My grandmother had a stroke about 1 year and a half ago, it was mild so she just needed a bit of rehabilitation. After a few months she then had another stroke which left her in a vegatable state. She was at a hospital that didn't take the best care of her which caused her to get ganggrene and lose her leg from the knee down.

She is 78 years old and it seems there's no hope for her to get well again, so i was wondering how long she'll have to suffer like this? I don't like to see her like this and i know she doesn't want to live like that.


Any information will be great

tickle

A review of the care plan should occur every six months with the immediate family, major care giver attending with the head nurse and PSWs immediately responsible for the patients care. This way any medical issues can be addressed. an up date of meds administered, new ones proposed and any physical needs of the patient addressed. This should be a mandate in any long term care facilitiy.

twinkiedooter

Does she have a living will in place which would "let her go" in case she had another problem health wise that comes along? She could last months in that condition or years.

pie812

My grandmother is in incredible care now that she is out of the care of that terrible nursing home. She had one leg amputated due to gangrene, and the other foot was getting it as well. The hospital she's currently in now has been giving her the antibiotics she needed for it and where the gangrene was is just a calus, and they keep her clean and comfortable. They keep in touch and let us know how she is doing every week because we live in NY and she's in NJ. The other nursing home didn't even tell us about the gangrene, and when we found out - they already knew about it. We are pressing charges but it is a long and painful process, which we aren't worried about - we are just glad my grandmother's in better care, even though she doesn't want to be living like this in the first place.

tickle

Thank you so much for the update, pie, I am glad your g.mother is more comfortable now, and in better care, but the hospital isnt a long term care facilitiy. Where will she be golng after the hospital?

pie812

Well the thing is she has the trach, so we can't have her home. She has to stay in the hospital with hopes she'll get better, but to be honest I dont see that happening. I hate to say it, she was always my best friend growing up and when I visit it's hard because she used to be so jubulant and talkative, its not the same. But she does have to stay in the hospital, there's no saying where she'll be in a few months, to be honest...

JudyKayTee

They won't let her come home with a trach? Must vary from State to State or insurance carrier to insurance carrier because they would have let my husband come home with a trach. Of course, a visiting nurse would have had to come in twice a week (2 or 3 times, I can't remember). The papers were in the process early in his hospitalization.

tickle

Homecare from the Canadian Red Cross is a big thing in our community. Homecare being Personal Support Workers (myself) and Victoria Order of Nurses to carry on hospital care in the clients home without having to progress to a nursing home or staying in the hospital. Staying in the hospital is a drain on OHIP but PSWs and VONs arent, so it works for rehabilitation. PSWs bath and do procedures under the direction of VONs, prepare meals (no housework), respit for caregiving families, etc.