MC placement friendly advise

friendlyadvise

If the time comes when you need to place your LO in a MC, please read.

*Management is the key to success in a dementia facility. Ask what policy is in place for when a staff member has concerns. Hopefully management keeps staff concerns confidential and a thorough investigation would take place. *Staff should be aware and acknowledge when a resident is changing or losing skills and should implement services as new needs arise. *Staff should not give up after only one try to help a resident. Just because a task is not accomplished the first time doesn't mean that using other approaches wouldn't prove a different result. *On a shower day, if there is no indication that a shower has taken place, please ask for verification, especially if this task is marked as complete in the computer system. *Neglect of toileting is not always apparent by only 'skin breakdown'. Residents that are incontinent should NOT be wearing two depends at one time, this may be a sign they need toileted more often. *Any resident that has compromised mobility should be assisted to the bathroom before breakfast, a food tray should never be left at the bedside without this being done. *When a resident in a wheel chair is brought back to their room, they should be helped to other seating areas or at least the feet transport holder should removed.*If you question something is not right, then chances are it is not right. If your LO is being blamed for anything you need to be concerned. It is all too easy and common for staff to state that a resident did something undesirable, but NEVER question if the staff neglected to do something that they should have that led to this action. *Always visit your LO, go different times of the day. Look through their room, at their bed, bathroom, hamper. Ask that management look at video recordings of prior to any incident to see when aides enter/exit rooms. Patterns may come to light as to why things are amiss. Do not let them blame your LO. There is a right way and a not so right way to work with individuals with dementia.

(For a copy of my entire letter, please ask)

jmlarue

Thank you. We aren't there yet, but I will be filing for future reference your very helpful post.