Nursing Home Blues
I have come to the conclusion that if I ever have to go to a nursing home I would rather sleep on nails. I visited my mom for the first time today. She's supposed to be there for a couple of weeks recoverino from a broken hip. So, we get there, my son, sister and nephew and this place is in the middle of a residential street with little to no parking. We go inside and I had envisioned a desk to check in where someone would be posted to help you. Nope. There is a small counter near the door with a book that says sign in book without a pen to sign in. I guess you bring your own. We signed the book. Next about 12 feet away is a desk. I saw one person in blue scrubs standino there and another woman with a Jamaican accent dressed in a multi colored scrub shirt and brown pants. I asked if anyone could help me since nobody seemed to want to help us. The lady with the accent said my mom was in the dining room eating lunch at the end of the hall.
At the end of the Hall there was indeed a dining room with a large flat screen television and several people in wheel chairs sitting at tables. Most not eating. A couple being feed by assistants but for the most part full plates just sat in front of uninterested patients. The food looked almost like baby food so I understood the lack of wanting to taste it. I tried to get my mom to taste a tiny bit but she said it was tastless and nasty. I couldn't disagree.
After a few minutes of just sitting there my mom as not interested in watching the movie "What's Love Got To Do With It" blasting from the surround sound speakers. One woman was crying when a fight scene came on another cheered.
My mom wanted to go back to her room and lie down. We had to find someone to help and they didn't come quickly. We all got impatient.
So finally someone came. I needed to talk to the supervisor. One person pointed me in the direction of a woman no more then 25 who was seperating medication. So, I tried to ask her about my moms treatment plan. She said ask this other woman the afternoon supervisor. I asked which one was she. She said the meds supervisor. I was completely confused at this point.
Three people and one doctor later I still had none of the questions answered. Apparently nobody who knows anything doesn't work on Sunday. I figured that after the second person.
I told them I needed someone to sit with her to watch her as I was told was supposed to happen because she's a fall risk. She does not like staying in bed , can't stand the fact she's not able to walk where she wants to go. So, the best they could do was put a mattress alarm under her if she tries to get up it would go off. I informed them that they had a wheel chair alarm it went off while were sitting with her and nobody came until we flagged someone down. So, I said that was fine if someone came if it alarmed. They assured me they would.
We sat with her for 5 hours. No sooner then we get home a call comes in. My mom tried to get out of bed and they didn't get to her in time. I was angry but not surprised. Now a person is going to sit with her. I have more then a few choice bwords for them tomorrow.
At the end of the Hall there was indeed a dining room with a large flat screen television and several people in wheel chairs sitting at tables. Most not eating. A couple being feed by assistants but for the most part full plates just sat in front of uninterested patients. The food looked almost like baby food so I understood the lack of wanting to taste it. I tried to get my mom to taste a tiny bit but she said it was tastless and nasty. I couldn't disagree.
After a few minutes of just sitting there my mom as not interested in watching the movie "What's Love Got To Do With It" blasting from the surround sound speakers. One woman was crying when a fight scene came on another cheered.
My mom wanted to go back to her room and lie down. We had to find someone to help and they didn't come quickly. We all got impatient.
So finally someone came. I needed to talk to the supervisor. One person pointed me in the direction of a woman no more then 25 who was seperating medication. So, I tried to ask her about my moms treatment plan. She said ask this other woman the afternoon supervisor. I asked which one was she. She said the meds supervisor. I was completely confused at this point.
Three people and one doctor later I still had none of the questions answered. Apparently nobody who knows anything doesn't work on Sunday. I figured that after the second person.
I told them I needed someone to sit with her to watch her as I was told was supposed to happen because she's a fall risk. She does not like staying in bed , can't stand the fact she's not able to walk where she wants to go. So, the best they could do was put a mattress alarm under her if she tries to get up it would go off. I informed them that they had a wheel chair alarm it went off while were sitting with her and nobody came until we flagged someone down. So, I said that was fine if someone came if it alarmed. They assured me they would.
We sat with her for 5 hours. No sooner then we get home a call comes in. My mom tried to get out of bed and they didn't get to her in time. I was angry but not surprised. Now a person is going to sit with her. I have more then a few choice bwords for them tomorrow.
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