She’s was seen by a doctor yesterday and moved to a quarantine wing. We wouldn’t know that but she told my brother over a phone conversation. I’ve called asked for information and no calls are being returned. Mom is 93, we’d like to know the prognosis and treatment plan.
Wishing best of luck to all, and hope you will update as you learn more.
I requested that she NOT be hospitalized unless there was absolutely no alternative, that she NOT be placed on a ventilator (as per HER legal directive), and asked if she needed hospice and that if possible, she receive a visit from a Priest.
Everything went as I had requested, and I always got to speak to SOMEONE when I called the facility, but very few if any calls were made TO ME, reporting on her condition. The care staff was just too busy to call, and I knew that.
I hope your LO does as well as mine did, dp1956.
What this tells me is............the tests are very inaccurate. And that 'asymptomatic' cases are not 'cases' at all, but false positives.
In my opinion, they should leave these residents ALONE, open things back up, at least to SOME degree, and get OFF of the testing tit which is nothing but a way to nerve everybody up over nothing.
If someone starts ACTING sick, they should be tested. If they develop symptoms and test positive, it's a 'case'. If they're running around testing everyone constantly, willy nilly, and nobody has symptoms, there's nothing wrong.
They should let loved ones back into the ALFs where we can sit 6 feet apart and visit with our parent(s), wearing The Mask, of course, and stop the insanity of forcing us to do these outside window visits in 30 degree temperatures and standing in the snow. I'm 63 and more likely to die from getting sick standing outside for 30 minutes in those conditions than my 94 y/o mother is from catching covid in the MC ALF.
Just my 2 cents.
1. Who develops the treatment plan? The treating doctor, who in my experience sometimes is a facility employee and sometimes has his/her own practice and treats at the facility? Or the facility staff?
2. The facility may be short staffed if employees are off b/c of the pandemic, and may be pressed just to get regular treatment and services accomplished.
3. For whom did you leave messages, and how many? Administrator, DON?
The doctor?
4. What could work better for the facilities is to provide a message to the receptionist advising of actions taking place and when a plan is expected to be developed.
5. What I think also could work is for someone at the facility to request e-mail contacts for relatives, parents, etc. and provide a daily email update. That would significantly minimize phone calls.
6. By way of explanation but not an excuse, the facility may be so overwhelmed that they're focusing on treatment and care first, with contacting relatives a second issue. That's not necessarily an excuse, just a possible explanation.
In fact, that's what I would suggest, as it would minimize work for the staff and also keep the families updated.
How long has your mother been at this facility? Are you pleased with their services otherwise?