Need some advice on a shitty deal

[Baconator]

A good friend of mine went into cardiac arrest over the summer and wound up in the ICU on a ventilator in a coma for a week. They were never able to wean him off the vent and eventually transferred him to a rehab center where they tried to get him off the vent.
He made a little progress, but not enough to completely get off the vent. They transferred him to a long term care facility that accepts people on ventilators (1 of 3 in state), this particular facility is not allowing visitors due to fucking Covid, so his wife is not able to see him.
The facility often doesnt return calls to give progress reports, and arent really that knowledgeable when you do get them on the phone.

Today I was over helping his wife do some things when I heard they hadnt called her back since friday, so I was a bit pissed and so we called them and basically bullied our way to the nurses station where we finally talked to someone who even knew of the man.
She said he has been having a rough few days because of the cold, its been down to -15 and highs of 10 here since last friday.
Turns out their heating system is 50 years old, and isnt keeping up too well, and they are also out of blankets. They sent someone out looking for some extra heaters, so they are trying.

I asked if we could bring a space heater for him- no fire hazard?
I asked if we could bring a heat blanket for him- no, burn hazard?
I asked if they could pile some blankets on him- all blankets are being used so far.
Can we bring some extra blankets for him- BS about COVID.

I am just fucking livid right now for him and his wife. I had her on speaker phone so his wife heard all of this and is just heartbroken about it.
We feel like our hands are tied, other than going to the media I am not sure what to even do. Is there a state agency we can turn them into?

My friend only has use of 1 arm, however it is so weak he cant hold his phone to make a call or send a text. He also cannot talk outside of a whisper so its hard to hear what he is saying.

 

[Fishnbeer]

Sorry about the situation, the worst part is the feeling of helplessness when you try to help but are denied.

Can you run to a sporting goods store and get some of those heating packs for skiers/snowboarders? The little packs you squeeze and they get hot for like 4 hours?

 

[Baconator]

Sorry about the situation, the worst part is the feeling of helplessness when you try to help but are denied.

Can you run to a sporting goods store and get some of those heating packs for skiers/snowboarders? The little packs you squeeze and they get hot for like 4 hours?

Ill have to ask, if they think a heat blanket is going to burn someone I can only imagine they would think these will too.

 

[Tin Roof]

A good friend of mine went into cardiac arrest over the summer and wound up in the ICU on a ventilator in a coma for a week. They were never able to wean him off the vent and eventually transferred him to a rehab center where they tried to get him off the vent.
He made a little progress, but not enough to completely get off the vent. They transferred him to a long term care facility that accepts people on ventilators (1 of 3 in state), this particular facility is not allowing visitors due to fucking Covid, so his wife is not able to see him.
The facility often doesnt return calls to give progress reports, and arent really that knowledgeable when you do get them on the phone.

Today I was over helping his wife do some things when I heard they hadnt called her back since friday, so I was a bit pissed and so we called them and basically bullied our way to the nurses station where we finally talked to someone who even knew of the man.
She said he has been having a rough few days because of the cold, its been down to -15 and highs of 10 here since last friday.
Turns out their heating system is 50 years old, and isnt keeping up too well, and they are also out of blankets. They sent someone out looking for some extra heaters, so they are trying.

I asked if we could bring a space heater for him- no fire hazard?
I asked if we could bring a heat blanket for him- no, burn hazard?
I asked if they could pile some blankets on him- all blankets are being used so far.
Can we bring some extra blankets for him- BS about COVID.

I am just fucking livid right now for him and his wife. I had her on speaker phone so his wife heard all of this and is just heartbroken about it.
We feel like our hands are tied, other than going to the media I am not sure what to even do. Is there a state agency we can turn them into?

My friend only has use of 1 arm, however it is so weak he cant hold his phone to make a call or send a text. He also cannot talk outside of a whisper so its hard to hear what he is saying.

What state are you in? Iowa is allowing visitors in care facilities again, I assume some other states are too?

This is something that I would take to every news station around til I found one that will run with it, and blast it all over social media. Denying the residents proper care and the ability to see their family isn’t saving them from anything other than happiness.

 

[arse_sidewards]

Show up with blankets for your dad and baked goods for the staff and talk your way in.

Life is sooooo much easier once you realize that everything is negotiable.

 

[[486]]

any reason you can't bring his ass home?

in modern america the place is due to get the fuck sued out of them for anything and everything, why be the least bit surprised that the employees hide behind "the rules"

 

[Baconator]

What state are you in? Iowa is allowing visitors in care facilities again, I assume some other states are too?

This is something that I would take to every news station around til I found one that will run with it, and blast it all over social media. Denying the residents proper care and the ability to see their family isn’t saving them from anything other than happiness.

CO. right now its up to the facility if they will allow visitors in.

 

[Baconator]

;n312385]any reason you can't bring his ass home?

in modern america the place is due to get the fuck sued out of them for anything and everything, why be the least bit surprised that the employees hide behind "the rules"

Hes on a ventilator. The goal is to get him home, but needs to be to a point where his wife can handle him. In home healthcare is $30/hr, he needs atleast 12hrs a day in care right now, she would be able to make that work a week.

 

[[486]]

Hes on a ventilator. The goal is to get him home, but needs to be to a point where his wife can handle him. In home healthcare is $30/hr, he needs atleast 12hrs a day in care right now, she would be able to make that work a week.

ventilators can be bought for private use, can they not?

either power it off an inverter for the ride home in the back of a suburban, or pay one of the medical transportation services a few hundred bucks to move him

 

[[486]]

nvm I misunderstood the "make that work a week" bit

 

[Lil'John]

Maybe see if you can next day blankets from Amazon?

 

[BIG-O]

What's the temperature in there? If it's below 68 or so, I would call the state and start bitching. There are companies that rent boilers. That's bullshit. People need to be warm, have good rest and good food to heal. Period!

 

[Thefishguy77]

What's the temperature in there. If it's below 68 or so I would call the state and start bitching. There are companies that rent boilers. That's bullshit. People need to be warm, have good rest and good food to heal. Period!

This might be a good angle to start with.

 

[Yota Up]

"looking for heaters"??

You should have this in email so it's in writing. There's no such thing as looking for heaters. You simply take your ass to Lowes and buy them.

A business has no excuses. Don't care about how old your heater is. Too old? Should not have started business.
But now that they are underway, they need to spend 15k on a new system or add propane or do whatever the hell needs to be done.

Good luck, man. You might try the medical board or whatever for your state, I'm pretty sure that's where they get their license.
Or call and ask them for their business license and look at that and contact where it came from.

 

[BIG-O]

What's the temperature in there? If it's below 68 or so, I would call the state and start bitching. There are companies that rent boilers. That's bullshit. People need to be warm, have good rest and good food to heal. Period!

If it was my buddy, I would sneak in an electric blanket. Fuck them. Those places cost alot of money, no excuse for sick people to be cold.

 

[subybaja]

This is something that I would take to every news station around til I found one that will run with it, and blast it all over social media. Denying the residents proper care and the ability to see their family isn’t saving them from anything other than happiness.

This. He's being neglected, while the facility is being paid thousands (by someone). Why would you be quiet about this?

Get your Senator involved, Governor's office, every single bit of heat you can bring. They love to seem effective in helping the little guy.

The "no blankets because Covid" is complete horseshit. I can see some retarded legal rationale for no heaters or electric blankets, but there is ZERO reason they can't wash/sterilize personal blankets you deliver. Nurse Ratched can't be bothered, so your buddy is trapped, miserable, and can't help himself.

 

[Baconator]

If it was my buddy, I would sneak in an electric blanket. Fuck them. Those places cost alot of money, no excuse for sick people to be cold.

The doors are locked, we couldnt see him even if we wanted to just say hi

 

[4x4junk]

I would contact whatever state agency licenses the facility, and whatever state agency provides adult protective services.

 

[ConwayMuddy]

Sorry to hear about your buddy. I know it won't be easy, but try not to go off on the people taking care of him, probably wont help your cause.


can we all just order random blankets on Amazon and ship them to him until they get the hint?

 

[IUsedtoBendCars]

My dad is in a nursing home. If the nurse on duty can't handle something I talk to the Social Worker there. She fixes things. Then I call the Director of Nursing, then the Facility Administrator. I have the Regional Director's number in my phone. I have used it. I haven't had to go to Corporate Headquarters or the media but I damn sure would if things didn't get fixed.
The point is go up the chain of command and if you have to get a state agency or media involved then you need solid complaints.

 

[IUsedtoBendCars]

And from my experience with my dad, anything that I take him has to be quarantined for 3 days because of Corona b.s. like sodas and snacks. He gets them 3 days later, but when McRibs were in season I could drop them off and he got them right away.
And for those that aren't familiar with care facilities. I haven't been in the facility since last March. So I call him and go sit outside his window to talk to him.

 

[Baconator]

And from my experience with my dad, anything that I take him has to be quarantined for 3 days because of Corona b.s. like sodas and snacks. He gets them 3 days later, but when McRibs were in season I could drop them off and he got them right away.
And for those that aren't familiar with care facilities. I haven't been in the facility since last March. So I call him and go sit outside his window to talk to him.

These places are just infuriating right now. The last place he was at allowed visitors, his wife was there everyday and I went whenever she needed a day off.
This new place is 100% locked down, you cant take him anything other than clothes, and you just put them in a drop box. He cant talk, so we have no idea whats really going on.

Im trying to get his wife on board with going to the news, she doesnt want to ruffle feathers cause shes not sure what that means for her husband. He is pretty much helpless right now, and cant stand up for himself or even tell us whats happening. Its just a shitty spot to be in.

 

[Stuck]

Call the state dept of health find the office that handles nursing care and ask about a patient advocate. An attorney can help as well but when you get the state involved care facilities can lose their license. Shit will happen quickly at that point.

 

[SomeGuy]

Screw this, get suited up in full hazmat gear, get your ass down there with blankets and whatever else he needs for proper care, and push your way in, don't take no for an answer...or get arrested.

Lawyers, the media, state offices, whatever will take days, weeks, or months to make a difference...this needs to be sorted out tonight. Believe me, if my wife weren't getting the care she needed, shit would be fixed within hours.

 

[Ksand]

Get the media involved, public humiliation is the only thing that the health prison will understand

 

[Pony_Driver]

What about those space blankets for emergencies? Can you get some of those in?

Have you called the state board of medicine?

 

[dave_dj1]

Sorry to hear.
Unfortunately in these weird times things are just not visitor friendly.
I'm sure it's frustrating as hell and I would sure as hell figure out a way to help him.

 

[2big bronco]

You said he can get clothes? Id start with some thermals, sweats, blankets labeled shirts, snuggies, whatever. Actually id start with something that would probably get arrested... buttfuckit its not like any of the charges would matter.

What about calling the local nees, explaining whats hoing on, and seeing if they want to have the cammeras rolling when you show up with blankets and a heater?

 

[Stuck]

Screw this, get suited up in full hazmat gear, get your ass down there with blankets and whatever else he needs for proper care, and push your way in, don't take no for an answer...or get arrested.

Lawyers, the media, state offices, whatever will take days, weeks, or months to make a difference...this needs to be sorted out tonight. Believe me, if my wife weren't getting the care she needed, shit would be fixed within hours.

And likely get arrested when they ask you to leave and you dont. We literally just went through this with my grandfather before he passed. Get a patient advocate they will have it dealt with in a few hours.

The homes are getting hit from all sides, their management trying to CYA with the state lockdown rules, the state care requirements/regulations, and patients families that are often screaming obscenities at them.

​​​Most times the staff at the home just needs to be told to get their head out of their ass. Such as b
in the case of being able to bring in blankets, warm clothes or space heaters. The patient advocate can also set up a schedule for them to contact you with updates that if the home doesnt follow can adversly affect their license.

 

[Baconator]

And likely get arrested when they ask you to leave and you dont. We literally just went through this with my grandfather before he passed. Get a patient advocate they will have it dealt with in a few hours.

The homes are getting hit from all sides, their management trying to CYA with the state lockdown rules, the state care requirements/regulations, and patients families that are often screaming obscenities at them.

​​​Most times the staff at the home just needs to be told to get their head out of their ass. Such as b
in the case of being able to bring in blankets, warm clothes or space heaters. The patient advocate can also set up a schedule for them to contact you with updates that if the home doesnt follow can adversly affect their license.

Is a Patient Advocate a 3rd party service or someone internal to this place?