Nursing Home Neglect, where to start?

[CMSC]

What is the name of your state? Nebraska

A little background...
My mother is bedridden and under 24 hr. care in a nursing home, due to having Multiple Sclerosis. Her ability to move her hands and feet and her ability to talk has completely diminished.

I've posted here several times about my concerns with my mother's care in the nursing home. Each time I've filed a complaint with the state's office they investigate (an announced visit) and say everything is peachy and in compliance...making me look like I'm dumb.

Well, I've had enough. Tonight my family was informed that my mother has a severe bedsore and the Dr. say's it s life threatening and she is facing sepsis. The sore is on her back and is so deep it is possibly in her bowels? My brother said it smelled so badly that even after the Dr. cleaned it out, he could smell it all the way down the nursing home hall.

I've filed yet another complaint with the state...but really, all they are going to do is write up the nursing home for a deficiency again. I want action taken. I believe this nursing home is neglectful and don't want this to turn into a wrongful death post instead!

What avenue's can I take to get the nursing home to take this seriously?? They don't really seem to care because the Dr. sides with them and never speaks up. He says it isn't the nursing homes fault, that it's her disease and the fact that she can't roll over on her own.

Please help. I don't know what else to do.

 

[ecmst12]

Your doctor is probably right about bedsores being very difficult to avoid in patients who can't move on their own. That's what Christopher Reeve died from, and no one can say he didn't have the best possible care available!

If you don't believe the nursing home is caring for her properly, why have you never moved her to a different facility?

 

[CMSC]

Thank you for your response.

My mother has never been moved because my brother's and I all have to agree to it. I'm the only one that wanted to move her. I don't have the financial means to fight them in court, and it would be one lengthy battle. I care deeply for my mother and have advocated for her for years. The nursing home admits to not repositioning her as they should because they are understaffed.

As for the bedsores, I don't find one this severe acceptable at all. They called the doctor once they noticed how bad it was...but by the time they noticed it, it's too late to really heal. I'm not sure if you've ever worked in a nursing home but the first thing they teach you as an aide (I know because I was one) is to look daily for bedsore's and call the doctor immediately to prevent it from worsening.

Actually if you research Christopher Reeve's death, it is a concurrance among many in the health field that bed sore's result from neglect, including his. Money doesn't buy accurate healthcare anymore. Also he should have been treated in ICU not at home for his sepsis...but I'm not Christopher Reeve's daughter and I'm not here to advocate for better healthcare solely for him.

The largest deficiency this nursing home has is bed sores, and they aren't minor, they are severe. Why the state doesn't find this a problem, even though they write them up on it, is beyond me.

 

[barry1817]

nursing home

What is the name of your state? Nebraska

A little background...
My mother is bedridden and under 24 hr. care in a nursing home, due to having Multiple Sclerosis. Her ability to move her hands and feet and her ability to talk has completely diminished.

I've posted here several times about my concerns with my mother's care in the nursing home. Each time I've filed a complaint with the state's office they investigate (an announced visit) and say everything is peachy and in compliance...making me look like I'm dumb.

Well, I've had enough. Tonight my family was informed that my mother has a severe bedsore and the Dr. say's it s life threatening and she is facing sepsis. The sore is on her back and is so deep it is possibly in her bowels? My brother said it smelled so badly that even after the Dr. cleaned it out, he could smell it all the way down the nursing home hall.

I've filed yet another complaint with the state...but really, all they are going to do is write up the nursing home for a deficiency again. I want action taken. I believe this nursing home is neglectful and don't want this to turn into a wrongful death post instead!

What avenue's can I take to get the nursing home to take this seriously?? They don't really seem to care because the Dr. sides with them and never speaks up. He says it isn't the nursing homes fault, that it's her disease and the fact that she can't roll over on her own.

Please help. I don't know what else to do.

I think that in your case, if you can document the problem with photos are video you might have a better chance of making your case. It is easy for certain care givers to clean things up before an inspection, and in some states and some professions, an onsite visit cannot be done unannounced.

[email protected]

 

[longsally111]

do it yourself

Since you believe that noone is taking proper care of your mother, you are free to removeher from the nursing home and take care of her yourself. Why dont you do that?

 

[ecmst12]

Disclaimer - I am not a nurse or healthcare provider. I have worked in the healthcare field for a long time, though temporarily I am not right now. Everything I have read indicates that in paralyzed patients, bedsores can develop in no time at all, even if the proper standard of care is followed. However, if they ADMITTED to not following the standard of care, you might have an action. The problem with this, though, is that your mother was already very ill and not expected to live much longer or have much quality of life. If the bedsore has shortened her life, it wasn't by very much, and the damages you could potentially recover through a suit would be very small. That means you will have a very hard time finding a lawyer to take your case. Malpractice cases are very expensive and need to be worth a significant amount just to expect to break even after all the experts are paid, let alone for the law firm to make a profit. So sadly, it seems unlikely that you'd be able to get the satisfaction you desire from a lawsuit. Your only reasonable recourse is through the state licensing board.

 

[CMSC]

The problem with this, though, is that your mother was already very ill and not expected to live much longer or have much quality of life. If the bedsore has shortened her life, it wasn't by very much, and the damages you could potentially recover through a suit would be very small. That means you will have a very hard time finding a lawyer to take your case. Malpractice cases are very expensive and need to be worth a significant amount just to expect to break even after all the experts are paid, let alone for the law firm to make a profit. So sadly, it seems unlikely that you'd be able to get the satisfaction you desire from a lawsuit. Your only reasonable recourse is through the state licensing board.

I don't want a lawsuit to obtain damages, I want the state to take families concerns seriously. I've done a lot of investigation into the care of the individuals and all families have the same concerns, bedsores, dehydration, lack of hygiene and UTI's.

My mother wasn't very ill or near death, her days weren't numbered until this, the only time she's had severe health problems is when there is dehydration and now the bedsore. Other than that she, considering she's only 63, she has many years to live or I guess I should say had. I meant to add, that up until her last serious bout with dehydration my mother could still speak. She's slowly getting her ability back, but it isn't to where it was prior.

It isn't easy to remove her from the nursing home and care for her, but thanks for making me feel like a lousy daughter. I'm raising 3 young children on my own, if I could take in my mother as well I would do it in a heartbeat. It also requires a very big battle with my brothers as I indicated previously.

I'll continue to advocate for families and residents who don't have families. I just wonder after the same deficiencies over and over, at what point does the state say "enough is enough".

Thank you, ecmst12 for your information, it is appreciated.

 

[longsally111]

try this

I am always in shock and wonder, You get nursing assistance for your loved one. The state puts a cap on what they can make. These people make 6.00 an hour and work like dogs, turning patients, cleaning up their urine, feces and vomit, they feed them, bathe them, medicate them. There is never enough help to go around because these jobs are under paid and under appreciated. Put in to the mix a family that is "busy" with their own life. They have children, bills, car payments. They cannot or will not rearrange their lives to be able to help with mom and dad. ( BTW, I DID) They, instead, complain about the care that mom and dad are recieving, report them repeatedly for things they think should be done better but won't stop up tp the plate. I am in awe.

For the record, I am a nurse with a special needs child and another older one and I changed my work schedule and my location and my standard of living to care for my elderly father when he needed it. He looked after me for years!!!!!!! It was the least I could do for him. I am not saying that every nursing care facility id bad and I am not saying that some places should not be reported!!!! But, you sound very concerned about mom so I am wondering why, if you are that uneasy, you have not moved her to your home, got an in home nurse to help you with her daily living help and did it yourself!!!! It can be done, trust me!!!

 

[las365]

you are free to removeher from the nursing home and take care of her yourself.

It sounds as if OP does not have the legal authority to make a unilateral decision about where her mother resides. Even if she did, in the situation as it stands, home care doesn't sound like a viable option given Mom's current need for life-saving medical treatment.

OP, why hasn't your mother been transferred to a hospital for treatment of this bedsore? It would seem that her doctor could order this without the requirement that the family members all consent to it.

 

[jax5]

I am always in shock and wonder, You get nursing assistance for your loved one. The state puts a cap on what they can make. These people make 6.00 an hour and work like dogs, turning patients, cleaning up their urine, feces and vomit, they feed them, bathe them, medicate them. There is never enough help to go around because these jobs are under paid and under appreciated. Put in to the mix a family that is "busy" with their own life. They have children, bills, car payments. They cannot or will not rearrange their lives to be able to help with mom and dad. ( BTW, I DID) They, instead, complain about the care that mom and dad are recieving, report them repeatedly for things they think should be done better but won't stop up tp the plate. I am in awe.

For the record, I am a nurse with a special needs child and another older one and I changed my work schedule and my location and my standard of living to care for my elderly father when he needed it. He looked after me for years!!!!!!! It was the least I could do for him. I am not saying that every nursing care facility id bad and I am not saying that some places should not be reported!!!! But, you sound very concerned about mom so I am wondering why, if you are that uneasy, you have not moved her to your home, got an in home nurse to help you with her daily living help and did it yourself!!!! It can be done, trust me!!!

longsally111, with all due respect, you sound like a martyr; the ultimate daughter - and why can't everyone be as perfect and caring as you? The fact of the matter is, the elderly need special care and medical attention which some children are incapable of giving, and a private nurse costs more than most families can afford. It doesn't mean that they don't care, as you seem to imply. Should they be made to feel guilty or like terrible kids simply because they've done what their parents did in raising their own families and working for a living? You also sound somewhat bitter at having to attend to the special needs of the elderly, i.e. the urine, feces, vomit, etc. Your resentment would be better served directed at the state for the poor wages paid, and not towards the families, and quite frankly, if you don't love what you do for a living, then you should seek employment elsewhere, not get on forums and bash others for not 'appreciating' the torment you've gone through in providing a service for which the children are paying for, and have every right to question.

CMSC, I wish you the very best of luck in your fight to change things. The circumstances do indeed sound intolerable, and I for one, think you sound like a very caring individual and daughter to be as concerned as you are, and for the actions you are willing to take.

 

[quincy]

Your nursing home concerns are echoed nationwide. Investigations conducted in 1987, into the care nursing home residents received, led to the passage of a law designed to improve state oversight of nursing homes, and to correct understaffing and unqualified staffing problems while improving the medical care given to those who required it. This law, and individual state laws, for the most part, have not only failed to correct the problems discovered in the pre-1987 investigations, they have resulted today in infrequent and/or inadequate monitoring of the nursing homes, and only minor, slap-on-the-hand-type token fines when violators are discovered.

This October, both Hillary Clinton and Charles Grassley requested more investigations into nursing home violations and violators, and last month there were two Capitol Hill hearings held, chaired by Representative Fortney Stark, of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health.

Investigations that occurred prior to 1987 that resulted in the ineffective and/or unenforced laws that exist today, and the investigations occurring now to improve these laws, are probably not going to be of much help to your mother. If you are having difficulty getting action from your state offices, however, I suggest you contact Fortney Stark in Washington. It may be an avenue worth exploring, to see if Washington can help where Nebraska can't or won't.

Consumers Report has a website that has information on nursing homes, and this information may be helpful to you (this site includes a list of 10 nursing homes in Nebraska - ones to avoid and ones to consider). You can go to www.consumerreports.org/nursinghomes - by clicking on the state of Nebraska you can get information specific to your state. They provide mostly information, but also some advice that might assist.

 

[longsally111]

longsally111, with all due respect, you sound like a martyr; the ultimate daughter - and why can't everyone be as perfect and caring as you?
I dont know, It would be nice if all were.
The fact of the matter is, the elderly need special care and medical attention which some children are incapable of giving, and a private nurse costs more than most families can afford. It doesn't mean that they don't care, as you seem to imply.
I am not saying that they dont care but complaining constantly doesnt help the situation.
Should they be made to feel guilty or like terrible kids simply because they've done what their parents did in raising their own families and working for a living?
they are the ones who have to face themselves in the mirror every day and live with themselves after mom and dad have passed on.
You also sound somewhat bitter at having to attend to the special needs of the elderly, i.e. the urine, feces, vomit, etc. Your resentment would be better served directed at the state for the poor wages paid, and not towards the families, and quite frankly, if you don't love what you do for a living, then you should seek employment elsewhere, not get on forums and bash others for not 'appreciating' the torment you've gone through in providing a service for which the children are paying for, and have every right to question.
you COMPLETELY missed the mark. I LOVE what I do and am not resentful at all. I do resent the constant complaining of families that are never around to see their loved ones but once or twice a month and them complain that they could do a better job. If they can, I say go for it!!!!!!!

CMSC, I wish you the very best of luck in your fight to change things. The circumstances do indeed sound intolerable, and I for one, think you sound like a very caring individual and daughter to be as concerned as you are, and for the actions you are willing to take.

as I stated in my last post which you "glossed" over, I pointed out that it seemed she was a very caring family member and as such, she should take action!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe you should read better before you answer and jump down someones throat!!!!!!!

 

[jax5]

as I stated in my last post which you "glossed" over, I pointed out that it seemed she was a very caring family member and as such, she should take action!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe you should read better before you answer and jump down someones throat!!!!!!!

I did not gloss over your post, but apparently, you did. The closest you stated as to the OP's being a 'very caring family member' was to tell her she sounds very concerned about mom and that she should do it all herself. I simply pointed out that not everyone has the financial means, medical knowledge or flat out time needed to do it themselves, and it does require a lot of all three. I'm glad you were able to care for your parents, and can 'look yourself in the mirror' because of it, but don't chastise others simply because they aren't or weren't able to do the same. And again, children, regardless of whether or not you agree as to how many times they visit per month, have every right to question the care their parents are receiving. By your own admission and others who have posted in regards to this matter, the standard of care is severely lacking within many of these facilities, and their 'constant complaining' is more often than not, completely justified.

 

[CMSC]

It sounds as if OP does not have the legal authority to make a unilateral decision about where her mother resides. Even if she did, in the situation as it stands, home care doesn't sound like a viable option given Mom's current need for life-saving medical treatment.

OP, why hasn't your mother been transferred to a hospital for treatment of this bedsore? It would seem that her doctor could order this without the requirement that the family members all consent to it.

My mother hasn't been transferred to the hospital because the Dr. refuses. He stated an oral antibiotic and motrin for pain would be beneficial and about all that can be done at this point because it's so bad, he said it probably won't go away he's just trying to keep her comfortable. Because it's such a small tight-knit community, no other Dr would dare disagree with him. I think my biggest issue is that they didn't notify the family when she first developed it, nor did they notify the doctor.

 

[CMSC]

I am always in shock and wonder, You get nursing assistance for your loved one. The state puts a cap on what they can make. These people make 6.00 an hour and work like dogs, turning patients, cleaning up their urine, feces and vomit, they feed them, bathe them, medicate them. There is never enough help to go around because these jobs are under paid and under appreciated. Put in to the mix a family that is "busy" with their own life. They have children, bills, car payments. They cannot or will not rearrange their lives to be able to help with mom and dad. ( BTW, I DID) They, instead, complain about the care that mom and dad are recieving, report them repeatedly for things they think should be done better but won't stop up tp the plate. I am in awe.

For the record, I am a nurse with a special needs child and another older one and I changed my work schedule and my location and my standard of living to care for my elderly father when he needed it. He looked after me for years!!!!!!! It was the least I could do for him. I am not saying that every nursing care facility id bad and I am not saying that some places should not be reported!!!! But, you sound very concerned about mom so I am wondering why, if you are that uneasy, you have not moved her to your home, got an in home nurse to help you with her daily living help and did it yourself!!!! It can be done, trust me!!!

I can tell my defense will fall on deaf ears but here it goes anyway...


Well I hope you win the daughter of the year award. I must be incompetent since I can't manage a full time job, raising 3 young children and taking care of my mother who needs 24/7 care, by myself. I'm a single parent...but of course, since you are super woman, you probably are single and doing all this as well.

We can't afford an in home nurse for as long as she would need it but it has been considered. Thank you so much for your concern!

This nursing home starts at $8.50/hr which may not sound alot but when you are in a small town where the cost of living is lower, this isn't a bad wage to start at. After 6 months most CNA's are up to $10/hr. Excellent benefits and daycare reimbursement. Why are they still understaffed? Because they chose to be, they are owned by a money hungry corporation who choses to skimp on aide's to save a few $$$$. Oh and there is no state cap on what a CNA can make.

As for all the things the CNA has to do, they don't bathe them here nor do they pass meds, there is an entirely seperate group who does that. As for feeding and keeping them hydrated and repositioned, yes it's the aide's job, that's the job they went to school for and they knew what was expected. Nobody forced them to work here. When you have time to sit on your ass outside to smoke every 20 minutes but you can't turn a resident on their side every 2 hours, then yes I have a problem with it.