ADDENDUM: St Louis Ombudsman Sends Info Residents Cannot Return If Leave Facility

CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSPERSON IMMEDIATELY.  I understand the concept behind some of these policies but also know some of them have been in place (limiting leaving a facility and potential return consideration) for decades and believe we need to lift the curtain that has been placed over the realities of Long Term Care and all Residential Care in facilities.

I just received an email from VOYCE, the name for the St Louis Missouri Region of the Ombudsman program.

Ironic it should come after my earlier today Post: Heroes Among Us Aiding The Senior Population and I aplauded those who choose to take their loved ones out of what has been proven to be a potentially dangerous environment.

There's a"threat" that if you remove a loved one from a "hotbed" of potential exposure to a killing virus YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO RETURN to that facility. It's not new, by the way -- it's part of the LTC's way of doing business.

IT'S TIME THIS ABILITY TO "HOLD" OVER YOUR HEAD (and they do contractually) this "threat" of not being able to "go back" is looked at as dangerous to the health and well being of residents and even possibly overlooking actions on the part of staff that could be hazardous to the health of your loved one.

BTW, read carefully the contract you signed; they run a business and many of them are multimillion dollar if not billion dollar multi locations, various names, facilities.

WHEN WE ARE BEING TOLD TO LEAVE OUR OFFICES, NOT GO TO RESTAURANTS, SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED AND WE'RE NOT SURE HOW LONG THESE POLICIES ARE TO BE IN EFFECT....there is an email from AN AUTHORITY in our region, THE OMBUDSMAN organization required by Federal Law stating you can do "other things" to "keep in touch".

Why do they turn this into a "contact" reference instead of a life or death reference -- could it be because they follow the same belief -- "they're old, they're sick, they're going to die anyway....

and instead of providing hope to those who would like to ensure their loved ones have care in a very trying and unprecedented time and are removed from what has already proved in the State of Washington to be a death trap for many residents--a deadly environment -- WE AND THEY DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE

CHECK TO SEE WHAT YOUR STATE'S POLICY IS RE LONG TERM CARE AND RETURNING AFTER LEAVING....just received notification a resident cannot return if you take them out of a facility.... here's the excerpt from the email just received from Voyce St Louis:

"As Missouri grapples with the COVID-19 (coronavirus) crisis, protecting long-term care residents has become a top priority. Unfortunately, for the near future, this includes significantly altering policies regarding visitors. Here is what you need to know regarding these temporary restrictions: Can I visit my loved one (friend or family) in an LTC facility? No, unless your loved one is in the advanced stages of hospice care and is actively passing away, visits of any kind from friends, immediate family, spouses, etc. are NOT currently permitted. Emergent hospice visits are permitted on a case-by-case basis and will likely involve strict precautions to reduce potential spread to other residents. INSERTED NOTE:  UNDERSTANDABLE.  It's what everyone is going through. Who can enter an LTC facility? At this time, ONLY facility staff and EMT crew members are permitted to enter an LTC facility. NO visitors, non-emergency personnel, or vendors may enter. INSERTED NOTE:   IT WILL BE BUSINESS AS USUAL....there and many places....1 LPN TO A FLOOR-- that's all that's required --NOT RN, LPN.  And, because Certified Nurses Assistants (the people who do the grunt and let's face it, the "dirty work" in Long Term  Care Facilities-- usually work for minimum wage and usually come from below "middle class" status -- and now might be faced with having their children home from school, a partner or spouse who is "home" from work that doesn't pay if you're not working -- well, probably short staffing as is usual around holidays and other times and that is my concern there will be MORE INACCURATE REPORTING OF CAUSES OF DEATH  because facilities generally work to hide the realities and usually, as we've seen has been the case in Washington State, report the death as OLD AGE or something similar. Can a resident leave the facility? Technically, yes, a resident is permitted to leave. However, the resident will be permitted to return ONLY if the absence was for an urgent medical necessity. Any resident who leaves without urgent medical needs will be considered Against Medical Advice (AMA) and will NOT be permitted back into the residence. Please check with your Administrator for your facility's specific policies. INSERTED NOTE:  A contract was signed. Many do not allow the ability to leave and return. Check yours. Also, isn't it time we stood up against a system that holds the elderly hostage and there is NO ONE VISITING OR SUPERVISING TO ENSURE THEIR SAFETY AND WELL BEING.  My Mom's facility still has one LPN per floor -- that's for more than 20 rooms, double occupancy. DO WE REALLY BELIEVE ONE MEDICAL PERSON CAN HANDLE THAT MANY PEOPLE? If physical visits are not possible, how can I stay connected with my loved one? Reducing the negative effects of social isolation during quarantine is incredibly important. While physical meetings with your loved one in LTC are not possible at this time, there are still ways to show love and support. Phone calls are an excellent and safe way to keep in touch. FaceTime, Skype, WhatsApp, and other video chatting technologies can help simulate a face-to-face meeting and provide some comfort to both family and resident. As of now, residents may still receive mail. Hand-written letters, greeting cards, and photos can help your loved one feel connected. Further, photos and hand-written notes may help those with dementia retain memory while quarantined.  INSERTED NOTE: Face Time, Skype and What's App require the use of a Computer. My Mother and My Friend who passed and I wrote about the neglect and abuse they both suffered in their facility in this Blog DOES NOT ALLOW RESIDENTS TO USE A FACILITY COMPUTER and very few people of the advanced age of many in Long Term Care, have been given any direction, instruction or have one OR HAVE ANY CONNECTIVITY THROUGH WI FI. Can the Ombudsman Program still advocate for the needs of my loved one in LTC? Yes! Please note that the VOYCE office is closed and Ombudsmen will not be making regular visits. However, Regional Ombudsmen can be reached via email or phone to discuss your care needs during this uncertain time. INSERTED NOTE:  False, misleading and deceptive information with the statement VOYCE/the Ombudsman Office in the St Louis Missouri Region makes "regular visits". Here's what they continue to "say" they provide and how many "volunteers" they have: "In addition to guiding individuals and families as they navigate the complexity of long-term care, VOYCE speaks up for thousands of individuals in St. Louis and beyond already living in long-term care settings. Today, VOYCE provides services to nearly 22,000 individuals residing in more than 370 skilled nursing, assisted living and residential care communities. More than 50% of these individuals have no one other than VOYCE to advocate on their behalf.  "Assuring residents’ rights and the right to quality care is the purpose of VOYCE’s Long Term Care Ombudsman Program. Staff and 50 volunteer ombudsmen are trained to identify issues, isolate particular causes of concern and skillfully resolve any challenges with compassion and respect for those living in a long-term care community. " REALITY CHECK:  Do the math and distance covered and you'll find it's impossible for 1 "volunteer" to visit their "share" of the pie of eldercare concern in Long Term Care facilities -- the logistics for the broad range of territory also makes it impossible.  Example:  370 skilled nursing facilities; 50 volunteers; approx 22,000 residents = 440 people per volunteer FOR JUST ONE "GET ACQUAINTED" VISIT let alone more than one visit to actually accomplish resolution of a challenge brought to their attention. ON THE WEBSITE IS STATED:  "Annually, the agency serves approximately 5,000 long-term care residents and responds to approximately 1,000 individuals and caregivers who need long-term options and services." MATH AGAIN:  370 facilities                                50 volunteers                             5,000 LTC residents served annually   MATH ANALYSIS:  5,000 residents  50 volunteers    1,000 per???  Last time I checked there were 52 weeks in a year and 365 (except for Leap Year) days in a year. Since there are many Not For Profits (which Ombudsman/Voyce is also) that work to assist the general public re "long-term options and services" I see more of a need to VISIT AND TALK WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS residents of LTC's so that there is  (1) A Presence of a Governmental Authority with the capability and the       responsibility to MONITOR AND REVIEW facilities including but not        limited to those that are brought to their attention More Math: With 50 volunteers each one would have as a "responsibility" of 440 potential people. These are not daily workers; they are not compensated; most do not "work" regularly; volunteers  have no authority and everything has to go back to the "paid professionals" of which there are 9. NINE PAID STAFF. HEFTY OVERHEAD. No wonder they're always fund raising and accept donations from the very people they are supposed to be monitoring.  ISN'T THERE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT ALLOW THIS AS IT SEEMS TO BE A    CONFLICT OF INTEREST Or perhaps I should say a statement that is INACCURACT, FALSE, MISLEADING AND DECEPTIVE as the organization PRIMARILY USES VOLUNTEERS Please reach out to VOYCE if you have any questions about resident rights duringthis time! Our staff can be reached at 314-918-8222 or toll free at 866-918-8222.

"Can a resident leave the facility? Technically, yes, a resident is permitted to leave. However, the resident will be permitted to return ONLY if the absence was for an urgent medical necessity. Any resident who leaves without urgent medical needs will be considered Against Medical Advice (AMA) and will NOT be permitted back into the res Please check with your Administrator for your facility's specific policies.

This is a National Emergency and it appears VOYCE, the name for the St Louis Missouri Area Ombudsman organization, which it also announced in a just received email, is CLOSED AND NOT VISITING LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES which will probably result in more deaths in Long Term Care facilities.

I understand the need to "quarantine" the facilities however they do not have adequate medical personnel on site and this may mean no doctors are going to be personally visiting the facility AND YOU CANNOT TAKE YOUR LOVED ONE TO BE CHECKED FOR THE VIRUS and are relying upon a system that has proven to be failing our elderly population.


WHAT DOCTORS ARE VISITING?  WHAT ACTUAL MEDICAL CARE IS BEING PROVIDED EXCEPT FOR THAT OF AN LPN (Nothing against this level of medical assistance but there's usually only one on a floor of more than twenty double room occupancy or more.

THIS IS A NATIONAL EMERGENCY AND IT APPEARS VOYCE, ST LOUIS LONG TERM CARE, IS CLOSING DOWN LOCALLY -- written in the same email:

1. Can the Ombudsman Program still advocate for the needs of my loved one in LTC? Yes! Please note that the VOYCE office is closed and Ombudsmen will not be making regular visits. However, Regional Ombudsmen can be reached via email or phone to discuss your care needs during this uncertain time.

TIME WILL TELL THE REAL STORY and I believe it will be heartwrenching.