My 93 and 95-year old parents have been in AL for two years (after several years of IL).
The place they chose near me has had horrible food for years (and yes, I have investigated many places with better food, but parents don't want to move...just complain).
Since they have been confined to quarters, the way food has been handled has changed multiple times: 1) eat in dining room but tables and people spread out; 2) eat only in room with usual menu; 3) eat in room but pre-ordering from menu; 4) now, only one meal choice available for B,L,D in room (i.e., NO CHOICE).
I think this is appalling... not everyone can or wants to eat the same foods. For example, my dad has stage 4 kidney disease and diabetes, but is forced to eat high carb meals with no protein available at breakfast many days, which causes his blood-sugar to spike. Yesterday, he did not get breakfast until 10:00 a.m., which is really bad for diabetics who should eat every 3 or 4 hours to maintain steady blood sugar.
I understand everyone is scrambling to provide care and comfort, but this place seems really terrible. No amount of talking to management is helpful, and the State of AZ has no protections in place compared to many other states (I have spoken to policy-makers/advocates at the state level).
What have others experienced???
It’s hard on them and hard on you to witness. I hope it’s resolved as soon as possible.
Best wishes to you and your family.
Maybe make a phone call to the local ombudsman! They are there to help you.
Also, Counsel on aging services is a good resource.
Hang in there !
Has his doctor written orders for his diet and the timing of his meals?
It is appalling. But you know, of course, that it isn't a policy question - it's a what can we do about this right now, today, question.
The ALF is probably doing its best. Its best is probably pretty dreadful for reasons beyond their control.
What are the managers trying to do? Can they, for example, work with local retailers to get deliveries sent in? Can they ensure that each room has a basic stock of non-perishable foods for residents to help themselves to? Our go-to food for low blood sugar (when our calls overlap with the insulin nurse, for example) is half a banana, just to buy time for breakfast prep. Would your Dad drink a glass of milk, or eat a yoghurt, if he has a mini-fridge in his room? You can get UHT products, too, which don't have to be stored in the fridge (until opened) - how about those, could you deliver them to the facility?
State protections are out of the window when you have no staff, deliveries are compromised, and no one is allowed onto the premises to lend a hand. What would you like to be able to do to help? - not a challenge or a criticism, I'm seeking ideas!
Really wanting to know if others are experiencing the same. I have reconciled that there is not much I can do except listen to their complaints and provide them with what they ask for.
It's simple: a diabetic should be closely monitored, and eat every 3 or 4 hours to maintain blood sugars within range. I agree - of course I agree! Everybody agrees!
Making it happen, now. The insulin round District Nurse I met on Tuesday explained (as though to a dim child, but I didn't let it rile me) how important it was that our new client had her four calls a day at 8, 12, 4 and 8, so could we please make sure of that.
No. We couldn't. Sorry! Our first call is at 7. Each call lasts 45 minutes. We may have up to six "breakfast" calls on a round. The calls may be five minutes distant from each other, or they may be twenty minutes' drive apart. The call may take 45 minutes, or it might be 20, or it might be an hour and a half. The ONLY call time we can guarantee is the 7 a.m. slot. And it's taken.
Surely we can prioritise our diabetic clients?
Which ones? Of the five clients I saw on Thursday, three were diabetic.
In a facility it should be easier, of course; but at the moment the care staff will be doing the catering staff's jobs as well (and possibly vice versa, a bit). How many of the residents are diabetic, would you guess? And how long does it take to get breakfast to individuals' suites, when nobody is using the dining room and each resident now requires individual support?
It is a complete sh*t-storm out there. The frustration for families and friends of knowing it is and not being able to help is horrendous, but please please don't let that frustration result in giving the staff an even harder time than they're already having.
But all positive, workable solutions are welcome!
I did not realize that Arizona had such unfriendly-to-seniors policies, and favor the rights of businesses. I agree with CM that at least in part, there is a situational factor in this, but as you point out, they have gone out of their way NOT to be accommodating to your father's very real medical needs.