About two months ago, I wrote about a bad experience with an assisted living facility. Essentially promises were made and not kept which led to a loved one's grave illness. In the end, I felt I wasn't assertive enough to ensure that the promises made were kept. I put too much trust into the facility.
At the hospital, overall the care was honest and positive. They did what they could to cure my loved one of his illness and get him back on track. After that it was time for a rehab/nursing home. Due to my loved one's illness-related agitation, and perhaps other factors, there were not a lot of open beds available. Finally one was found. The caregivers at the facility were dedicated and the care was good, but in time my loved one started to decline. I wasn't surprised given the severity of his medical condition. I knew it was probably time for palliative care.
Then my loved one was sent to the hospital again, a different hospital. Like the first hospital, the care was good and the reporting appeared to be honest. They agreed that palliative care was a positive course of action at this point. The nursing/rehab facility responded that they could provide that care. My loved one was returned to the rehab/care facility, but they did not follow through with the palliative care yet his regiment of comfort meds had been discontinued. Unsurprisingly, my loved one was very agitated. I didn't want to make the same mistake I made at the assisted living so I spoke up -- why wasn't he receiving the care? I got a mixture of answers and I'm still not really sure exactly why he was not receiving the palliative care people decided on.
So next steps? Tomorrow I will try to get some straight answers so I know how to support my loved one as well as I can. In the meantime, I reached out to other caregivers to see if they could help me make sense of what was going on.
Update
Fortunately I met the hospice coordinator when visiting my loved one. She was able to answer all the questions I had. Soon hospice will begin overseeing his care. I am so happy about this since they will be able to coach the me too with regard to how to support my loved one and others during this sensitive, sad, and emotional time.
