Nursing Home

[redz812]

I have a real mess on my hands. Husband currently in hosp going on 6 wks. He was released to a nursing home and it was a nightmare. He spent only 1 day there and wound up back in the hospital ICU unit. I am feeling pressured into finding a suitable nursing home for him that will provide dialysis treatment or transport him to a dialysis facility.

If anyone is in the Philadelphia area and can help me, please, please let me know.....thanks

[okarol]

Can the hospital give you some assistance? Ask for a patient advocate or a social worker. I found this on the internet, perhaps they can help? http://www.einstein.edu/patients/article8996.html
This article is from 2006 but may have useful info http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/50681.php
  I hope you get some help soon.

[jessshar]

I would start with asking for a social worker at the hospital to start looking for one for you. If they are not willing to help, then start calling around the different facilities to see what services they do provide for their residents. It is also very important they accept your insurance also. Some facilities offer transportation some donut.

If you have the time before placing him in the facility walk through it on your own first. Don't talk to the staff; pretend you are a visitor. Try to pay attention to how many call lights are ringing and how long it takes someone to answer it. Pay attention to any smells of urine and the demeanor of the staff when interacting with the residents. Look for anything abnormal. If you do place him in the facility get to know the staff caring for him. Get to know them well too. The nurses, CNA's, therapists and especially the social worker. The social worker is the one who will keep you informed on any changes with insurance rides etc. care- pretty much EVERYTHING! If they don't know the answer they will direct you to who does.

My father went from a hospital to a nursing home for three months before coming home. Overall it was an OK experience. But it was only because I kept myself involved with every aspect of his care. They sent him home in better condition then when he started but there were something I didn't approve of: He came home in a diaper, had a sore on his toe( a sign of neglect) which they did not bother to tell us he had at all, and they they pretty much kicked him out because medicare was going to stop paying after 100 days.

Having a loved one in a nursing home can be very stressful. Anything I can do to help you or any questions you may have please feel free to email or message me through this site. Good luck to you!!

[redz812]

Thank you both for your replies. I did use the hosp social worker but the facility he was sent to was horrible. He was just plopped in a room and the nurse's bell was hanging on his wall where he couldn't even use it! They also lied to me and said that he just got there when he had been there for 2 to 3 hrs before I could get to the place.

Long story short, he was in this facility for under 24 hrs and wound up being transported back to the hosp ICU unit. He was vomiting blood and I thank God our daughter was there when it happened. Left to the "caretakers" at this facility, he would probably be dead now.

Along with ESRD my husband has cirrhosis and is diabetic and has osteomyletisis! So now he is back in the hosp and I know they will spring on me very soon that he is going to be released. I am trying my best to find places on the internet in my area that I can present to the hosp soc worker.

I think it would be a good idea for hosp social workers to take a tour of the facilities they are shipping patients off to.