Technically,“You also have the right to refuse medications and treatments (but this could be harmful to your health.)”
Part of the problem is this limbo with competence. “They explained to us that the nursing supervisor asked Mom, and she said she wanted to stay there, and they were looking out for her interests and couldn’t discharge her.” If she’s viewed as competent, it’s not so simple to go on family say-so to release her when she still qualifies for care.
I’d want to know if they’d let her s stay in IL if incompetent but with guaranteed 24 hour care. They did allow this at my grandmother’s place.
I think at this point, the rehab facility has put their cards on the table. They lied about future medicare reimbursement, they are making an end run around a POA, they held off on giving the family a copy of the medical records for 2 weeks, (legal HIPPA regulation is 30 days), they are strong arming the family. When the physician states that it is hard to get the facility to discharge a patient, you know you have a problem. I would document everything and request the ombudsman to step in.
In talks with us, they never were able to give either goals or timelines. The records have both goals and timelines. When she was admitted a month ago, she had two week goals, which she has now met, and eight week goals. [Hello? You have eight week goals for our mother and you can’t tell us you’re planning to keep her for eight weeks?] In eight weeks, she was supposed to be able to walk 300 feet with a rollator (a walker) with “moderate independence,” which means verbal cuing and extra time but not physical support. She is very close to being able to do this. She was also supposed to be able to transfer from bed to wheelchair, wheelchair to bed, and other transfers, which as far as we can see, she can already do.
By the way, I deserve no credit here. My two sisters and one brother who live locally have been taking care of Mom for a long time.
But this rehab facility is going to have to fight Mom’s five angry children, who are united in working for her best quality of life. I have to go home next Monday, but my brother from Chicago is driving in this Friday. The only good thing about this mess is I get to get together with my brothers and sisters, whom I love very much.
CF, it is draining enough without feeling like you are fighting “the establishment”. Glad you have the upside of being with your siblings and are united with them. It is so hard to slog through. Any chance of her own Dr. helping?
CF, it’s such a blessing that you and your sibs are united and involved on your mom’s behalf. That is often such a hard part of this battle. Agree that your mom’s doc should be in the loop here. He may be able to help with the ombudsman, too.
Glad to hear you got a timely response from the ombudsman. Thankfully you and your siblings are supportive of each other and in agreement about what needs to be done. One less stressor to deal with.
I can’t remember who first suggested that I call the Medicare ombudsman for my mother’s saga in getting out of the rehab facility, but whoever it was, THANK YOU!
Yesterday or possibly the day before, the ombudsman showed up to talk to Mom. None of us were there. The rehab facility claims that Mom said she wanted to stay. However, by magic, after the ombudsman’s visit, the rehab facility gave us a date for Mom’s departure: April 6, which they said was 2 1/2 weeks from yesterday. When my sister pointed out that April 6 is not 2 1/2 weeks from yesterday, they changed the date to March 29. That is also longer than 2 1/2 weeks, but we are happy enough that we don’t want to fight.
I’m back home, but my brother and SIL drove in from Illinois to take over being the entertainment committee and finishing up the preparations for Mom’s apartment. While I was still in NJ and my brother and SIL were also there, we had a little party in Mom’s apartment, with five of her children, a grandchild, and five spouses. We had Chinese food and ice cream cake. Mom, who has lost four pounds at the rehab facility, had three pieces of cake. Things are going well.
Isn’t it amazing? The ombudsman rattles their cage, and then, just by total coincidence I’m sure,the rehab facility goes from not being able to predict any release date to picking a date.
Glad you are happy and that the ombudsman yielded the result you were seeking. There is so much limbo and ambiguity with elder care. It must feel good to have a plan.
Just out of curiosity, when does her skilled nursing rehab insurance via her Medi-gap policy run out? I have found that availability of insurance impacts discharge timing recommendations, not necessarily inappropriately. Perhaps she is already private pay; sorry to not remember. Most people seem not to be in rehab past the 100 day Medi-gap limit. This can also correspond with staff determining that the patient is hitting a plateau and there is no way to anticipate or document the required rehab progress.
Hopefully, this will be a chance for your mother to gain further strength and you and your sibling to get things ready. How nice to have had a family gathering.
I am not sure if this has been posted before, but I came across it in FIL old file. I find it motivating for myself to stay in #1 but at times I have been in #2. I especially like the drawings that seem very accurate.