I have regaled everybody with stories about my experience with moving my father around for good care, and it would be funny if not so sad Yesterday, we moved him from a memory care to a skilled nursing facility, which (shame on me) we should have done to begin with. His cognitive issues are beyond what a MC can handle, although the MC we had him at was particularly inept. The SNF we have him at seems to be very good. As an added bonus, it is free because my dad is a vet an on hospice. Of course my neurotic mom thinks its terrible. However, at the MC he was at, in addition to all the other issues, his partial denture had been missing. They claimed they looked everywhere and could not find it, suggesting my dad took it out by himself. OK, for giggles lets go along with that. He used to do that when cognizant, but had not done that for many many months. But even then, had he taken it out, where did it go? Tonight we were at the SNF we transferred him to. My mom, despite her nutty behavior, could do something the "trained" professionals at the MC he had been at could not do. My dad was kind of gurgling, and my mom found his partial denture in the back of his mouth. It must have been there for four days. I don't understand how the MC people could not find it. Unless he swallowed it and spit it up. But the hospice nurse (and hospice had been a godsend) said if he had he swallowed it he would have choked to death. I really don't get it. I feel like filing a lawsuit against the MC but I think you would otherwise need to prove harm, and I am not sure we can do that. My dad has a limited time left in the best of circumstances, and what difference would a few days one way or another make? But I am wondering how this MC can remain in existence? I had done due diligence before putting my dad there and it was all good. But apparently, in recent months the facility had not only gone through a change in staff, a change in management, but a change in OWNERSHIP. I am guessing they are trying to operate on the cheap though I can not know that. As said my dad has a finite time ahead of him in any event. But he deserves dignity, and the current and future patients deserve a place better than this.
I sure hope the SNF does right by your dad, Karsten.
eg don't be taken in by the bells and whistles on the tour - staffing and care is inadequate - dad was left without thickened water and puréed food for 24 hours - dentures were lost only to be found by mom days later, stuck in the back of his throat
There have been many families that have moved their loved one out of mom's facility but none ever go online and write about it and even her neurologist has their brochure displayed in his office - when I mentioned some of what happened there to him, he replied, geez, I recommend them to my patients
Both issues proved to be justification to get Dad out of there ASAP.
A very close friend who had worked there gave it a high rating. When we discussed it later, we realized that she had forgotten ownership had changed after she worked there.
We live and learn; I tried not to blame myself for missing the staff to patient ratio issue, but I did. Still, now I ask. We learn from our mistakes, consider then "lessons learned" and moved on.
I'm glad to know that you've now gotten our father out of that very strange place.