If your loved one is in a facility

forbarbara

If your LO has advanced medical directives make sure the facility knows about them and remind them occasionally since there’s so much staff turnover. If they send your LO to the hospital do not assume they send a copy of the directive. Do not assume that the hospital has a copy. You may have to show up with a copy to make sure your LO gets the treatment they want.

Hospital staff are focused on healing and curing people which doesn’t always make sense for PWD. Unnecessary tests and procedures, unnecessary stress on you and your LO.

Yes, this is my lesson learned. Next time I’ll be prepared.

JudyVE

When my mother was in AL the facility had us complete Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (“MOLST”) form - this was signed by me as her proxy, and signed by her attending physician. A copy of this signed form printed on neon pink paper was on the wall of her apartment where it would be easily seen by any emergency personnel. This was standard practice for the facility. This form and other medical documents went with Mom to the hospital (carried by the EMTs, and passed off to the hospital team) When Mom went to the nursing home, a new form was completed for her file. The form specified “keep with the patient at all times”. I don’t know if this is unique to my state (Mass.) but it seems like a good practice even if it is not required by the state. I agree with forbarbara, show up at the hospital with a copy of your LO’s advanced medical directives - even if you have given the provider a copy on prior occasions. I am prepared for this now that my DH is living with ALZ.

forbarbara

great advice JudyVE. I also talked with the local hospital’s palliative care team and there’s now a standing order on MIL’s chart to get them involved if she does go back. Less likely since hospice took her back but still good to have backup.

I’m not saying the MC changed her MOLST but somehow it was different. (In my state only the doctor signs it). Hospice helped me get the correct MOLST signed by the MC doctor and into her MC chart and I have a copy. This should stop the misinformation.

Jo C.

It's not just Advance Directives that get "lost" - same with DPOAs. For some reason, neither the hospital nor the MDs office seemed to be able to find the documents despite my providing them multiple times. So . . . I simply placed copies of these documents into a manila envelope and put them in my car in the back seat pouch. This meant I always had them with me. Crazy, but I had to produce the documents multiple times to entities that already had been given them. I never let the entity take my copies; they simply made photocopies and returned my copies to me.

J.