Ozark Health Nursing Center

I am a friend or relative of a resident

There are two phases to the situation I am going to talk about. The first is the care provided by this organization and its people when my friend was first moved into it and his care up to the area I will refer to as end of life. The care was wonderful and although my friend went through a very rough time getting adjusted because of the Alzheimer's the staff gave him wonderful care. He was moved several times to keep make sure his roommate was compatible and with like needs. They did everything that could be asked to make it seem like home to him. Then as my friends health went bad and into end of life it became clear that the people of this home did not know how to back off and provide a different care that was needed. We talked with his Dr. and he suggested that Hospice be called in. We agreed and signed the papers to have them come in and provide the directions and care. (I had worked with Hospices before during the end of life of my mom's life and had a understanding of how they work and how smooth they could make the situation between patient, family and nursing home staff.) This time it was different, the person that was to be my friends contact was a no show when it mattered. She would drop by once or two times a week but never for very long. So my friends wife who had power of attorney and there was a living will had to tell the staff when to stop doing things they had been doing, such as he was not to be taken back to the emergency room and he was to not be feed instantaneously. The staff was very uncomfortable as they wanted to do everything to keep him breathing not providing quality of life.

The last night of my friends life was horrible. As his wife and I sat there watching one of the care providers test him for diabetes and administer a shot. They also tried to feed him while all the time he was in a coma, he had no awareness of anything that was going on and was dying. They tried to talk with him and even tried to open his eye lids to get a response that would not come because he had shut down all communications with our world. The hospices team had sent in drugs to help his pain. The staff would only give it when the wife insisted on it and then only at 6 hour intervals. They were putting it in his mouth instead of by shot and it would take up to 20 minutes before any relief would show on his face. Finally my friend went home to with our Lord. We have asked to meet with Hospices to discuss our disappointment and concerns and they have denied our requests. My friends wife has requested a meeting with the Dr. who recommended Hospices and we are waiting on that meeting.

So to end my communication with you I would beg that situations like this be avoided and proper training be given to care providers to recognize when the end of life care must change to give the patient and family the understanding that is needed to give the process and end of life treatment the proper respect. Thank you