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You'll find yourself strapped to a bed with large leather straps in an unused portion of the facility slowly starving to death...
Most LTC facilities today are restraint-free, just like the LTC facility I work in.
As a substitute, they restrain people with medication. Fine with me!
Conk me out! I plan to catch up on lots of sleep!
Every facility today also has a Patient Bill Of Rights. They can't force you to get out of bed, brush your teeth, eat your meal, or take a shower. Violate a patient's Bill of Rights and the facility is facing a potential lawsuit.
Most LTC facilities today are restraint-free, just like the LTC facility I work in.
As a substitute, they restrain people with medication. Fine with me!
Conk me out! I plan to catch up on lots of sleep!
Every facility today also has a Patient Bill Of Rights. They can't force you to get out of bed, brush your teeth, eat your meal, or take a shower. Violate a patient's Bill of Rights and the facility is facing a potential lawsuit.
Thank God! But, you do not forcibly medicate, do you? Also, is there a mandated "lights out" at your facility?
Thank God! But, you do not forcibly medicate, do you? Also, is there a mandated "lights out" at your facility?
I remind my patients constantly of their Patient Bill of Rights, it's a loaded document. You can refuse all meds if you so wish. Some just take them blindly. One of my more alert patients cornered a nurse one night: Hey! I came into this facility and I was only taking 3 meds, and now I'm up 15 a day! Please explain to me why! A nurse's worst nightmare!!!
Come to find out, the Dr. never got around to changing orders!
Another patient is fed-up with going to dialysis, knowing if they decline, it could mean their death. I kindly tell them: You have rights! No one can force you to go to dialysis! You're not a prisoner here!
I've had patients, who I know just from smell, they need to have their diapers changed, and they refuse to let me change them. There's that Patient Bill of Rights once again! So, all I can do is document it, report it to the nurse!
Family members told me not to allow their father, suffering from emphysema, to go out to the Smoking Courtyard for a smoke. Can't follow their orders! Patient Bill of Rights, once again! That particular patient could sue the facility, as he's alert, can decide for himself! Not even a Dr. can prevent him from smoking!
Many patients are shocked to learn they can drink alcohol in the facility, providing the meds mixed with alcohol aren't fatal. When my Dad was in a LTC facility, I made sure he had his beer every nite before dinner!
Lights generally go out at 10pm. TV noise can be prolematical, as one patient in the room, wants to sleep, the other wants to stay up late and watch TV. I had one patient who even contacted an attorney, and went so far as what decibels levels are acceptable, which are not. Many times, if the problem reaches an impasse, one or the other is moved to a room where
the two are more compatible.
Another problem is comfort level. One patient wants the heat at 80 in the room. with individual heating/cooling units, the other wants it at 70. And I have to be the referee! In this case as well, we will try to find someone else for that room where they both enjoy the same comfort level. To temporarily break the impasse, I'll say: 75 it shall be!
Many LTC residents could have a more enjoyable stay there, if they only read every single line of that Patient Bill of Rights! If you ever end up in one of these facilities, let it be your first reading assignment!
Many LTC residents could have a more enjoyable stay there, if they only read every single line of that Patient Bill of Rights! If you ever end up in one of these facilities, let it be your first reading assignment!
Most LTC facilities today are restraint-free, just like the LTC facility I work in.
As a substitute, they restrain people with medication. Fine with me!
Conk me out! I plan to catch up on lots of sleep!
Every facility today also has a Patient Bill Of Rights. They can't force you to get out of bed, brush your teeth, eat your meal, or take a shower. Violate a patient's Bill of Rights and the facility is facing a potential lawsuit.
I don't know about the "force aspect" or a Patient's Bill of Rights. But the SNF where my FIL lived had people getting up every morning - getting bathed - getting dressed - and doing stuff all day looking like normal people. EVen if they needed a lot of help. They could sleep late or go to sleep late if they cared to. But - if they slept late - they would miss breakfast. And if 2 residents happened to develop a relationship - a closed door was a closed door. Kind of like when people are in college. Everything seemed ok to me.
OTOH - in the I don't know what you call it Alzheimer's place my uncle lived in in San Diego (it wasn't an ALF or a SNF - just kind of a warehouse for Alzheimer's patients) - they didn't dress people in the morning - or make them take their clothes off when they went to bed at night. Or bathe them on a regular basis either.
My uncle recently moved to a place in northern California to be near his daughter - and when I did a "Google Earth" of it - it looks worse than the place where my brother and his wife keep their horses. There's like 1 part-time nurse - and the place costs more than the best ALF here in JAX. People making a fortune delivering poor care (and this is a local "mom and pop" place - no major corporation involved).
Maybe this is simply a California thing? I've never seen anything like these places in Florida. Robyn
I remind my patients constantly of their Patient Bill of Rights, it's a loaded document. You can refuse all meds if you so wish. Some just take them blindly. One of my more alert patients cornered a nurse one night: Hey! I came into this facility and I was only taking 3 meds, and now I'm up 15 a day! Please explain to me why! A nurse's worst nightmare!!!
Come to find out, the Dr. never got around to changing orders!
Another patient is fed-up with going to dialysis, knowing if they decline, it could mean their death. I kindly tell them: You have rights! No one can force you to go to dialysis! You're not a prisoner here!
I've had patients, who I know just from smell, they need to have their diapers changed, and they refuse to let me change them. There's that Patient Bill of Rights once again! So, all I can do is document it, report it to the nurse!
Family members told me not to allow their father, suffering from emphysema, to go out to the Smoking Courtyard for a smoke. Can't follow their orders! Patient Bill of Rights, once again! That particular patient could sue the facility, as he's alert, can decide for himself! Not even a Dr. can prevent him from smoking!
Many patients are shocked to learn they can drink alcohol in the facility, providing the meds mixed with alcohol aren't fatal. When my Dad was in a LTC facility, I made sure he had his beer every nite before dinner!
Lights generally go out at 10pm. TV noise can be prolematical, as one patient in the room, wants to sleep, the other wants to stay up late and watch TV. I had one patient who even contacted an attorney, and went so far as what decibels levels are acceptable, which are not. Many times, if the problem reaches an impasse, one or the other is moved to a room where
the two are more compatible.
Another problem is comfort level. One patient wants the heat at 80 in the room. with individual heating/cooling units, the other wants it at 70. And I have to be the referee! In this case as well, we will try to find someone else for that room where they both enjoy the same comfort level. To temporarily break the impasse, I'll say: 75 it shall be!
Many LTC residents could have a more enjoyable stay there, if they only read every single line of that Patient Bill of Rights! If you ever end up in one of these facilities, let it be your first reading assignment!
I think the operative phrase here is - YMMV depending on you and/or the facility.
My MIL declined dialysis at the end of her life. It is not necessarily a stupid decision (wasn't in her case).
Changing diapers when a patient refuses - I don't know.
As for smoking. That was one of the few things my late FIL and I had in common . We both smoke. We used to go outside after lunch and/or a field trip and have a few smokes. Perhaps I am dumb at my age for still smoking - but what's wrong with having an 83 year old guy who's dying of a bunch of stuff enjoying one of the few things he still enjoys. It's not like if he quite smoking - he'd live for another 20 years.
My FIL needed an Rx for alcohol. But he got one. His regular martini every night .
Since 90+% of the rooms in my FIL's SNF were private - there were rarely problems with watching TV late - temperature problems - etc. Robyn
Changing diapers when a patient refuses - I don't know.
When I encounter a patient that refuses to have his/her diaper changed, I usually call upon one of our expert sweet-talkers on the shift to intervene, who can generally get a patient to do cartwheels.
And when you tell them of the alternative, painful bed sores, it usually works. Not always.
Unfortunately, I don't have the best sweet-talking skills!
Last edited by tijlover; 05-22-2011 at 07:55 PM..
Reason: edit
I don't know about the "force aspect" or a Patient's Bill of Rights. But the SNF where my FIL lived had people getting up every morning - getting bathed - getting dressed - and doing stuff all day looking like normal people. EVen if they needed a lot of help. They could sleep late or go to sleep late if they cared to. But - if they slept late - they would miss breakfast. And if 2 residents happened to develop a relationship - a closed door was a closed door. Kind of like when people are in college. Everything seemed ok to me.
That's a choice in my facility. No one can force you to go to the facilities' cafeteria. If you wish to eat your meal in your bed, your choice. If I pass out a meal tray to that person and he's overslept, I just leave it there on his nightstand, and eat it cold later.
We're pressured by the staff to get as many people dressed and up in the morning for breakfast. No pressure with me. I observe their rights! I tell them: You don't want to get up this early, or get dressed for breakfast, fine! You have your rights, stay in bed if you wish!
The Patient's Bill of Rights protects you as well if you wish to have sex with another resident. Lol! I once had an extremely promiscuous older woman, in a wheelchair no less, who always had a parade of men coming into her room! And oh the smiles on their faces when they emerged from that room!
I'm the first one to scold, berate some prim, proper aide who discovers a resident masturbating in their bed. Good Grief! So little pleasures available to these people, and you should criticize some resident for indulging in some very healthy pleasure at the end of their lives! It should actually be encouraged, not discouraged!
Last edited by tijlover; 05-22-2011 at 08:12 PM..
Reason: edit
yes, age 63, approx. $2000. per year. $150 per day.
may or may not be a good idea, may or may not need it, but i worked in skilled nursing facility and in the field of geriatrics for too long not to see that having options as you age is a good idea, whether you remain at home or in a nursing facility or assisted living. we are living much, much longer, and although most would choose to die in their sleep, in their own beds, it rarely happens that way. either way, it is a gamble.
yes, age 63, approx. $2000. per year. $150 per day.
may or may not be a good idea, may or may not need it, but i worked in skilled nursing facility and in the field of geriatrics for too long not to see that having options as you age is a good idea, whether you remain at home or in a nursing facility or assisted living. we are living much, much longer, and although most would choose to die in their sleep, in their own beds, it rarely happens that way. either way, it is a gamble.
Good reasoning. However, I have chosen not to have long term care insurance because I do not consider it personally acceptable to live in a nursing home. If that time should ever come (and it may or may not) and if I do not have the courage to take action to end it all, then I can be passive and refuse to eat. Two or three weeks should do it, maybe four.
I think most of us are strongly influenced by what we have experienced and seen personally with aging parents and other relatives. Both of my parents did die peacefully in their sleep, so I hold onto that hope for myself. You say it "rarely happens". I wonder if there are statistics on that?
We certainly agree on your last four words ("it is a gamble") which I chose to re-word into my post title.
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All insurance is a roll of the dice.
