Who will provide medical care while a patient is in a nursing home?
In most nursing homes, a doctor is on call and makes rounds periodically but isn't on-site at all times. By law, the minimum required frequency of doctor's visits to patients in nursing homes is once a month during the first three months and once every two months after that.
If you want the person you're caring for to be under the supervision of his private physician, you can ask her to visit him in the nursing home -- but if she sees patients only in her office and you're in the area, you might also consider bringing him out for appointments.
What should I do if something seems wrong?
If you suspect or know of a problem with the nursing home's care, the first thing you'll want to do is talk to the nurse assigned to the person in your care. If that doesn't solve the problem, go up the chain of command to the charge nurse, then the director of nursing or the nursing home administrator.
If you still have serious concerns, you may need to contact your local or state long-term care ombudsperson file a complaint. And of course, if your concerns have reached this level, it may also be time to think about looking into another nursing home.
What can I do for an 80 yr old woman who walks with a walker,whose foot is probably infected cause she hasn't seen a Dr. in a long time,whose family has abandoned her, whose a HOARDER,she lives in filth and urine and feces,and she's in complete DENIAL,about her current health and living condition,and she's a NJ STATE WORKER whose been employed for over 40 yrs and is currently still working.