Hello,
After my mom's hospital stay she had to go to a sub-actue rehab center for more healing before she comes home. Durring her rehab stay she has been sent back to Loma Linda Med. Center twice, most recently last weekend. She is now back at the rehab. Each time she bounces back and forth from these places all her chart work is screwed up. I am at my wits end with this. Today I visit her and she tells me that she hasnt' been fed for 24 hours. Her paper work isn't cleart, diet restrictions...yada yada yada. Is this common or are we just having very unfortunate luck. I am so tired of fighting over eveything. I just want her home. Annabel.

Annabel,
I don't know the extent of your mom's surgery/treatment or her age, but my husband had none of this trouble. We started with an oral surgeon which I was not thrilled about, but ended up being referred to a team of docs at University of MD with a tumor board that we have been very happy with. It seems like you and your mom are going thru a lot of unecessary trouble. I will keep you in my prayers!
Debbie

Anabell, yeh, unfortunately, it`s common, I know you`re a blithering idiot by this time, but you are cement that holds it all together. Charts get lost, nobody know what`s going on but you................I know how tired you are and by this time, you need to know you are the force that`s gotta hol it together, I`ve been in your situation, more time than I can remember......welcome to the patient advocate club........Hugs, Dee

When my dad was in rehab I always brought food in for him. He always had some canned soup there at least, that the nurses would graciously heat up for him. One of the docs suggested it because the food was so bad - let alone not getting fed for 24 hrs.

Thanks everyone...I just thought maybe my mom and I were just a freak case but this stuff is more common than I thought.


annabel

Lucky for you that your are in the area to keep an eye on things. My mother went to 5 star rehab after hip replacment surgery this November. They forgot twice to give her her dilantin and she had a siezure sending her back to hospital. This stressed my Dad out so badly, he had a seizure, walked off in the middle of the night, had a heart attack followed by two strokes. When I checked him in he weighed 182 lbs. and appeared to be eating fine. 20 days later he was 159lbs and completely out of it 24/7. A nurse tipped me that he hadn't had anything to eat in 8 days, hadn't weighed him, and had not contacted his doctor at all. They just brought the tray in and left it and then took it away. If I hadn't flown down again to feed him, he would be dead. So many things went wrong, I cannot count them. They almost killed my mother my not treating her bladder infection and pneumonia nd landed her a seond time back at the hospital.

I am posting this as warning to those of you who have loved ones in rehab facilties or nursing homes especially if you are not there. A good neighbor helps if they can check in on things. Just keep an eye on things because sometimes noone else is.

Hope you Mom gets decent care. Is she on the PEG? If not, if you meet with the dietician you may be able to set up a diet that so they don't send up things she can't eat. Also special high protein shakes and ice cream if she can get those down.

Eileen

Remember, unlike hospitals, which may be for-profit institutions or may be non-profit institutions, nursing homes are almost ALWAYS for profit institutions.

Sometimes run by individuals with not a lot of cash flow, who are very conscious of cost containment. They have to meet state health standards regarding RN's per patient, personell per patient, but that doesn't mean the personel are all that well trained.

As it is, hospitals are in a budget crunch also, and also are practicing cost containment measures, using the minimum amount and price of staff they can get by with.

In any hosptal/extended care/nursing home situation, prudence requires that someone keep track of the patient's care to see that it's done correctly. Hate to sound like a cynic, but I've seen some horror shows, heard of more.
Bob

Anabel, been looking at your post for a while....having worked in more than one nursing homes, I`ve learned a few tricks for patient`s families........pop in at unexpected hours, this puts the staff on constant alert, mealtime if possible, make yourself known to RN`s, supervisor and administrator, be assertive and demanding,if need be.......Most nursing are currently mostly understaffed. Nursing assistants carry too big a load. And I`ve worked in too many nursing homes, where the professional staff just doesn`t help. Also talk to the social worker about your concerns.......bottom line, if they are afraid of the family, im my experience your Mom will get better care,,,,,,,,Dee