Charles Parker wrote, asking for info. and experiences with nursing homes.
Hi! My name is John Morey, a "maybe" PWP. In the last 6 months I have had
many horror stories with nursing homes (NH) and medications after I put my
mother, who is 83, and 85 lbs. in the NH. The following happened:
1. She was hit by a car causing a head injury. After the accident she was
mostly normal, but mentally had some disconnect and "wool gathering".
2. She went to a hosp. for observation, then a short term facility, then a
NH, then another hosp., then the NH, then a psychiatric (PH) hosp, back to
the NH back to the PH, then back to the NH!! Not one of these facilities
read the reports of the other facilities!!
3. At a given facilities different shifts did different thing, including
different drugs, without informing the family or asking permission!!
4. She got steadily worse, psychotic, violent to everyone, tried to beat up
her room mate, kill two other patients, and stab a nurse!!! (at 83 years,
and 85 lbs.) She went from independent living to a bed ridden psychotic who
looked horrible. One time I did not recognize her she looked so bad;
instead of looking like a vigorous 65 year old, she looked 105 years old,
and not even human!!
5. We finally directed the NH that certain hosp. personnel were not to have
any contact with her, primarily because these people would decide what her
problem was, and disregarding any and all previously issued directives, put
her on a different drug, increase dosages, restrain her, transfer her, etc.
6. We talked to the NH administration, mutually decided that she come off
ALL meds., contacted an outside consultant in geriatric medications to
advise on the proper meds., and basically took the decision making from the NH.
She is now much improved. We hope to take her to our home in another month.
What did I learn from this? The following:
BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE MEDS. Each person will react differently to
different meds. and dosages. Any time a drug is taken that is to modify
behavior, there is the possibility for totally unexpected reactions. And
when multiple drugs are taken, the results can be disasterous! ALSO, DOCTORS
DO NOT KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN!!!!!
1. Do not assume that the NH is doing what you asked them to do! You want
the patient better; the NH wants the patient comatose! Different agendas!
2. Do not assume that the NH personnel who come in contact with the patient
are doing what you want or what the NH admin. tells them to do!
3. Make sure that you have legal, court approved, guardianship. And make
sure everyone at the NH knows that, except in emergencies, which will be
spelled out in advance, that nothing will be changed with out your permission!!
For example, we got a call from the psychatric hosp. that my mother was
acting aggressivly, and therefore they had put her on a different drug. We
did NOT even know she had even been transfered from the NH!!! Some nurse on
her own ok'ed the transfer, in what she felt was an emergency, from a
$6000/mo. NH, to a $1000/DAY hosp. whose treatment philosophy is locked
restraints and enough tranquilizers to keep the patient "quiet"i.e. drugged.
Peace, John
