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Keep medication lists handy.
Posted by doggonedmysteries
If you live with an elderly parent, someone who is chronically ill, or have a medical condition of your own, keep a list of their/your medications handy at all times. Dear hubby is on so many medications for his MS that I keep a list on my computer so I can print it out right before a doctor’s appointment. If we had to sit there and write them all down, it would take an hour so under ‘list medications’ we always put see attached. I also keep a print out in my purse, another taped inside a kitchen cupboard door, and one in each car.
The one inside the cupboard is in case of emergency—say needing EMS, then I can hand them the list of medications as soon as they come through the door. I keep his medication list updated monthly or as prescriptions change.
On more than one occasion, having a print out has saved us from forgetting some important medication that a doctor needs to know he takes. The last thing you want to do is forget to tell them about one. With our luck, that one interacts with whatever they decide to prescribe.
Posted in Misc, MS related
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Elder Care, Family, Healthcare, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Writer, Writing
I hope that’s the last I ever see of Liberty Nursing and Rehab/ HCR Manor Care
Posted by doggonedmysteries
This morning Dear Hubby called Liberty Nursing and Rehab, he spoke to the head honcho about sending me in to pick up the remaining money in his Mother’s account there and she told him it would be ready when I arrived. I didn’t want to go back there. Oh, whom do I think I’m kidding? I couldn’t wait to go back and raise some hell.
I went into Liberty Nursing and Rehab/HCR Manor Care all set to pick up the money and, knowing them, expecting the worst. I found out I was right. I told the receptionist who I was and why I was there. She told me to take a seat and she’d have someone come to talk to me directly. Soon afterwards, Al showed up. Al told me, he didn’t have a check ready and that he’d mail one to us.
“Well, now aren’t you precious. No, you won’t mail us a check. You’ll get yourself back to your little office and you will cut a check NOW.”
“But, I’m busy doing payroll.”
“You have my deepest sympathies. However, I was told to come in and pick up the money and I’m not leaving here without it. How about this, why don’t you call your supervisor?”
“You want to talk to my supervisor?”
“Was I speaking in Latin? Did you misunderstand me? Let me say it again, nice and slow, so you can understand. G e t y o u r s u p e r v i s o r o u t h e r e.”
Al disappeared.
His supervisor arrived a bit out of breath and tried to explain that Al was busy doing payroll checks, and did I really want him to stop what he was doing to cut a check for us?
“Yes I do and yes, you will. I don’t care what he’s busy doing. I was told to come and get the money from my Mother-in-law’s account. I’m here and I’m not leaving without it.” Then I went on to say, “I’m a freelance writer, and this won’t be pretty.” (I didn’t mention that I was a mystery writer.)
She scurried away.
I sat in the lobby putting pen to paper while eavesdropping on conversations around me. I can’t help it I’m a writer. I do believe that when I flipped over my third page of the legal pad and began to write on the fourth the receptionist was getting quite nervous. On the other hand, could her nervousness have been caused by my making a point of reading the identification badges of every person who walked by?
About twenty minutes later, Al appeared with a check. It was for a mere $42.02. Which for many people wouldn’t be a big deal, but for us, what it came down to was the principle of the thing. It also felt real good to make them jump through my hoops.
As you can guess, there’s another Doggoned book in here somewhere and Linnie will be in the thick of it. I just need to think of the right title….
Posted in Misc, My blog, My books, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Elder Care, Family, Fiction, Healthcare, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Physical Therapy, Writer, Writing
How security conscious is Liberty Nursing and Rehab–HCR Manor Care?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
One of the first things that Dear Hubby noticed about Liberty Nursing and Rehab (whose parent company is HCR Manor Care) was their complete lack of security. DH, a former police officer, is retired and on disability. With his certification as a crime prevention officer, it was his job to point out breeches in security. It angered him to see such an utter lack of or concern for the security and safety of the patients.
Half the time the main entrance door was unlocked at night and there was no one on the front desk. The door was always unlocked in the day time whether there was someone on the front desk or not. The facility is in a neighborhood plagued with documented criminal activity and vandalism. DH was quick to voice his concerns to the building director. Gosh darn it; his mother was a patient in there.
The building director spoke to him about various options that they had considered but had never implemented. Security cameras, security guards, yada, yada…. She then pooh-poohed all suggestions he made as unnecessary. Yeah, I too said, “what?”
The only change since his meeting with the building’s director was that they now never manually unlock the front door by key and they rely on the timed magnetic lock. He had watched many visitors and persons applying for employment try to open the door during the morning when the business was open. They would try turning the lever, it wouldn’t turn, so they’d walk away confused and muttering. They now rely on the timed magnetic lock When DH would be around the outside and saw the people he would stop them and explain that they simply had to pull on the heavy wooden door. Yes, I said a heavy wooden door, yet another obstacle for someone with a disability.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Disability, Doggoned, Elder Care, Family, Healthcare, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Nursing, Nursing Homes, Physical Therapy, Writer, Writing
MIL sprung from substandard nursing home/rehab facility
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Thursday Dear Hubby and I went to the HCR Manor Care Liberty Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to spring his mother from the facility. We had an appointment for 1:15 to sign her release forms. How unfortunate that they kept us waiting for a good 45 minutes. During that time, the staff began to get the idea that I was somehow not pleased.
The rules on how to deal with incompetent people who think they are superior:
- Be prepared to use police methods of interrogation and intimidation body language.
- Arrive early
- Have your verbal ammunition primed
- Stay cool and calm
Upon entering the facility I said loud enough to make certain everyone around the reception area heard me, “The ADA should see exactly how handicapped accessible this place is—NOT.” I had to wheel my MIL’s new wheelchair down twelve steps to get into the building. In the elevator, I voiced a few complaints about accessibility again. DH was enjoying this.
I roamed the hall for a bit, asking a few staff members if they knew where this meeting was to take place. No one did—what a surprise. Finally, a woman showed up in my MIL’s room at a quarter to two apologizing for running late. Before she changed the subject, I told her that the least she could’ve done was send someone in to us and let us know. I mentioned that it was rude to keep us waiting for as long as she did but knowing the facility, I gathered that rude treatment was par for the course. I hadn’t begun to tell her what I truly thought of the place and she was already stuttering. She beat a hasty retreat telling us she’d send someone with my MIL’s release papers.
An open letter to Healthcare workers,
If you don’t have any compassion or empathy for your patients, find another career. Why did you choose the job in the first place?
If you are burned out, quit and go into another field. When you are having a bad day don’t take it out on your patients their best day is probably worse than your worst day.
Always keep in mind that person in the bed could be you one day and treat them as you’d want to be treated. Do treat their family members, as you would want yours to be treated.
The person you are caring for is not a side of beef, no matter how far gone you think his/her mind is, you have no idea how much they really know about what is going on around them or what is being said.
The best thought to keep in your mind when working with a patient is “This could be me, my mother, father, daughter, son, or grandchild.” I’m betting, with that always in mind, you’ll treat your patients better.
You chose the healthcare field so do your jobs without neglecting, abusing, or belittling your patients. Do not treat elderly patients like children; they’ve earned the right to be treated with the respect due them.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Elder Care, Family, Fiction, Healthcare, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Nursing, Nursing Homes, Physical Therapy, Writer, Writing
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