The oxygen is paid for by my mother's Medicare. I have heard that my sister's use of my mother's oxygen is illegal, but I can't find any way to report it. I have been at my mother's house on two occasions when there was an electrical outage and my mother's concentrator stopped working. She needed the tanks or could not get oxygen.
You say she "self-diagnosed" her need for oxygen, but then she got a script after an ER visit, so that doesn't sound to me like self-diagnosis.
Maybe you could help her secure her own oxygen, then she can stop using your mom's. If she got a prescription, then I'm guessing she must need it.
I was at the ER visit and heard my sister dictate her diagnosis to the technician there. He did not contradict her and seemed to passively agree. I did not object because I wanted my sister to obtain her own oxygen instead of taking my mother's. My sister also wanted to take oxygen with her on her flight back to Michigan.
She did replace the oxygen she used, so my mother is not in danger if there is an electrical outage, as long as whoever is in the house with her connects her to the tanks. I did not recognize the new seals the company put on the tanks, but I know they aren't the same tanks that were there four months ago.
I agree, your sister is putting Mom in danger. Hate to say it, but if your sister thinks this is alright, I wonder if she has some mental decline. I would call APS and run it by them.
She should also have a pulmonary eval to determine if she really does need oxygen, and if so use her own prescription.
Suggest that she study backpacking and camping at high altitudes and how to acclimate. Even at 73, it could be helpful for her.
Sorry to write this, but something's truly amiss if your sister is using your mother's oxygen and depriving your mother (and hers!) of the oxygen she needs. W/o being critical, I'm wondering if your sister does suffer from oxygen deprivation and it's depriving her of thinking clearly.
Thank you for your suggestions but my mother is at the mercy of my sister and no one seems willing to help. The government, as usual, is a waste of money.
Even if you can't change your sister's behaviour, continuing to protect your Mother's safety is still the priotity.
Who else knows how many O2 bottles there needs to be in reserve & checks this? Are there visiting home care nurses you could inform?
Is taking the O2 the whole promlem here? Or is this the *sister came to care for Mother/plans to take her house* maneuver that entitled siblings think they *deserve*? Is that scenario a real concern to you?
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