No Underwear No pants.

MTonya

I talk to my mom 3 to 4 times a week on FaceTime. Yesterday when I called her the aid came in to help her to bathroom because she said her legs where hurting.  She sat the tablet down waited for her to come back and I heard them take her to the bathroom. The bathroom is in her room. When she got back to FaceTime we talked for a minute and she said she was hungry, I told her she had snacks on the shelves. She told me she could not get up she had no underwear on or pants on  

I find this alarming or am I over reacting? Is this normal in nursing homes for them to leave her with no pants or underwear on in her bed?

I record our conversation with audio and have played it back to make sure what I heard and seen. Not sure if I should ask the admin why this happened.

John1965

We refer to that fashion statement as the "Winnie the Pooh" look.

JDancer

In the hospital, we rely on absorbent pads on the bed and frequently have patients bare bottomed. The pads pull moisture away from the skin to reduce irritation. Clothes that get wet can hold irritants against the skin and lead to breakdown.  I don't know if this applies to your LO.

Love the Winnie the Pooh comment!

Marie58

First, I don't know your Mom's cognitive level, but are you sure her statement was accurate?

Second, if it's accurate, she was aware of it and it apparently bothered her, so for her dignity's sake, she should have underwear/pants. That's my opinion.

My DH is late stage AD and bedbound. He only wears Depends and a shirt. There's an absorbent pad under him as well. He always has a light blanket over him. That's appropriate for him at this stage. It makes it easier to change him and less laundry if there is a 'leak'.

Rescue mom

My mom was in 2 different facilities for several years. IME,  it is not unusual for PWD to be “put to bed”  with no bottoms if incontinence is a problem. 

But those cases involved patients with Depends, who were also unlikely to get up unassisted, and who didn’t seem to object. If your mom is still cognizant enough to have modesty concerns, then seems like the matter should at least be discussed with staff.

“Winnie the Pooh” look…that’s a nice way to put it! So the practice seems to be not unusual.

MTonya

 I believe it is very much a dignity issue. Her cognitive level is okay not great. She is not incontinent and is still able to call me on her iPad and we do video chats often. I was on my video chat with her when They took her into the bathroom (i was looking at ceiling until she returned) and when she came back less than 5 minutes later she told me she had no pull on and no pants. I believe she was embarrassed to tell me she had no pull-up or her pants on. 

I love her so much and fell so guilty. It is so depressing to think they are not taking care of my mom

She has been there oct 2021 because a doctor told me that is what she needed. In the 6 months of administration she broke arm, They prescribed psych medication without my knowledge broke arm within a month after medication, no pull-up today I was told she has Pneumonia.  She been telling them she can’t breath  no breathing treatment  she has COPD

I lost so much sleep, so sad. 

MTonya

I’m depressed

Jo C.

MTonya, it is time to speak to the licensed nurse on your mother's unit.  If she has pneumonia, and she is telling you she is having a hard time breathing, you can request if she IS ill, then you want her to be seen in the ER to be medically assessed.

As for situations re no pullups or pants, it too is something you would need to make a call and ask about . . . these are not situations that need to be addressed.

Do you have the DPOA or is someone else in in charge of your mother's care decisions?  As for the lack of care, etc.; it is always an option to find another care setting. 

So hope she will be alright; concern for a person with COPD who has developed pneumonia and is having trouble breathing, is definitiely something to be addressed.

Let us know how things are going, we will be thinking of you.

J.