She's starving.
They claim it's typica:l "Last Stages of Life".
They don't take the time and they don't care.
The Facility convinced her to go into Hospice
If she doesn't want to go to the hospital.
That was the only decision she could make.
Carol has no Advocate.
No family member.
.
She's lived in an LTC for many years.
Her "value" is decreasing.
She's had multiple medical incidents.
Department of Health & Senior Services?
Elder Abuse Hotline?
They say their hands are tied.
A Dr has prescribed the medications.
One Rep of the DHSS told me.
'"If a Dr prescribes medication--
it's because it's needed." is the Mantra.
Right! A Staff Doctor who increases
their "payroll" based on "services rendered"
including simply reviewing a "stack of updates"
all designed to portray a caring environment.
OFTEN FAR FROM TRUE.
Meds are used in LTC's to control and restrain.
Dr's are "hired" and "paid by" the LTC's.
Loved ones and others never really know what's given
unless they have a POA for Medical Care.
Suggest that person look at the latest Stats
for LTC's, Medical Professionals abuse of drugs
both personally, professionally and through prescriptions.
From an AARP article:
"Nearly four of every five prescriptions are written
by primary care doctors and specialists
untrained in psychiatry
who are dispensing powerful drugs
that may have either no impact or harmful effects."
How would you like to be "used"
when you're no longer a profit center
because you need more daily care for toileting etc.?
Remember how they convinced Carol?
They knew she didn't want to go to the hospital.
It's challenging to find information online
about this "practice" because older people
are "expected" to die and so when they do --
well, that's just what happens.
Is it? Or is it more profitable in the short term
for the increased costs, less care
and then when the bed "vacates"
another ability to fill it
with someone who needs less care.
The following is from a publication of the
NetNews/Feature_Article/NN_2014Q3.htm
"In my experience when a patient is certified
for hospice, the hospice provider routinely orders
rental of an expensive hospital bed and various
expensive breathing apparatuses whether the patient
needs it or not, and bills accordingly.
"Once the patient’s hospice category is set,
and the reimbursement set accordingly,
of course profit goes up if that care
can be provided by fewer personnel
or in less time, just like in a nursing home
and other businesses, and the least able
and most vulnerable among us
can be treated accordingly."
"A second important reason for long times
on hospice for people who are not on
the verge of dying is that they are
very good business for hospice providers."
See, e.g., “Medicare Rules Create
a Booming Business in Hospice Care
for People Who Aren’t Dying,”
Washington Post, Dec. 26, 2013.
