Our Ask An Angel correspondent is Arlene Petersen, Life Care Navigation Specialist in the area of senior home care.
Q. My dad has been released from the hospital to a rehab facility. I have been informed by the staff there that he has is a very difficult patient. He wanders the facility and disturbs other patients. They have warned me that they may discharge him if he doesn’t comply. What can I do?
A. This situation is not uncommon. Rehab and skilled nursing facilities sometimes discharge difficult patients. I highly recommend speaking with the social worker and administrator of the facility and discussing what your options are. Ask questions. You are your father’s advocate! Investigate if medication is influencing his behavior. Additionally, I would recommend speaking with the medical director and/or his physician. If he is acting out, it may be that he needs a level of care that addresses things like dementia, which can take many forms. Is this facility equipped to care for patients with dementia? Explore this if you haven’t already. If it comes to the point where your father is discharged home before you are prepared for this, I encourage you to have a backup plan. If he still needs rehab, inquire about other facilities that could provide the adequate care he needs. Ask about staffing and how many CNAs are on shift there. If the facility is short on staff you might consider hiring a caregiver or CNA on your own to be at the facility with him. Many people think that once their loved one is in rehab, they receive one-on-one care. Quite often, this isn’t the case. If your father has to return home, professional home care can help you as you try to find another rehab facility. Hopefully, you won’t experience an unnecessary discharge.
Have a question for our angel correspondent? You can send our angel an email to apetersen@visitingangels.com or send your question via mail to Ask An Angel, 65 Woodbury St., South Elgin, IL 60177.
