Hello, all,

Question #1- Do all nursing homes have the same standards of CNA staffing when it comes to resident to aide ratio and response time to call-bells?

Question #2- how difficult is it to get a resident transferred from 1 nursing home and moved to another?

Question #3- where can I look for stats, complaints on homes OTHER than a government website- which, according to Consumer Reports may not be the most reliable place to look for info? Is there a website where families post their impressions of homes?

My mom has been in a nursing home for 1 year. It all looked great on paper a brand new building, a private room, private bath, a spa, a this, a that. (And paid by Medicaid!). They seem to have activities but my mom, if she does want to go, can't get an aide/volunteer to take her/bring her back to her room. (she is in a wheelchair). The place is woefully understaffed. The aides who help mom with her daily care are over worked and under trained to deal with the elderly. Sometimes they take it out on the residents. My mother is miserable and is asking to be moved to another "less fancy" home. She is 81 years old, and mentally alert- if too physically frail to live at home.

She is a widow and I am her only family, so I get complaints every time I visit. I have written to the president of the home. This resulted in a "team meeting" where my mom got to speak, but 5 months later nothing has changed. Mom was never a "happy person" however her complaints have been confirmed by the daughter of another resident, who has also complained.

I don't know what to do next, except look at other homes. We are both in New York City.
Any suggestions?
Thanks

wordwench,
I'm going to risk being unpopular, too, but I think that unfortunately your mother is not being fair to you with this complaining. Thats just a fact of life and she won't change. It sounds like you have already sacrificed so much of your life to look after her. Could it be that this is something within yourself and that the real issue is to find acceptance within yourself of the limit you are willing to do for her?

If the nursing home is nice and clean and new and her NEEDS are adequately taken care of, thats probably the best you'll find. Thats great that its on Medicaid and its such a nice place. If she went to more of the activities, she might complain about them not being what she really wants.

Ya know Wordwench I hate politics but yes there is suppose to be legislation for reform on NH's...I dont know how much that is going to affect the quality of care given though...I guess we'll have to wait and see...you know polititians...its gotta benefit them...wonder what they are gonna try to slide by under that one?! Wait n see.
I have never heard of FRIA maybe others have.
I hate to sound like a broken record but there is another way to find out about NH's in your area talk to people in your local senior center and see if they have any recommendations...

Thank you ladies- Moms & Bunny.

I have checked out all the links and feel it's six of one- half a dozen of another. No matter where mom lands, there will be something lacking.

I have considered digging into my own not too deep pockets and hiring a part time aide- companion, though I feel this should not be necessary.

Do either of you know if FRIA? (Friends & Relatives of the Institutionalized Aged) an advocacy group. They have been very helpful too.

BTW- I understand there is legislation pending to reform nursing home care. This being an election year and seeing as many (voting) baby boomers are facing their parents care (or their own) you'd think this would be more of a campaign issue.

I, personally, don't want to wait for the politicians to get their act together (my mom is 81!). I would rather either embarrass the head of the nursing home into doing something himself or move my mom out. (And I will try very hard not to have to deal with THAT drama).

Anyways, thank you one and all for letting me vent.

Bless your heart, Wordwench - your years of service to your mom give new meaning to the term, "caregiver." If ANYONE has a right to a life, it would be you! I hope you can find the answers you need - I soooo understand the difficulties of watching over someone "inside." I think that would be more difficult for me than to care for mom at home.

I am sorry this has not been a successful experience for either you or your mom. I truly hate the "marketing" and financial nature of nursing homes. To me, it's 'spoze to be about the best care we can provide, not about money and fancy, fast-talkin' come-ons. I expect that at a used car lot - but it seems inappropriate for health care facilities. Sigh. The world we live in, eh?

Check out BG's links - I hope they guide you in the direction you need.

Hello Wordwench welcome in! MB is absolutely correct also there is a website that I have that might provide information for you if you want to try, it is a part of the AARP website and you dont have to be a member to locate information.
The first one is for your state of NY I dont know if this is one you checked out but it has alot of information phone#'s ect:

http://www.health.state.ny.us/facilities/nursing/about_...ing_home_reports.htm

The second one is for the nursing home page on AARP:

http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/longterm/Articles/a2003-08..._performance.html#ny

Here is one more site that might help you specifically for NY:

http://www.memberofthefamily.net/registry/ny.htm

Also contact you local Alzheimers Association they might have detailed information on the nursing homes in your area...hope this helps you out

PS As MB said poppin your head in at all different times is a great tool to keep them on their toes/best behavior because if your not doing this "they know" they have a little leeway with her when it comes to care. If this isnt possible get together with other members family (introduce yourself) and become a watchdog for everyone including your LO...so lets say you are able to visit your LO you stop in at others rooms to check things out and if it isnt up to snuff give the family member a call to inform them and visa versa kinda like a neighborhood watch

Hi Moms Buddy. Thanks for the feedback.

I understand what you're saying. I am single and must work full time and in search of a career change to boot. I do not have a car and mom's nursing home is 40 minutes away by bus (and very expensive by car-service) In other words, "popping in" is not something I can do on a regular basis.

The Social Worker is a sweet woman but useless. Her only answer is "I don't know- let me get back to you". The Nurse Manager is "very proud" of her closed unit. The doctor has his own health issues and is not always available.

I do what I can.

I visit on alternate weekends regularly. I do this for my sanity. I was my mothers only caregiver one way or another for over 30 years. As her health declined, we've been through Senior Living, 24/7 home care, and in one year she was in and out of the hospital 8 times for various reasons. After #7, we both agreed it was time to move to a nursing home. As I approach 50 I feel it was time she had more of a life and I had a life of my own. I'm sorry if that makes me unpopular here but I've seen other daughters sacrifice their adult lives for their mom's care. This is not me, not anymore, but I digress.

I chose this nursing home because at the time I thought it had the best features for my mom (including college-level courses) of all the homes I had toured, and of the ones she and I had visited together. It was clean and the staff seemed friendly. I was sold a bill of goods and as far as nursing homes go this one is only "average".

I had seen Consumer Reports' article, which is why I mentioned it here, thanks anyway.

I was wondering if there was a site where consumers can rate nursing homes like Epinions rates products.

Is there a list on this site of families' opinions of certain nursing homes?

thanks again.

Welcome, Wordwench. Recently, a member posted a link to a new Consumer Reports article on Nursing homes
http://eldercare.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2776064151/m/2741034463
You might want to take a peek and see if they have any answers to your questions.

I have seen a lot of sites that will show information on individual homes for a fee - somehow that rubbed me the wrong way... seems like a scam to me to pay for information that is (or should be) public record...

quote:

The place is woefully understaffed. The aides who help mom with her daily care are over worked and under trained to deal with the elderly. Sometimes they take it out on the residents.

For a facility to not provide sufficient workers to handle the patient load is unconscionable.
Do you pop in at different times of the day/night to check on her? The squeaky wheel gets the oil...

quote:

They seem to have activities but my mom, if she does want to go, can't get an aide/volunteer to take her/bring her back to her room.

Activities are scheduled at nursing homes. If your mom is unable to take part because there is no one to wheel her to and fro, the nursing home is not doing its job. Having services that patients are unable to access is the same as not providing services at all! Who is assisting your mom with getting out of the bed and into the wheelchair? Is she being bathed daily? Is THIS being accomplished on a regular schedule? Are her medications, etc. being administered on time? (check her chart, then spotcheck to be SURE meds are being administered when the chart says they are).

I think you are going to have to pop in and out of there unexpectedly a LOT and enter complaints whenever your mom's needs are not being met. I am sure your state has an Omsbudman program to look into patient allegations, complaints nor resolved, etc. Document, document, document! If your mom is sharp enough, get her a notebook and have her record when she rings for assistance and when assistance arrives, as well as when she receives her meds, baths, changes, etc.

quote:

This resulted in a "team meeting"

PUHLEEEEEZE! Team meeting my rosy red fanny! Who comes up with this bureaucratic crapola? I remember attending stuff like that when my son was in school. NOTHING gets accomplished at these "team" meetings - they are simply scheduled to make it look like management gives a crap. I have never known anything to change as a result... Perhaps they serve a purpose - I just have never had any positive practical experience with them...

Many folks assist nursing homes by volunteering some of their time to care for their loved one. My mom cared for my gramma every day she was in the nursing home (which is why my gramma's nursing home experience was a good one - Mom was there! ). My uncle stopped by each morning to feed my Gramma her breakfast. Relatives and friends can help fill some of the needs, but if this is not possible, the home is still responsible to fullfill its promises to the residents.

Rules are different from place to place... In the rehab facility where my mom stayed, they would not allow family to even WALK the patients on the weekends - legal stuff. Really infuriated me to see all the old folks lined up in chairs outside their doors all weekend with NADA to do... I asked the supervisor just exactly whom did she think walked my mom before she got there?!!! But it didn't matter - those were their idiotic rules.

There are standards set by your state for staffing ratios, response times and all that stuff. Check your state's bureau of hospitals or whatever agency regulates nursing homes there. Good luck at finding information - these laws & rules & guidelines are kept deliberately incomprehensible and unfindable so that the public cannot inform themselves easily. According to the Consumer Reports article, there is a book that each home is supposed to keep accessible within view of the public that gives the pertinent information on their inspections, violations, etc. but that won't tell you what the guidelines and criteria are...

Good luck. I think you are wise to look for another facility. Try to get recommendations from others who have had family members reside at the homes; pop in and out a LOT to check and see if the homes seem to be doing the job they talk about in their sales literature. In the meantime, the only way you will get quality care for your mom at her current residence is to check on her a LOT and complain when they are not doing their job. Complain to the charge nurse; complain to the social worker; complain to your mom's doctor; complain to anyone and everyone who has any influence over her care. Know your/her rights. Anytime you want to see her records, they should be available to you, if you have DPOA. If not, she will have to sign a waiver of her privacy rights for the home to allow you to see her chart.