I would like to know how many readers have had a relative pass away in a nursing home. A few months ago I had a relative pass away in a nursing home. Funeral arrangements had been made but to make a story short it took the funeral home four hours to pick up the body. I asked the nursing home if they had a room reserved to place a deceased person until the funeral home arrived. I was shocked when they told me they didn't have any place to put the body. Because of privacy 'issues' they were also not allowed to tell my relative's roommate about the death so I had to inform this other lady there was a dead body in the room. After four hours flies were buzzing around the room. It was a horrible experience. For the past three days I have been calling different elder affairs agencies to complain about this. I get recordings all the time saying they will call me back. Aren't nursing homes required to have a special room for situations like this?
2007-12-08 01:49:03 · 12 answers · asked by irmanrosario 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Senior Citizens
Nothing about nursing homes suprises me. I personally would rather die than go to one. I suppose that there are some good ones somewhere but not any that I know of where I live. I guess they meet the standard requirements but that is not really saying a lot.
You could call one of the TV news magazines. That would get things going.
2007-12-08 02:26:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
It is not a nursing home problem. It is a funeral home problem and they should have been there much sooner. Have a problem believing the flies too. Have worked in a few and been in many more and they are very clean. There was no special room for this purpose as they were all filled to capacity almost all the time. If funding were not a problem they could have one but the money is often the one thing that makes it impossible to do so.
2007-12-08 06:33:33 · answer #2 · answered by Aloha_Ann 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My Aunt and Uncle both died in Skilled Nursing Facilities. Neither one had a room or special place to put the deceased while they waited for the mortuary to pick them up. This is not something they are required to do. I called the mortuary for both to be picked up, as I was there at the time.
It was a problem of the mortuary and 4 hours is not uncommon if the mortuary is busy at the time. Fortunately, they were not busy when I called and the remains were removed in less than 2 hours.
2007-12-08 16:49:58 · answer #3 · answered by Cranky 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I work in a nursing home and we have no control over when a mortuary picks up the body. We try to treat the deceased with total respect and care. I do know there are many bad nursing homes but it is the families job to check on there loved ones and report any problems to the state agency. I always recommend the family visit at different times of the day and if there are problems go to management. I know it is no excuse but many times the problem is short staffing it is a very hard job.
2007-12-08 06:05:49 · answer #4 · answered by jfjohnsonrn2 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
its not the nursing home you should complain about its the funeral parlor. They should pick up the body with in an hour or so, not 4 hrs, and after 4 hrs I really doubt there were flies. If the relative was already pronounced dead the nursing home does post care and usually wraps them up, so start yelling at the funeral people first.
2007-12-08 04:09:18 · answer #5 · answered by lonepinesusan 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Sorry to hear that. In general, nursing homes, if there are signs of impending death, will move a resident to a single room where friends and family can be with their loved one. Once a person dies, nursing homes in general, will clean the body and make it presentable so relatives can say their good byes before the funeral home comes to pick up the body. What you describe tells me that the nursing home staff didnt care much and the home is not a very good one. - You can only do something when you have clear profe that someone is mistreated or neglected or died as a result of neglect or abuse.
2007-12-08 03:21:11 · answer #6 · answered by petra 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sorry to hear that you have experienced this difficult situation...
When I was a certified aide in convalescent home care, many years ago, in CA - there was no 'special' room - to put/keep a resident who had expired, waiting for the funeral home to arrive for removal. I doubt that there is now a 'requirement' in place to relieve a family of this reality. . . regarding your statement about flies in the room, after four hours? Seems amazing - most facilities I've been in have zero bug populations - altho there are times when the human odor is quite pungent.
2007-12-08 02:07:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes I don't have any great idea about this nursing homes but my own father died there at age 93 last November 30,2006. We don't ask any question whatsoever, we just waited patiently for them to arranged everything. So by God's grace everything goes just orderly in their own way. My father is a second world war veteran from the Philippines and with residence at Oceanside California USA
2007-12-08 13:59:05 · answer #8 · answered by periclesundag 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Devastating experience. Can't imagine it. However, I think the blame should go to the Funeral home.....4 hours is NUTS!!!!!
My mother died after being transferred from the hospital to a nursing home. She was only alive about 4 days. When she died, the crematory was there in about 1/2 hour...
I would certainly take issue with your mortuary on this.
2007-12-08 02:39:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
yes several relatives,my great grand mothr lived to be 102,and i had many elderly aunts who have passed away in a nursing home.i did have a old lovely aunt who was abused in one,she had bed sores and absolutly starved her to death.me and the hubie are considering an assisted living facility,but because of all the recent abuse cases their,he is afraid to go to one.so sorry for your loss,but i think i agree with the other person,i would blame the funeral home.
2007-12-08 03:04:22 · answer #10 · answered by alcaholicdemon 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋