MC to Nursing Home

hiya

my DH has been in MC for 5 months. He has declined substantially. He now can’t name objects, unsteady in feet, sometimes incontinent/BM so in depends, can’t understand to put medication in mouth, resistant to bathing/shaving/depends change. He wonders in and out of residents rooms as he can’t find his. I was just told he has been given 30 days notice due to declining care. I’m shocked. My search for nursing homes has me wondering if there is a right fit. The cost is shocking. Most are not secure facilities and have a mixture of dementia and long term care residents. After explaining situation to places, I’ve been told he has to accept care and cannot wonder into residents rooms. I’m not sure if that will happen. I’m petrified he won’t be able to stay anywhere. What can you do?

SDianeL

Many MC facilities know how to care for PWDs and even work with hospice. Wandering in other rooms is common. The one thing they can’t tolerate is aggressive behavior toward staff but many times that can be managed with proper medication. I would look for a different MC facility with a doctor that can manage meds.

easy23

I had to move my DH from MC to a nursing home because he developed a stage 4 pressure ulcer on his heel. In addition, he had been resistant to care in the MC and was laying in wet clothes for hours.

I found a nursing home 10 miles away that had a MC unit. My husband is thriving there. He is properly medicated and if he wanders out into the hall there is enough staff to redirect him back to his room. The NH is expensive but he can apply for medicaid after 1 year private pay.

BikingOldMan

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/257212#Comment_257212

May I ask what state you’re in? I’ve not heard about Medicaid after a year of private pay

easy23

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/257215#Comment_257215

In my state you need to spend down your assets to qualify for medicaid.

jfkoc

A MC facility should be able to take care of what you describe. I fear that what is lacking is staff training. Please take a look at the contract and see if it includes kicking out a client and if so the conditions which allow it.

harshedbuzz

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/257215#Comment_257215

Cobbling onto what @easy23 said, many of the nicer facilities operate under a policy that accepts patients who can self-pay for a year or two before they have spent down to the point Institutional Medicaid will cover their costs while their spouse remains a "community spouse". This varies by state, so seeing an elder law attorney where you live is critical.