How Can I Be Sure My Loved One Is Actually Getting The Care They Are Supposed To? You Can't.

One of the most difficult aspects of Covid-19 has been the inability for family to visit mom or dad at their senior facility due to a variety of restrictions. For a while most facilities were not allowing anyone to come in or see their family, even outdoors. During that time most people in senior living were only able to talk on the phone or FaceTime their family which was not ideal but it was something.

However, there are many residents in senior care facilities that receive extensive assistance. For many of those people they can't call or FaceTime their family as easily. Many of them have cognitive declines, physical limitations and a variety of other issues. Family members including myself had to assume that the care we expect and that our families deserve was being provided even though we had no way to check up on it in person. Was the facility keeping the room clean, were people with incontinence being changed during the night and regularly during the day, and were the staff treating them with respect and providing the continuous care checks they are supposed to throughout the day and night. These are just a few questions family members are asking.

Anyone in any facility anywhere must understand that no matter how "good" you believe your facility is, it is crucial for family to constantly be there checking in on their loved one and being observant about what, who and how their loved one is being cared for. I was lucky enough to see my mom almost daily and was also able to check in on her via an Alexa Echo device. Even with my ability to do so, there were many areas of care that were not being done as they should have been and that required my continued contact with the nurse manager as well as the Executive Director.

The quality of care in these facilities is in the hands of the individual caregivers and how they do their job. How do we make sure they are doing everything they are supposed to and doing it in the best manner possible? We rely on the Executive Director of a facility to make sure their staff is enforcing these things and visually making sure they are being done. So keep asking questions, be observant, and make sure to contact nursing management as well as the Executive Director with concerns and even questions about your loved ones care.