Summerland Seniors Village Problem

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grammafreddy
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by grammafreddy »

Queen K wrote:
Listen I have a lot more to say about these places but can't really be misintrepreted as to directing my comments at one particular place. And I don't just mean Summerlands.


Start a new thread and don't mention names?
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Queen K
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by Queen K »

I'll think about it.
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southernfrau
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by southernfrau »

Well, we had a relative in there a few years ago. And my husband and I are now considering lodging a complaint also with IH. At the time we were emotional over things and never gave thought to a complaint. She had congestive heart failure and Alzheimers. They told us she wouldn't last long after she had the 'episode.' We went in to find that she hadn't been fed by the staff since she had her problem. She slept most of the time. She motioned to us that she was hungry, recognized us. Guess they figured she would just go in her sleep. We had to scour the food area to get something for her and we fed her. Pudding and juice... She lived for a few months more after that. Makes me mad now to read this article on this poor man, our family member was bed ridden and not independant. This is true, it happened and we have other family members that were there at the time also. There is a problem with that residence that needs to be addressed and I'm glad that IH is investigating.
Last edited by southernfrau on Dec 2nd, 2012, 6:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
gambler
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by gambler »

Thank you Jon Manchester for an informing article. From the Daily Courier article written by Jon Manchester:

"Summerland Seniors Village has faced scrutiny in the past.

In 2006, three staff members resigned when explicit photos of residents were taken with cellphones and circulated. Later that year, a care aide was dismissed for rough treatment of residents. In 2007, an employee pleaded guilty to stealing and using residents’ credit cards."


I feel sorry for the good employees working there. They are probably breathing a sigh of relief to know that someone is stepping up to investigate the problems. I just hope it works.
my5cents
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by my5cents »

Queen K wrote:Myfivecents, I think you've misunderstood what I was saying about the homesupport. All I'm saying is that since he wasn't on the homesupport list, there was no reason for any homesupport worker to go to his room and do a check. It'd be exactly as if a homesupport worker pulled a car up to a random house and knocked on a door to do a check. Doesn't matter if all the "homes" are all in same building.


I just want you all to know that some independent living situations have barrier free coming and goings, meaning, though it is not necessary to check in to the desk to announce you'll be away for lunch, it is prudent.


I understood your comment, Queen K, and I felt you didn't understand the situation and you apparently don't.

The policy at this facility is, if the serving staff notice that a resident is not present for a meal, no matter at what level of care they are under, the serving staff alert the care staff. At that point, I don't know if there is a procedure for example, if the resident is visiting a relative for the day, or whatever. I don’t know if they log out of the facility.

I guess depending on the above, the care staff then check the resident's room to see if everything is OK.

I realized that depending on the level of care someone needs, care staff have a lot of dealings with, or very little, however meals at this facility are the "check point".

When Mr. X doesn't show for dinner, the facility is supposed to make sure there is a reason and to make sure Mr. X is not comatose on his bed.
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Queen K
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by Queen K »

Myfivecents: Not only do I understand the situation, but work with independent living situations all the time. I understand the questions, answers and nuances much much better than most who do not work with it.

Before all the new details were coming out in newspaper reports, I was grasping at straws at how such an oversight could have happened.

I'm also trying to be very careful to respect Castanets liability issues and slander issues as well as other confidentiality issues. The potential to be misread is high on these forums.

I don't think YOU understand all that, but I've tried.
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Fritzthecat
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by Fritzthecat »

As a nurse I wasn't going to comment onthis one but after eading this thread I feel I must.

I can't count how many times I have had to deal with families who live in denial at the level of care needed for aloved one! working in LTC I see ti every day: Mom/Dad is independent, isn't incontinent and never has any behaviral issues so we've told the Dr no meds. This person moves in and suddenly they can't walk or even turn themselves in bed, they are incontinent and hitting staff when we try to clean them up after having been incontinet. The family then comes in and screams at me! Typical scenerio (composite of actual cases) Family who badgered their Dr into changing a diagnosis on a chart and screamed at staff if antianxiety meds were given. After hearing about how easy this person was to look after from the family and why are we doing such a bad job ( I almost said "why don't you take them back home?") I reviewed nursing notes with them about how this person would wander into other peoples private rooms, usually naked and start rifling thorugh their drawers and closet, tossing items on the ground in a blind rage. When staff approached this person they would hit them, bite them and toss items at them. I don't get paid enough to put up with the abuse I get somedays. I wish the nay sayers here, and the family members could spend a few days in my shoes. As for not feeding a patient, I can't tell you how many times I've seen a family come in and cram food into the mouth of a dying person! After they leave and tell us how much the patient ate and why are we starving them, I spend a good 15-30 minutes suctioning chewed food out of their mouth, trying to prevent them dying a horrible choking death. I could go on and on about palliative care and denial.

I'll tell you another thing: Most staff at private facilites are too damn scared to risk their jobs reporting stuff. You can thank our lovely BC Liberal government who introduced legislation allowing for contrcts to be ripped up. Peopel are scared and don't want to lose their jobs. Staffing level are inadequate too: if it is private, they skimp to bolster their bottom line if it is publicly funded, the money just isn't there.

Look it isn't because nurses and staff are cold and uncaring, we've just been though it before a hundred times and WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. Also, a lot of us are frustrated that we can not provide the care we need due to bureaucracy issues (don't know how else to put it.)
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Queen K
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by Queen K »

Fritz, try seeing what happens in independent living situations when mom/dad escape outside the side doors at night, and the alarm goes off but the lone night staff person can't leave the building to investigate who left, much less see which direction that person left, or what that person was wearing or wasn't, and has to sit tight hoping that person will come around to the front door instead of trying to cross a busy road.

Everyone knows mom/dad has dementia, but there are NO appropiate beds in assisted living (different from independent living for those who don't know the jargon) so everyone's just sitting tight hoping for the best. Until a taxi driver spots mom/dad in their flannel jammies and picks them up at 5 am. Or a police cruiser finds mom/dad blocks and blocks from the residence looking for their kids at 3 am.

Lord love a duck, it's all happened. It doesn't mean the independent living residence is incompetent, uncaring or unprofessional. It means there are no suitable beds in a locked unit, which implies a whole different level of care and fee structure. Read: more $$/month.

If you are a boomer, know mom/dad are diagnosed with dementia, but are keeping them in an independent living situation, then listen to what every healthcare professional is telling you: get mom/dad on waitlist for higher care. The paperwork has to be done and ready for that crisis moment when you get the call that something has happened, or that a bed is available. Don't hesitate on the bed, it may be a very long time before you get that call again.

I can't believe how many resist or are in denial over the waitlisting. It is exactly that, waiting. Maybe months before you get a call, consider that "X" number of months for the dementia to get worse because by the time you get that call, it'll be worse, not better.
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Fritzthecat
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by Fritzthecat »

QueenK you hit the nail on the head and darn it all if we've not discussed this a million times already.
I love nursing, I love the people Ilook after. Families unload so much on nursres but I recognize most of it is misplaced denial or anger but it sure makes it hard for us regardless.
People need to understand that as a nurse, part of MY JOB, MY DUTY is to be an advocate for the person in my care. Sometimes that means advocating against what the family wants, espeically if it means disregarding a living will! I will speak up for my patients and I will fight people when I need to. It isn't a "don't *bleep* me off" issue either. It boils down to have the training, the experience and the legal/ethical duty to the people in my care, hurt feeling or denial aside.
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motorhomebabe
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by motorhomebabe »

I have seen both ends of it.Workrd with IH in community care and had a daughter that worked in a independent living scenerio.She was let go cause after being ignored by the board of directors, she tried to go over their heads to get some funding in for those who were falling between the cracks.
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Queen K
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by Queen K »

Every form of residential living for seniors has its place. We are bombarded with ads from these places all the time. Fair enough, they all want a peice of the senior pie, the fact that houses bought for $120,000 or less are now selling for $300,000 or more but mom/dad can't live there anymore. A solution has been provided.

But Bpdl was right when he says a glossy brochure is exactly that and no more.

To all who are looking at these places: ask the right questions. Not "what day is exercise day." Not "how often does the bus run." Wrong.

The most important question may be: what is included in the room maintenance and what is NOT.

You may be surprised to learn what is and what is NOT included. One family took matters into their own hands and regularly bring in a personal rug shampooer rather than putting moms room on a list and getting charged a professional fee over top of her regular rent to get the rugs cleaned.

Just because a fridge in in the room do not look at it and assume the fridge gets cleaned by the room cleaners. May not be included.

Do NOT assume a staff member will help mom/dad with personal laundry should the machines become overwhelming as mom/dad ages in place. Even if they live there for 10 years, they will not be getting personal laundry care. Be prepared to be willing to pick it up/bring it back OR spend part of the day there doing parents laundry OR willing to pay private care worker to do laundry. That's usually $25 or so/hour by the way. Which is still far cheaper than moving parents into 24/7 care.

If linen care becomes an issue, be prepared to have three or four incontinent pads on hand for the bed. One for use, one for laundry and two for emergency back up in case laundry can't be done immediately by you or your back-up.

If other residents start helping your parent don't see that as a positive thing. It's NOT. It means someone who is also paying to live there can't stand YOUR neglect anymore and is burdening themselves with a caregiver role. I can't tell you how many have said to me, "I hope she moves, I feel bad, but I can't do it anymore." Dozens of times. For cripesake, the one helping is between the ages of 85-98 too. Don't use them as a crutch.
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normaM
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by normaM »

We had a terrible time with the care place we first placed my MIL at ( in the US) Then we moved her to a small care home that had 8 residents.. and she blossomed. It was less than what we had been paying and the staff were amazing. I imagine it is harder here to get all the permits, etc to be able to run a small care home
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Queen K
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by Queen K »

There are over a dozen small independent living homes here, 10 or less residents, but they do room/board are not equipped or licensed for personal care or med. assistance. Homesupport workers still have to fill that void. However I think they are less strict on the assistance with personal laundry. And be very careful, some of ones established in the early days have the bathing facilities down hallways, so mom/dad get into a housecoat and trundle shampoo etc. down there with thier walker.

It's not for everyone, but can be hundreds less than the larger independent living places/month. Just not with the entertaiment/facilities/ and bus, which can be a substantial part of enjoying living in places like that.
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southernfrau
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by southernfrau »

To the nurse, you can back off a bit. We understand your job is hard to do. But in our case she ate jello pudding and juice, nothing had to be suctioned from her mouth.
Last edited by southernfrau on Dec 3rd, 2012, 10:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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normaM
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Re: Summerland Seniors Village Problem

Post by normaM »

Queen K wrote:There are over a dozen small independent living homes here, 10 or less residents, but they do room/board are not equipped or licensed for personal care or med. assistance. Homesupport workers still have to fill that void. However I think they are less strict on the assistance with personal laundry. And be very careful, some of ones established in the early days have the bathing facilities down hallways, so mom/dad get into a housecoat and trundle shampoo etc. down there with thier walker.

It's not for everyone, but can be hundreds less than the larger independent living places/month. Just not with the entertaiment/facilities/ and bus, which can be a substantial part of enjoying living in places like that.

oh, this place was equipped and licensed, they kept her until her last breathe. She had a lovely large room, private bath, they made wonderful meals, took the residents out and one of the nicest things is that sometimes the Owner would bring his young daughter.. she and my MIL did puzzles for hours ( either of them doing them correctly but she had fun) Hair and nails done, clothing laundered, pizza nights.. wonderful place and wonderful staff. Because we lived away we had at least twice weekly calls with the staff ( she had her own phone) and photos monthly. The man who runs it has such a wait list it is crazy. Nothing but praise for the place.
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