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Yes, I talked to 4 of them. Some have been in the home for a very long time. All of them seemed pleased and were able to answer my questions very well. A couple were resting in their rooms, one was playing cards with their visitor.
I had a list of questions to ask and I did ask them all.
Yes they do. But Mom is not able to play cards, not even bingo anymore. She enjoys singing, watching others perform and might be able to take the bus on short road trips, (like an hour) but the last one, no one even asked her if she wanted to go.
Am getting very frustrated with the care she is receiving in this ALF and have talked to the brand new nursing director about "stuff". I am seeing 3 more group homes this afternoon, and hope to make a decision fairly quickly. BTW: the homes also have an activity schedule, clearly not as involved as the facility, but they try hard to keep the people out of their bedrooms.
I think most states make provision for small group homes. As with most things, caveat emptor. Some are wonderful. Others are pretty attrocious. It usually hinges on owners who really care vs. those who are only in it for the money. The first thing I'd inquire about is not just the licensing but the patients/clients rights advocate network or long-term care ombudsman program. Do they cover them. How often are the homes inspected. What provisions are made for safe storage and proper distribution for meds. What's the food like. Access to medical care. Transportation availability. Entertainment. Laundry. Personal belongings. The list goes on.
I'd begin with the local Area Agency on Aging.
There are also legal issues. For example - in Florida - only an RN is allowed to administer meds to a resident. So - at least from a legal POV - a group home (or any other facility for that matter) that doesn't have an RN can't administer meds to a resident. Robyn
Yes they do. But Mom is not able to play cards, not even bingo anymore. She enjoys singing, watching others perform and might be able to take the bus on short road trips, (like an hour) but the last one, no one even asked her if she wanted to go.
Am getting very frustrated with the care she is receiving in this ALF and have talked to the brand new nursing director about "stuff". I am seeing 3 more group homes this afternoon, and hope to make a decision fairly quickly. BTW: the homes also have an activity schedule, clearly not as involved as the facility, but they try hard to keep the people out of their bedrooms.
In what ways are you dissatisfied with the care? I have only seen the kind of place you're talking about once - with an uncle in California. Although all of the residents were supposed to be able to take care of themselves - they couldn't (they all had moderate to severe dementia). The staff (very little if any training) did things like allow my uncle to wear the same clothes for days on end (even sleep in them). My aunt basically spent the whole day with him - to help him eat. Etc. IMO - you don't always get what you pay for - but it costs a lot to provide good care to people who can't do things for themselves. Robyn
But that is Floridas and in many states the care taker is allowed to. Certainly the issues in many states are from nursing home lobby. Actually where I live there are such homes that provide hospice care for patients where the people have no avilable person with abilty to care for the person. They are medicare certified.I fact all facities require state certifcation plus mediaire if it applies to type of patient they take.
Hospice care without at least an RN? You have to be kidding (in most cases). I've had 3 parents (2 in-laws) die under hospice care. My late FIL died in a SNF. Without going into the medical details - he was in very bad shape - and spent his last week on a morphine drip. He drifted away in peace. My late MIL had home hospice. But she had kidney failure - and refused dialysis. I don't know how much you know about kidney failure. But - if you have it - and refuse dialysis - you get sleepy - and then sleepier. Go from sleeping 8 hours a day - to 12 - to 16. And then one afternoon you go to sleep - and don't wake up. It is a painless death (absent other problems). We made sure to check that out with my brother - a nephrologist (kidney doctor) before we signed off on home hospice (which is what my FIL and MIL both wanted). My late mother had problems which were similar to my late FIL's in terms of pain. But my father wanted home hospice. Since there were no RN's - there was no morphine drip. Only oral morphine administered by family members (which is kind of like your taking pain-killing meds after dental work). Not sufficient to kill her pain. And she didn't leave this world in peace. The memory still haunts me.
Anyway - is there any state that allows someone with a lesser credential than an RN to administer IV morphine? I doubt it. I doubt there are (m)any states that even allow someone like a CNA or LPN to start and maintain an IV. Robyn
Not everyoe is goig to be on IV dripo in hospice care.Mnay in fact lives much longer even in motnhys is what I found out. It allows hospice care which is much different than say home healthcare. 24 hours quick response by calloig nurse dircctly who is assigned by location.My brother in law was on hospice acare for several months before he died in January. Much better experience than home health and he had 24 RN during last two weeks when needed.No difference in weather at nurising home or at one of the smaller facities except many less patientts.Seems home hospice care differs in your area from what I have seen here. as RNs are assigned here to aptients who need them form my borther in laws experience and in hospice care i smaller facities they are 24 hrs but may have more than one aptient.
I have my Mom in a care home and they do everything for her. It is licensed and the owner lives there. They have about 4 other patients who live there, and 2 caregivers. She has been there over 2 years and has Dementia. She has even outlived 2 roommates, and I think they died there, but I need to check on that as my Mom is not going to live forever.
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