Are home Inspections prior to release from rehab facility required?

You can talk to the SW at the rehab. Tell her that it would be unsafe to send sister home that its not equipped for the care she needs or is there anyone to care for her properly. Call your local Office of Aging to see if they can evaluate the situation. If not them, then try APS, Adult protection services. Have them report back to Rehab their findings. Make it clear you will not be picking her up because you cannot be responsible for her. Once you walk thru that door with her, you will be responsible and it will be hard to get any help.

If the Rehab goes along with you, it will mean Sister being transitioned to LTC. If she can't afford private pay, then Medicaid with her SS and pension going towards her care. The State taking over her care if no family member willing to take over her care.

She should be talking to the social worker about this. He or she could be a big help.

I spoke with the discharge planner at the rehab when my dad was telling everyone that he had 24/7 home help and he could easily go home and be fine.

They sent a OT with him to do a full home inspection to ensure it was a safe discharge. They didn't send him home as planned after they saw that it would in fact be an unsafe discharge.

Do whatever you can but, remember, you are not responsible to prop up her bad choices. If she can not safely go home and you have told the rehab facility that it isn't safe and you ARE NOT her caregiver, then whatever happens if she is sent home is on her and them. If she calls you, you call 911 and send them to help her.

Unfortunately, we often have to step out and let a failure happen to get our loved one the help they need. If you need to do that, don't feel bad about it.

Call that social worker and make sure they understand what the situation is. Best of luck!

Virgie, you need to make sure that you don't "enable"her going home in any way.

She calls you to say "please pick me up from the hospital" you need to say "no".

If they send her home in a cab and she calls you to "rescue" her, you call 911 and have her returned to the hospital.

What discussion have you had with SIL and whomever is living with her, her next of kin, or her POA regarding all of this.
Certainly no such inspection is required under law. However, if you have access to Social Workers and can discuss this with them they may bring your concerns up at discharge planning discussions.

I think the thing you want to insure here is that you are being HELPFULLY concerned without interferring in what may be the perview of her own family? So I would start your discussions there. You don't want to be seen to be overstepping your bounds, I think?

She is returning to her home and I am not responsible for her care. I do not have POA.

Issues - she cannot even get into her home without assistance because it is not a smooth transition from deck to front door. Very steep ramp that she is unable to navigate in wheelchair. 9 cats in the house which leads to a whole host of issues. Cannot get wheelchair through her bathroom door so will have to use the sliding board to attempt to access the bathroom/shower (not particularly adept at the board at this point. Carpets are threadbare and have worn spots, vinyl floor is chipped, crack and has pieces missing. A further incident waiting to happen. I am painfully aware I have no legal standing. That is why I've been hoping that the rehab facility would send someone over just to provide input as she might listen to them.

You can ask that an Occupational Therapist be sent to assess (not inspect) the home as a safe environment for discharge.

Is she returning to your home or her home?
Are you going to be responsible for her care?

If she is to be released to YOUR home you can say that you are unequipped to care for her and that your home would be an unsafe place.
If you are to be responsible for her care you use the same statement.

If she is to be released to HER home and you are not responsible then you really have little to say about it. If you are asked you can give your opinion. You can also contact the rehab and talk to the discharge planer and ask if an assessment will be done and you can express your concerns but if you are not POA or in any way responsible they do not have to inform you of the plans.