News of Jeanie

[Sunshine 2]

I am so glad that Jeanie’s family and dog can now come in and so disheartened that her medical care is still not even mediocre. We all are different in how much we will “act up” and push authorities;

Jeanie, your Civil Rights are being violated. You have the right to be treated as well as an able bodied person. Surely your doc knows about this screw up?

Re Elsa: It is moving further west, and I will be surprised if we even get rain from it. Its a wake up call for Floridians though…

[stillstANNding]

Thanks for calling and reporting, Virginia. It means a lot to her and to us.

ANN

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Sunshine ~

I agree with you, but Jeanie's rehab is not the exception. Any resident of a rehab/nursing facility is probably being mistreated or improperly cared for in some way or many ways. To be treated the same as an able-bodied person would mean that she would be at home with round the clock care paid for by Medicaid/Medicare.

We need something like the Olmstead Act for Seniors to get them out of institutions and into the community.

Unless Jeanie or her DIL or one of her sons, or all of them call her doctor, it's quite likely that her doctor doesn't know that she isn't receiving the treatment he prescribed.

I sincerely doubt that the rehab staff would report to the doctor that they have not been doing their job. They could easily say, "Of course, we are giving her treatments for her rash! She just forgets, because she's old and senile." The odds are that the doctor would buy their story. Then, they find ways to delay her next appointment, so the doctor can't see the lack of progress in healing due to their negligence.

Today's weather report indicated that Elsa is going toward Miami, and the work on the Surfside collapsed condo building will be affected. The latest news is that an expert in building demolition will be called in to bring down the remaining structure in 36 hours, with a goal that it will be done before the winds/rain hit next week.

My heart just breaks over this avoidable and preventable tragedy, which cost so many lives, and their loved ones are devastated and in shock. They don't know when or if their loved ones will be found. I can't imagine that anguish.

Praying that Elsa misses you and Jeanie and all of your loved ones and friends.

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[agate]

You are so right, Rose. At least my experience seeing what nursing homes are like by visiting people in them has borne out everything you've said.

The ones I've dealt with have never allowed the patients to keep their own doctors even though that strikes me as a logical way to proceed. Continuity of care, etc.?

Once you're in a nursing home, you see the nursing home's doctor, who may not be your idea of a very competent doctor.

This is tragic.

[agate]

I gave Jeanie a call, and she picked up the phone right away. She sounded cheerful and upbeat in spite of what must be a bad situation for her.

She said her house has been all cleared out and is being painted and is about to be sold. I believe she said that a buyer had been found. This seems to mean that she will be staying where she is because she says there is no other place for her to go.

Visitors, including Lacy, were able to come but now they can't because the facility has a COVID case.

She mentioned it's been 11 months since she broke her leg, and for the first 9 months there she had no choice as to menus. Now she's getting a printed menu every day and can choose the foods she wants.

She gets 5 books a week to read. She says she wouldn't be able to hear audio books.

The new roommate has memory problems but otherwise sounds like an improvement over the former one, who had the TV on nonstop, day and night, and kept talking to herself,

She said she thinks of people on this board as more family than her real family.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Agate ~

Thank you so much for sharing your conversation with Jeanie. She is such a strong woman to be cheerful and upbeat given her circumstances.

Her rehab has a COVID case, and Jeanie isn't vaccinated. That is concerning. I wonder how this rehab resident got COVID? Hmmm ... Maybe the rehab relaxed the rules too soon, and the Delta variant snuck in there with visitors. And now, Jeanie will be deprived of seeing her boys and Lacy.

I watched President Biden's speech about his infrastructure plan, and one of the concerns he addressed specifically was in home care. He emphasized quality of life, appropriate wages/benefits for caregivers, and the vast economic savings in home care provides over institutionalized care. This needs to be passed by our Congress and become law.

When I became a paid in home careprovider for Jonathan and Michael, I had been unemployed for 18 months, and unemployment insurance ran out. In Home Supportive Services saved our family. I paid taxes on my income, which I used to support our family. I worked 24 hours every day. I wasn't "on the dole." I earned my income. That is true for me, and every other IHSS careprovider I've known in more than 3 decades.

In those days, in home care was the wave of the future, but corporations won with lobbying to keep their nursing/rehab facilities filled. Maybe this is our way of going back to the future so that it will finally happen.

Jeanie has a loving family here, and we miss her so much. I wish she had an internet connection. If I worked there, I would bring in an iPad and ask her if she wanted to read the forum. And then, I would ask her to dictate to me her reply. Just imagine how good that would make Jeanie feel, to be here, and participating.

Thank you again, agate, for sharing your conversation with Jeanie with us.

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[Virginia]

Thanks Agate for calling Jeanie and bringing us all up to date. Isn't she cheerful given her circumstances. I have caught her a few times when she was not quite so cheerful, but that was when she was with her first two roommates.

Sounds like things are about like they were when I talked to her the last time. They had had a couple of Covid cases, but they were on another wing. She has told her son's to split the money from the house. She can't keep any cash because she would go over what Medicaid will allow her.

So glad you got to talk to her. I know it meant a lot to her.

[Virginia]

I talked to Jeanie this afternoon. She seems to be doing fine. I think this roommate is getting on her nerves just a little. The woman kept trying to talk to her while we were on the phone and Jeanie told me she was not all there.

Her back is much better, but she still has pain from when she had shingles.

They have had a lot of COVID among the staff and some patients it seems. They now wear two mask and a face shield when they go into a patient's room. They are short a lot of staff because people do not want to work. I expect it is because there is so much COVID. However, it cuts down some on the level of care the patients can get, but it's still not real bad. I think some people that are working work double shifts.

She has put in a number of calls to her sister but her sister doesn't call her back. I think Jim has one of her children's phone number so they can probably reach her through them if they decide to.

Her daughter-in-law had some surgery done on her foot and is between a cane, walker and wheelchair. I asked Jeanie if she was still getting some books and she said they were ordering some through Amazon and they go to Jim's house and he brings them to her. She thinks her daughter-in-law is doing alright.

Both her sons still go to her window, so she does see them and talk on the cell phones when they are out there.

They sold her house and new people are living in it.

She named off so many names from this forum of people that she remembers. I was amazed. Some are long ago members who we do not see anymore, but some are still here.

Hello to everyone from Jeanie.

Edited to add: The staff also wears gloves and gowns as well as all the other gear when in a patient's room.

[agate]

I'm so glad you talked to Jeanie, Virginia. I had been postponing calling again until the new hearing aids come but they're not in place yet.

It's too bad about the roommate. I suppose these facilities feel they need to save money and so everyone gets a roommate but I think it would be nice if everyone could have a private room. The facilities are usually part of a huge chain that is making substantial profits but that's another discussion. It's shameful that people in need of care are warehoused in this way, with pennies being pinched.

I hope she doesn't feel too sad about losing her house. Is one of her sons taking care of her dog now?

Wonder if someone else in the family could try to find out what's with her sister, and why she's not answering her phone. I hope nothing is wrong.

Jeanie just might be getting so much strength back that she'll be back here one of these days. I hope so.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~


Virginia ~

Thank you for sharing your conversation with Jeanie.

Improvement on her wound is good news, but I'm sorry that she is having pain from her shingles site.

The COVID spread in the facility is concerning. From what you wrote, I gather that staff weren't wearing as much protective gear prior to the outbreak in the facility. COVID is rampant in Florida, so all precautions should be taken all of the time in nursing facilities. I pray that Jeanie won't get it, as she isn't vaccinated.

Private rooms would be wonderful and safer, but as agate observed, they would be far more expensive. I imagine that most of the folks in these facilities have multiple problems, and finding a good match for roommates is not easy.

Short staffed and double shifts means less care. Doing double shifts for any length of time will lead to exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and mistakes on the job. In our hospital, the shifts are 12 hours, with 2 days off. By the end of 12 hours, nurses are wiped out. I can't imagine pulling a double shift ~ 24 hours! Well, actually, I can, because I worked 24 hours a day for my sons and Jim. I slept when I had a moment, but I was on call all day and night.

It's good that her house sold quickly. But, it would have been so much better for Jeanie, if she could have remained in her home, with home health care.

I hope that Jeanie connects with her sister soon, and that her daughter-in-law recovers fully from her surgery.

Thank you again for keeping us connected to Jeanie ~

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!

[Virginia]

Rose, Jeanie might have meant a 12 hour shift rather than a double shift. Although I had a sister-in-law who was a registered nurse and she worked double shifts on the week-end in the cardiac ICU unit and then she would be off for 3 days. She was strong and liked it better than working a 5 day week.

Private rooms would be wonderful, but if Jeanie could have a roommate that she is compatible with who she enjoys talking to and one who shares her values I think she would be alright.

Agate, Jim has her dog and he has had her all along. Back when they were allowed to go in to see her he took Lacy on two occasions.

Jim does have her sister's children's phone numbers so he can call if Jeanie gets too anxious.

[Sunshine 2]

Thanks for the update Virginia. We are all thinking of you Jeanie.Your spirit is strong, as strong as your faith. It is inspiring.

[Ikoiko]

I am disturbed that Jeanie has not been vaccinated. It is so worrisome with her living situation. I think everyone in a nursing facility should be vaccinated--patients and staff.

Of course I believe everyone should be vaccinated if they are a able.

[Virginia]

Ikoiko, I agree with you, however Jeanie will not take the vaccine, nor will her sons. I kind of suspicion that she will not take it because they will not. The patients that want the vaccine can get it. I don't know about the staff being required to have the vaccine, but being in a setting like that I think they should.

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~

Virginia ~

I'm sure that roommates are chosen by staff according to bed availability. I don't know what the odds are of the perfect roommate happening with that as the criteria, but it would be great if Jeanie had a roommate, with whom she could develop a friendship.

I agree that in a nursing facility setting, vaccines are very needed among patients and staff. Clearly, that isn't the case, and as we know, Florida is overrun with COVID cases, thanks to the relaxed attitude toward masks and vaccines. Oh, and tourism, of course.

Jeanie followed her own path of treatment with silver and low dose naltrexone. I suspect that she doesn't have access to either one of those treatments. So, I am not surprised that she doesn't want the COVID vaccine.

She has been at this "rehab" facility for some time now, and COVID has been passed around before. I just pray that she can continue to ward it off.

Love & Light,

❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rose

*Virtual Hugs Are Germ-Free!


THANKS!