luck and your mother a speedy recovery and hope you will update us.
If you mean Covid 19, it is still a factor, especially in people with co-morbidities. That includes age over 65, heart failure, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, chronic and long-term conditions such as diabetes, cardiomyopathy, obesity, kidney disease, respiratory issues, etc. etc. Most elderly folks have at least one and usually more co-morbidities.
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Have you requested an omsbudsmen? Have you documented what you are experiencing? Have you reported the facility to the state licensing agency? Have you spoken to the Social Workers and MD in charge of care?
It’s been stated on this site that people who have strong advocates in their corner will receive the best care. This is certainly true.
Your mom is one step ahead of the game because she has a daughter who is concerned about her welfare.
I had an issue with the place where my mom did rehab. This place was recommended to me by people I trusted.
Overall, the care was very good. The problem came from one particular nurse and I addressed the issue. The other nurses were fine.
This wasn’t a ‘personality’ clash or something petty. This was a medical issue that could have been dangerous for my mom if it continued to occur.
The facility was understaffed, which I feel sorry for the workers who are pulling double shifts. I know that this is hard for them.
Still, they should never place a patient’s health at risk. The nurse double dosed my mother on purpose so she wouldn’t have to make a second trip back to her room.
My mother caught the incorrect dosage immediately and told her that she was giving her twice the amount.
The nurse told her to take it anyway. Mom asked if it would hurt her to take double the amount of pills. She said no.
Mom trusted her as an educated authority figure but was uneasy about the situation. Mom didn’t want to make any waves and took her meds as instructed.
When I visited her the next morning mom told me about it. I was livid!
I called her pharmacist and asked if she was in any danger. The pharmacist was very upset and said, “Not this time with only one extra dose of her Parkinson’s medication but if she continues to do this, there will be a problem. Please tell the DON that this is happening because if she is overdosing your mother, she is most likely overdosing other patients as well and she could cause serious problems for the patients in rehab.”
Mom was fearful of the Nurse being written up and thought that she might not treat her well. I told mom that she had nothing to fear because I would handle it.
I reported the incident to the DON. The DON said that the matter would be handled properly.
I said that mom felt uncomfortable being treated by this nurse and I was told that the nurse wouldn’t be allowed to enter my mother’s room.
I was satisfied with how the DON handled our situation. I was told that when the nurse was confronted that she confessed to everything. I don’t know what the consequences of her actions were. I didn’t ask.
All I cared about at that point was that my mom was not going to be overdosed again and that they could deal with the solution of how to handle the disciplinary actions.
We had different situations with my father’s rehab after his heart surgery and stroke. Geeeeeez, this place was so bad that the state actually shut the facility down! We were constantly watching over my dad’s care.
The staff there were panhandling patients families in the bathrooms! I had to tell my mom not to give them money! They were asking my mother for “bus money” to get home after their shift was over. I am a person who gives money to those in need but this was crazy.
Daddy never had water in his room. I asked if he could have water. They said yes. They never got any for him. I got it myself. Daddy drank it like he was dying of thirst.
That place was horrible. I caught them many times sitting on the edge of his bed watching soap operas instead of serving the needs of the patients in rehab.
Theft was rampant, food was disgusting, etc. Very sad place! As soon as we could find another place for rehab, we did. I was thrilled when I heard that the state shut them down.
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Be aware though, that his 20days where Medicare pays 100% do not start over. If he has been there, lets say 10, he starts at 11 at the new place.
Good luck to you
I got online to look at reviews of other facilities. Then I got on the phone to find another rehab with a bed that would take him. Then I talked with the Director of the facility he was leaving to tell him that we were moving. He asked why, apologized for staff and made the move very easy.
I am confused by your question. Was she sent to rehab to die?
My dad’s wonderful main home health nurse had looked over a list of rehabs we were given pre-surgery and advised us of the best ones and crossed out a few (including the one my dad wound up in) but because of the virus surge there was literally almost no room at the inn by the time Dad was stable enough to leave the hospital and he almost was going to have to go to a spot a couple of counties away.
We coped by basically spending all our time at the bad rehab (I hid behind the dividing room curtain to stay past visiting hours a bit) and would have hired someone if my sister or I couldn’t have gone each day. We just couldn’t bear to leave him alone in such an understaffed place: my dad was a quadriplegic and couldn’t use the call button, etc. (They promised a special button made for quads but it never showed up.) I think he wound up having to be there about a month.
Hopefully the virus shouldn’t be a factor now and my first advice would be to call your parent’s PCP office or any PTs or nurses or clued-in locals you might know or on Nextdoor and ask for where they would recommend, and then check out the reviews on Yelp, etc. Not sure how to proceed from that point but I wish you good luck and your mother a speedy recovery and hope you will update us.
Have you spoken with the DON (Director of Nursing) at the facility?
Have you had a meeting with any of the staff at the facility?
Have you contacted the ombudsman in your area?
Do you know of any other facilities that would offer good care for rehab? Best wishes to you and your mother.