My Mother was receiving care from the Nursing home Doctor. I had to rush her to Emergency when I arrived one day. The Nursing home Doctor claims that the Hospital put my Mother on a anti psychotic, there was a huge decline in Mom when she got out of the hospital, she went from walking and talking to not being able to walk or barley put two words together. I had no idea what was going on and never dealing with Alzheimer's I though she was declining.
My Sister sent me Mom's medicine bill about a month later. I found that they had her on a cocktail of antipsychotic meds, and antidepressants. From what I understand when the patient is released the attending Doctor is to review all medications and discuss any medication change with the family. We were never told about any of this. They added 21 new medications in one month and my Mom became a vegetable. When we caught this I called and met with the Doctor. She told me I had no idea and was in denial of my Mothers condition. I was not in denial but I know what she was like before the meds and what she became. Of course we moved her and although I had told them to stop or wean her off I know they continued. I have no proof but when she was moved she spend days throwing up from what I assume withdrawals. Mom never recovered from this and she passed away about a month and a half later. Is this legal? I have reported her to the Medical Board and she is under investigation. The shocker is when I looked her up on line she is currently under inditement with a Hospice agency for over medicating the elderly. You can read the inditement on line. It claims they would give the medicine to the nurses and say give them an early by by. Do I have any recourse? My Mother may have had Alzheimer's but her death was drug induced.
So – when Mom reported to me that in the nursing home she was having horrible, multiple, and humiliating diarrhea “out of the blue” – during dining room meals, going down the hall, etc. – and was so embarrassed I finally asked the meds nurse whether she’d been given laxatives or anything? Yes – as part of their “regular bowel care” routine, she’d been a little constipated, so they automatically gave her laxatives… It might have been nice to warn her? She’s not incontinent, and tells them when she needs help to go to the bathroom, so this really had her upset. Plus – I was worried at anything that could throw her into her previous issue with horrible chronic issues. I told them “Try prune juice! At the most, try gentle laxatives, or even short doses, and for Pete’s sake WARN HER!" They pay attention "sometimes"...
To me, this is showing utter disregard for personal dignity and quality of life. It's right up there with the time I took her to the doctor, and she was quiet and had her arms crossed over her chest... When I asked whether she was OK, she said "They couldn't find my bra! I haven't left the house since I was 13 years old without a bra!!" (She's 97 years old, and wears a DD/underwire bra.) She did have 4 good-quality bras, but when we got back, I checked and only found one which was so beat up from their laundry "care" - holes, hooks in back bent out of shape and only one sort of working - I was livid! These places need to have "training" orientation for (mostly) young CNA's and other staff about the dignity and respect -and what that entails - due the older generation!
Is this a misspell or a colloquial expression?
As any RN knows, that many new meds in a month's time with her noted side effects is a red flag, and the RN is mandated to question this activity
If you were not listed as one of her contacts, then no they won't contact you according to Hippa laws
Unfortunately abuse in the healthcare system happens more frequently than is reported. My father was a victim of it.
I've stopped staff in meetings from saying, "your brother has had more falls recently", because my question when I receive any fall report, is not primarily his health afterwards as the staff reports - but what was he doing in order to fall? Where was he trying to go, what was on his feet, was he getting up or turning - one incident reported was when a new staff member was holding a door open for him, but she was in his way and he was tired and tried to go around her rather than ask her to move. I finally got Occupational Therapy in the residence, to work to study situations and find solutions, that way he is getting attention - and so is the approach!
If you were the Health Surrogate then appointed by he having signed an advanced directive then you had authority. A genera POA or even a durable POA would not do the job unless somewhere in there it said that you were to make health decisions when she became unable to make them or herself. Otherwise the docs can do pretty much anything they think is best for the patient and that is an open door.
So tragic and I'm so sorry-
I fought very hard to control what antipsychotic meds my mom was given in her memory care facility and I allow only one now
It becomes more difficult with a hospitalization and a nursing home which cannot cope with any behavioral issues and will sedate to control things
Even when mom spent time in rehab it was challenging but no where near as what your poor mom experienced
I don't have first hand hospice experience but understand your pain
Hope others can address your questions