Addressing issues at long term care facility
October 1, 2024 7:58 AM Subscribe
I am concerned about issues I have witnessed at a long term care facility where a loved one resides. The issues are related to the physical condition of the facility and could pose safety issues for residents. The issues are already listed as violations in their latest state inspection which was posted several months ago.
My loved one has been well cared for in this facility, and I don't want to jeopardize their situation. They can not move. But I am uncomfortable with these unaddressed building safety matters. What can I do to help?
The issues are related to the physical condition of the facility and could pose safety issues for residents. When I saw one of the minor issues in the building, I did mention it to a facility administrator. She said they are in the process of fixing it. But that prompted me to look up their latest state inspection report, where I saw additional concerning issues related to safety codes.
I am looking for any suggestions about effective strategies to get them to act. I'd particularly appreciate thoughts from others who have dealt with this issue.
My loved one has been well cared for in this facility, and I don't want to jeopardize their situation. They can not move and they are not able to advocate for themselves. But I am uncomfortable with these unaddressed safety matters.
The issues are related to the physical condition of the facility and could pose safety issues for residents. When I saw one of the minor issues in the building, I did mention it to a facility administrator. She said they are in the process of fixing it. But that prompted me to look up their latest state inspection report, where I saw additional concerning issues related to safety codes.
I am looking for any suggestions about effective strategies to get them to act. I'd particularly appreciate thoughts from others who have dealt with this issue.
My loved one has been well cared for in this facility, and I don't want to jeopardize their situation. They can not move and they are not able to advocate for themselves. But I am uncomfortable with these unaddressed safety matters.
Or look for contact ir complaint info from the agency that posted the report you found.
posted by lapis at 8:03 AM on October 1
posted by lapis at 8:03 AM on October 1
You can contact the long-term care ombudsman for your state for advice. "The Long-Term Care Ombudsman program advocates for residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, board and care homes, and similar adult care homes." More information about the program here.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:29 AM on October 1 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 8:29 AM on October 1 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you for the comments. I should note that I am aware of the state ombudsman but given that the violations are already documented in the state inspection, it feels that may be a bit redundant. Also, in our state, it seems the ombudsman is focused on resident abuse and neglect.
posted by fies at 9:06 AM on October 1 [1 favorite]
posted by fies at 9:06 AM on October 1 [1 favorite]
Honestly I don't think there is much you can do. The facility is going to make calculations of cost to repair vs cost of fines, operational impact and act accordingly in a generally slow manner. Also the general nursing staff likely has very little or zero control over facility repairs.
It is possible that they are prioritizing staffing over building maitance while not great means that the overall care is better.
If there is a specific problem in the patient room you can request a room change of it isn't addressed. You may also be able to concider a different floor or unit in the facility depending on the size that may not have the same issue.
You can bring up concerns about a specific safety issue in terms of your mom and ask questions. For example if there is a tripping hazzard due to uneven flooring how is that being addressed? How are they working to prevent falls on that floor?
posted by AlexiaSky at 11:19 AM on October 1 [2 favorites]
It is possible that they are prioritizing staffing over building maitance while not great means that the overall care is better.
If there is a specific problem in the patient room you can request a room change of it isn't addressed. You may also be able to concider a different floor or unit in the facility depending on the size that may not have the same issue.
You can bring up concerns about a specific safety issue in terms of your mom and ask questions. For example if there is a tripping hazzard due to uneven flooring how is that being addressed? How are they working to prevent falls on that floor?
posted by AlexiaSky at 11:19 AM on October 1 [2 favorites]
If you're in a position to do so, consider sending a note to the facility admin along with an offer to donate funds/supplies to address the issue. A friend does this along the lines of "mom mentioned the loose rails/dead plants/removed hall benches. She's always loved the ability to move around safely/the lovely landscaping/stop and chat in the halls. I expect you have a plan to bring this back to your usual standards and I'd love to help so this can happen in a timely way; please let me know how best to donate supplies or funds to help accomplish this. Thanks again for your wonderful care, mom continues to adore you/your staff and we appreciate all your facility offers her."
I can't say it always works as some things just take more time than she'd like but we all know how hard it is to get reliable contractors/handymen these days.
You probably don't want to offer to fix it yourself, even if you have the skillset, since this might create long-term liability.
posted by beaning at 11:22 AM on October 1 [2 favorites]
I can't say it always works as some things just take more time than she'd like but we all know how hard it is to get reliable contractors/handymen these days.
You probably don't want to offer to fix it yourself, even if you have the skillset, since this might create long-term liability.
posted by beaning at 11:22 AM on October 1 [2 favorites]
Talking to the ombudsman about issues already on the record is certainly not redundant. It may bring fresh attention to issues that are being ignored or are progressing too slowly. It's OK to be a squeaky wheel!
posted by lhauser at 11:36 AM on October 1 [1 favorite]
posted by lhauser at 11:36 AM on October 1 [1 favorite]
Seconding communicating with the ombudsman again. They’re not just there for you to say, “Hey, we found a problem, please look into it” but also, “This problem we reported on previously, that you agreed was a problem, is still not fixed X amount of time later.” They will want to know.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:02 PM on October 1
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 12:02 PM on October 1
Response by poster: Thanks for the comments. I should have mentioned that these issues are not minor ones we can help with, such as electrical wiring and sprinkler systems.
posted by fies at 12:45 PM on October 1 [1 favorite]
posted by fies at 12:45 PM on October 1 [1 favorite]
It sounds like you respect the facility in general, so I'd suggest starting with that level of trust and ask if you can have a conversation with whoever is arranging resolution of these issues. Depending on what the issues are, they may be struggling themselves with securing the necessary contractors and materials to complete repairs.
As an example, my condominium's chiller which supports our unit AC began failing in May. They promptly ordered a replacement - but it is a big piece of equipment and took nearly five months for the replacement unit to arrive. I see this professionally as well, depending on what parts are needed, several months wait may not be due to any negligence on their part.
Asking for the conversation will also help emphasize to them that someone is pay attention, and may help prioritize the repairs if it does just come down to someone paying attention. You should mention that you have seen the state inspection reports and want to know when to expect to see the situations resolved.
posted by meinvt at 2:19 PM on October 1
As an example, my condominium's chiller which supports our unit AC began failing in May. They promptly ordered a replacement - but it is a big piece of equipment and took nearly five months for the replacement unit to arrive. I see this professionally as well, depending on what parts are needed, several months wait may not be due to any negligence on their part.
Asking for the conversation will also help emphasize to them that someone is pay attention, and may help prioritize the repairs if it does just come down to someone paying attention. You should mention that you have seen the state inspection reports and want to know when to expect to see the situations resolved.
posted by meinvt at 2:19 PM on October 1
There's a lot of sense in speaking with the facility first and they may well be responsive to that, if only to ward off any further attention from the regulator. However, once you do that, subsequently contacting the Ombudsman may resulting in the facility correctly guessing that you were the complainant. I would hope this didn't have an adverse impact on the care of your loved one, but it's not unheard of.
Given the facility is already aware of the issues and is supposed to be at least actively working to resolve them, I would be more inclined to go directly to the Ombudsman. That doesn't mean you have to lodge a big nasty complaint, but they would want to know if expected certifications were not being completed in a timely way. Going directly to the Ombudsman doesn't prevent you from later speaking with the facility, of course.
posted by dg at 12:09 AM on October 2
Given the facility is already aware of the issues and is supposed to be at least actively working to resolve them, I would be more inclined to go directly to the Ombudsman. That doesn't mean you have to lodge a big nasty complaint, but they would want to know if expected certifications were not being completed in a timely way. Going directly to the Ombudsman doesn't prevent you from later speaking with the facility, of course.
posted by dg at 12:09 AM on October 2
Fire department? If not directly them, does your state have fire safety / code inspection laws and a body that will act on these laws?
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:03 PM on October 3
posted by cotton dress sock at 8:03 PM on October 3
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posted by lapis at 8:01 AM on October 1