Mishandled, misunderstood, & marginalized. I cannot begin to count how many times I was hurt while under the care of Life Care Center of Federal Way. It was many times per day and we're not talking during physical and occupational therapy, where its part and parcel to what they do. Ignorance of the disease, ignorance of body mechanics, and a general attitude of lethargy with regard to learning about ALS, is what I noted.
It was far easier to say a curt "sorry" and proceed as before. Efforts to educate caregivers was mostly like banging my head against the wall. The few who paid attention, deigned to do a little self-education, left this facility quickly with the exception of two nurses and two caregivers. Even the Director of Nursing, who allowed the ALS Association to provide education on what ALS is, didn't bother to attend. Neither did my main night nurse.
The lack of training hurt me every time I had to have my Attends change, underwent a clothing change, transferred in the portable Hoyer-type lift, was showered, and the assistance piece of using the standing lift. I would get sick of being hurt coupled with the indifferent attitudes; I verbally lashed-out. Not proud moments.
More serious, was the lack of competency in the operation of life-preserving and life-saving equipment, essential to most persons with ALS (PALS), the bipap breathing machine and the cough assist machine. Even after a specialized training class, taught by my respiratory therapist, operation was dependent upon my verbal instructions. Skeptical, my husband was astounded one evening when I started choking and, neither the nurse nor the charge nurse, could operate the cough assist. Incredibly, as I struggled to catch a breath, she turned to me, asking what to do. He ceased to be a skeptic.
Besides damaging the drive on my Permobile C300 power wheelchair, the facility lost many of my clothes; despite promises to pay for them, it never happened. One of my saved messages to the facility read:
My outside doctor appointments were not made a priority as I missed them due to facility errors. One time actually had to the go unassisted, despite adequate prior warning. I was paralyzed and my speech was unintelligible and I did not have my speech generating device.
I was stupified to learn that my personal mail got wayleighed by the executive director, actually locked away in her office. My inquiries were rebuffed until, exasperated, I ranted on social media, Facebook. I, finally, got my personal mail but at the cost of all Life Care Center of Federal Way employees unfriending me en masse. Very hurtful and indicative of the retaliatory nature of the facility management.
What else can I tell you...This was truly a horrible experience and a real eye opener. I'm grateful to have survived it, but it was just barely. I got out of there because I came down with respiratory infection. The nurse, the one who didn't attend the ALS nor respiratory education, didn't think me sick enough to go to the hospital. Luckily, my husband and I knew better. Insult to injury: I had to argue with EMT's to go to the facility qualified to care for me as a person with ALS. AND, I had to argue that I did NOT have dementia!
Thanks so much Life Care Center of Federal Way!
Icing on the Cake? As I lay in the medical ICU at the University of Washington Medical Center, fighting for my life, Life Care Center of Federal Way called to say they were boxing up my personal effects unless they.... (you guessed it) received payment.
Life Care Center cares... About money... Not Mommy.
It was far easier to say a curt "sorry" and proceed as before. Efforts to educate caregivers was mostly like banging my head against the wall. The few who paid attention, deigned to do a little self-education, left this facility quickly with the exception of two nurses and two caregivers. Even the Director of Nursing, who allowed the ALS Association to provide education on what ALS is, didn't bother to attend. Neither did my main night nurse.
The lack of training hurt me every time I had to have my Attends change, underwent a clothing change, transferred in the portable Hoyer-type lift, was showered, and the assistance piece of using the standing lift. I would get sick of being hurt coupled with the indifferent attitudes; I verbally lashed-out. Not proud moments.
More serious, was the lack of competency in the operation of life-preserving and life-saving equipment, essential to most persons with ALS (PALS), the bipap breathing machine and the cough assist machine. Even after a specialized training class, taught by my respiratory therapist, operation was dependent upon my verbal instructions. Skeptical, my husband was astounded one evening when I started choking and, neither the nurse nor the charge nurse, could operate the cough assist. Incredibly, as I struggled to catch a breath, she turned to me, asking what to do. He ceased to be a skeptic.
Besides damaging the drive on my Permobile C300 power wheelchair, the facility lost many of my clothes; despite promises to pay for them, it never happened. One of my saved messages to the facility read:
"I am missing the following items: dark grey "Tec" brand workout pants, blue "Green Tea" brand workout top, red "Van Huesen" cotton button-up w/red gingham sleeve interior, pink "Soma" camisole top (part of a pajama set), white w/black outline hearts and pink trim pajama capris, white linen bib w/bunny embroidery. Pants are missing since January, the blue top and bib since March, the red since April, pink camisole and pajama capri since June."Another saved message read:
"I am missing the top to another set of pajamas. It is new and labeled. Black and gray cheeta print. Missing for 3 weeks."This list is not complete but its all that I saved. Also, a caregiver dropped my neck pillow into a bag of linens contaminated with fecal matter, they threw it away and opted not to tell me. When I kept inquiring after it, a caregiver finally told me the truth and said the facility would reimburse me. They never did.
My outside doctor appointments were not made a priority as I missed them due to facility errors. One time actually had to the go unassisted, despite adequate prior warning. I was paralyzed and my speech was unintelligible and I did not have my speech generating device.
I was stupified to learn that my personal mail got wayleighed by the executive director, actually locked away in her office. My inquiries were rebuffed until, exasperated, I ranted on social media, Facebook. I, finally, got my personal mail but at the cost of all Life Care Center of Federal Way employees unfriending me en masse. Very hurtful and indicative of the retaliatory nature of the facility management.
What else can I tell you...This was truly a horrible experience and a real eye opener. I'm grateful to have survived it, but it was just barely. I got out of there because I came down with respiratory infection. The nurse, the one who didn't attend the ALS nor respiratory education, didn't think me sick enough to go to the hospital. Luckily, my husband and I knew better. Insult to injury: I had to argue with EMT's to go to the facility qualified to care for me as a person with ALS. AND, I had to argue that I did NOT have dementia!
Thanks so much Life Care Center of Federal Way!
Icing on the Cake? As I lay in the medical ICU at the University of Washington Medical Center, fighting for my life, Life Care Center of Federal Way called to say they were boxing up my personal effects unless they.... (you guessed it) received payment.
Life Care Center cares... About money... Not Mommy.
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