Here We Go Again *Updated* Again

I wasn't going to go anywhere today because I still have diarrhea and a headache, but I had to deliver Meals on Wheels. There was no one else to do it. So I stopped by the old lady on the way home. More bullshit.

The old lady was sitting on the edge of her bed and an aide, the managers daughter, was in there with her. The aide said the old lady was attempting to get up by herself.

Um hello? Where's the bed alarm that was supposed to be in place over a week ago when the old lady fell out of bed? Not there.

The old lady has got her spunk on now. After our conversation with the Assistant Manager on Saturday, she realized she had to start speaking up for herself. She wanted them to cancel her Physical Therapy appointment for today.

They told her they wouldn't do it. She said she refused to walk yesterday so they didn't make her and she was afraid the PT was going to make her walk today. I explained to her that the PT was only going to evaluate her today and it wasn't strenuous.

The old lady asked me to be there when the therapist came. I told her I would. I told her I knew the therapist because I used to work with him. The aide ran out of the room and the old lady tried to get up to go to the bathroom.

I pulled the call button. Five minutes later the aide came in to take the old lady to the bathroom and the 3 of us sat there discussing the current situation. The old lady told the Aide she did not want them interfering with my relationship with her.

Then she got that deer in the headlights/child afraid of punishment look on her face. I told her that look made it look like she was frightened. She said she wasn't frightened of me, she was frightened of them.

Go old lady! I was proud of her.

Suddenly, the manager burst in and said the old lady had a phone call in the office. I hung around the lobby, no I didn't listen to the phone call. I heard another resident yelling for help and went to find someone to help her.

Elaines son walked in and I told him I wasn't going to be walking his mother because the staff wouldn't let me. He understood. He was taking his mother to the doctor today.

When the old lady finished her phone call, I took her to her room. Apparently the director was on the phone. The old lady said the director was taking her to see the doctor today.

No they did not have an appointment. But I know my boss called the doctor today to get his orders. "Weight bearing as tolerated." That's it. Not walking. And certainly not by untrained staff just to prove they have control!

The manager came in and whisked the old lady off to lunch while I was on the phone with my boss. I went to the dining room to tell the old lady I was leaving. She asked me to ask the manager what was going on.

But the manager didn't have time to talk to me. She was busy giving the guy resident his whiskey. And now I know that guy was an alcoholic. Yes the aide told me. Hello violation of that HIPAA law.

I left. My head is killing me and I was not about to get into it with the director today. I told the old lady to stay strong and speak up for herself. It will be interesting to see what the outcome is.

Especially since my boss talked to the doctor today and he is in Eagle River today. Which means an added cost, more money in the directors pocket.

OH and just now I got a call from my other boss. The director called her and complained about me. She said I am undermining her staff and she is going to take steps to have me barred from the place.

I think I just might have to call that Ombudsman.

*Update* I called my boss, the old lady's conservator. I told her I'm sick of this bullshit. She agrees it's bullshit and I did nothing wrong. She is going to call the director in the morning and straighten this bullshit out.

I did call the director. I was all set to have it out with her. Diplomatically of course, but she was too busy to come to the phone. I'm not calling her back. It's in my boss's hands now.

*Another update* I spoke to a woman at Social Services who is in charge of Elder Abuse. I told her everything and asked her if that was considered abuse. I stressed that I was not making a formal complaint, just looking for answers and direction.

She wasn't sure. She said she'd have to talk to her boss. She just called me back. She said every resident has the right to have the visitors they choose and a denial of those rights is an issue for the State Quality Assurance people.

She gave me their number. I'm going to wait until tomorrow to call. This woman urged me to call because she just didn't like the sound of the bullshit. I really don't want to make waves. But I will if I absolutely have to.

Wisconsins Patients Rights.

* Oh fer shits sake, that director is really something else! Because I knew the therapist that was originally scheduled to see the old lady today, she changed companies!

It wasn't that she was going to the doctor, it was that a different therapist was going to see her. And the old lady hates this one! It's a very small woman with the same personality as the director (yes I know her).

This therapist couldn't even get the old lady to walk. The old lady told me that she tried to put her arm around this womans neck and the woman told her "That's my neck, you don't touch my neck."

The old lady is hopping mad and refuses to work with this therapist. She called me and asked me to call my boss and tell her she wants a man therapist who is strong enough to work with her.

Oh yeah, I'm the influencing one here. This is so high school bullshit it's pathetic.

Now the old lady is plotting. She wants money so she can call a bus and have the bus take her down to Rockford. Her grandson lives in Rockford. The old lady doesn't understand that she needs 24 hour supervision. She doesn't want someone around her 24 hours a day.

Do ya see where this is going?