Anybody know anything about nursing homes?

misty8723

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What I want to know is can my mother check herself out of a nursing home, or can my father, sister, or I check her out? She is in there temporarily supposedly for rehab, but they are doing nothing to rehab her so far. We think she would be better at home. Can we check her out before the doctor says she's rehabbed? I honestly think this is all about the money, and I'm this close to suing someone for malpractice anyway, but that's another story. They wouldn't even release her from the hospital to go home, they shoved her right in the nursing home. We are so mad!!
 

deedeemay

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Did the hospital inform you of her discharge to the Nursing home? I hope they did! Anyway, the best people to speak to about checking out to take her back home would be the Nursing home Manager or even her GP.

You can also enquire about home visits, for example every other day...you can ask the staff at the home for permission. We used to allow our Residents to visit their own homes with their family for a day or two, and their relatives would take over our care during that period of time. Maybe that is something else to consider?

Hope this helps
 
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misty8723

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I'm not up there, so I'm getting information from my sister and father. My sister indicated that someone talked to them about the possibility of being released to the nursing home for short term rehab. They were left with the words "think it over." They thought it over and wanted to bring her home (and she wanted to go home). When the time came, they were told there was NO choice, she was going to the nursing home. They told them "a week to rehab." Now it's stretching into September with appointments. She's been in there three days and "rebabbed" for about 15 minutes.

She doesn't need to be in there. She would do better at home. We could arrange for someone to come in for the rehab, and she could do some of it on her own once she knows what she needs to do. She has 2 additional tests that they are driving her to the hospital for. We don't need them to drive her to the hospital. She was just in the hospital, why didn't they do the tests then?

The paperwork that got signed sounds like we can't get her out ourselves. I wish I would have been up there, because I would have read it before signing and questioned it. I'm so mad, I will be getting a lawyer soon if that's the case. She did NOT go there willingly, she is in her right mind and told them she didn't want to go. How can they force her to be there?
 

esrgirl

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She had to have gone there willingly. They cannot force her to stay or to have ever admitted her without her expressed permission. I'm guessing that she didn't really want to go, but allowed herself to be talked into it. One problem may arise with insurance, should she choose to check herself out against doctor's orders. Can't she find another facility to complete her rehab? My grandfather had a choice of facilities after his knee replacement surgeries. There was no way we could safely care for him at home after these surgeries, but the doctors offered suggestions for numerous rehab programs at various nursing homes. He rehabed for about three weeks total, was released, and had to return for testing to measure the progress of his rehabilitation. Repeated testing is not abnormal, in fact I would be seriously concerned if they were not doing follow up testing- that being said questions should be asked about why the need for testing and extended in-patient rehab is there. If this is a crappy facility, by all means get a second opinion and get her into a different program.
 

natalie_ca

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A nursing home is not a prison. Yes, you can take your Mother home if you want to. Don't forget to notify the insurance company that she is no longer there so that they will stop payments.

First I would speak to the doctor and the director of the nursing home and tell them your concerns. I don't know about there, but here you don't send someone to a nursing home for physical rehabilitation unless the place is set up with a ward that does just that. Here we have a couple of places that have such wards. The person is admitted to the rehab ward and not left to their own devices and treated like an invalid as they would be if admitted into the regular nursing home population.
 

MoochNNoodles

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My grandmother's case may be different, but she was given a social worker when she went into the nursing home this last time. I don't know if she had one the time she only went for rehab. Is there someone who has been assigned as an advocate for her?

How furstrating for you all!
 

nurseangel

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As other TCS people have said, they can't force her to stay. I agree with the advice of checking with her family doctor before moving her and checking into some Home Health agencies regarding physical therapy/assistance. Good luck and please keep us updated on how she is doing.
 

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Yes, your mother can be forced to stay in a nursing home, if the courts are involved (or become involved) and their appointed guardian says your mother cannot take care of herself at home. Anyone who tries to stop it could get jail time.

I am dealing with this kind of stuff right now with my elderly parents; they have 24-hour care at home and still could be sent to a nursing home if their nurse and/or doctor believe their care is not adequate at home.

My advice: you should get Health Care Power of Attorney for your mom; it's best if every trusted family member has this. Speak to her doctor and tell her she would do better at home. Medicare most likely will pay for a nurse to come check on your mom and make sure she has/takes her meds, etc. It all has to be approved by your mom's doctor, so talk to him or her and be really nice. They can get the wheels in motion for her to go back home. I hope you work it out.
 

swampwitch

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p.s. Google health care power of attorney north carolina (or wherever your family is) and get it done and faxed to the hospital. Your mom's doctor is not supposed to talk to you about her condition unless you have this Power of Attorney.

Your family needs to send you copies of all the paperwork for you to read, you should get the fax to the hospital, and speak with your mom's doctor. Find out what services are available for your mom at home. Hopefully, you won't need an attorney. Good luck!
 
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misty8723

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thanks to everyone. My sister is trying to get a health care power of attorney, but they've told her she can't do it, that mom needs to do it. How, when she's stuck in the nursing home.

I don't trust her doctor one little bit. I just found out he is director of the place. I think there is some Medicare fraud going on, but I'm reluctant to do too much in that direction at the moment because I don't want to make it worse. I've never liked her doctor, but couldn't get her to switch.

She has no patient advocate, and I wouldn't want her to have one from that facility. She has my sister and father, who are both overwhelmed, and me 600 miles away also overwhelmed. I'm sorry at this point she ever let them admit her to the hospital for tests.

She's not in a special rehab section as far as I can tell. The place has been called by people who were in there a "hell-hole." My sister and my father have been taking turns staying there with her (day and night) to make sure she's not being mistreated. They are overwhelmed like I said.

I'm so sick at heart I don't know where to turn. I have no money, but I guess I'm going to be going up there to see what I can accomplish. Anybody who thinks health care in this country doesn't need reformed is crazy! I did a google search to find out how to get out of a nursing home and the only thing that comes up is how to get into one!!
 

kimberleigh

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I'm so sorry you are going through this. My husband is actually a manager at nursing home, but he's not home at the moment, so I can't ask him about this type of stuff. I hope everything works out for the best!
 
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