SNF took Dad's personal walker away. Does this make sense to anyone?

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bluebell19 Asked April 2022

SNF took Dad's personal walker away. Does this make sense to anyone?

Hi, my dad (in SNF since 3/8) called and said that they took his walker and electric shaver. He has fallen a few times (and many times at home). When I visited Saturday he was very confused and agitated about going to the bathroom and made a bee line to it with his walker. My husband and I tried to get him to call the nurse for help, but he insisted on my husband helping him and it went badly. He almost took a header and he ended up not producing.

I got a call Sunday that he had fallen in the bathroom and they were going to do a UA. So I've sent several messages and calls and still haven't found if they did the UA or the results and I get this call from my dad yesterday. I've only gotten a 'I'll get back with you' finally today from the social worker. I did call the house number yesterday and the CNA on duty said she thinks they took the walker and shaver because he needs to be confined to wheelchair and he cannot shave himself anymore. I get that maybe he doesn't need to use the walker, but shouldn't they let me know? I'm so frustrated.

Falls Mobility Skilled Nursing Facility

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score 0 · Answer 1

They wouldn't let my dad use his 4 wheel walker in the SNF. They made him change to a 2 wheel, "tennis ball" style.

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The 2 wheel "tennis ball" style is safer. The 4 wheel walkers look good, but usually people push that type too far ahead of themselves, and if the person wobbles the wheels just keep rolling away. The tennis ball version has better ability to support an elder when unsteady.

(1)

score 1 · Answer 2

It makes sense to me.. my mom was falling, declining… it was difficult but necessary, within a matter of weeks she could no longer stand to even assist in wheelchair transfer…

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score 0 · Answer 3

Probably for safety reasons, and to lessen having to have someone around to make sure he does not fall and/or injure himself.

Is this one of the NHs that wheel the patients on the floor to the Nurses station where they will stay all day with the tv on?

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No, I don't know where the nurses are, it's a strange setup with individual homes and a main building. (VA home) He stays in his chair in his room all day watching tv, just as he did in his living room at home for the last few years.

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score 2 · Answer 4

Depending on the type of walker he had, they might have considered it too dangerous. My folks had the Rollator walkers with the seats and 4 wheels. If either one tried to use those towards the end they would have face planted on the floor! PT wanted them to use what I call the "tennis ball" walkers.

However, if he had a walker that they felt wasn't best for him at this point, they should have given him one they preferred and made sure he could navigate with it. As for the electric razer, my first thought was liability as in plug it in while in the shower and turn it on - ZAP.

As a hardened veteran of many, many SNF visits over the years, I learned that what my mom was telling me wasn't always what had happened. She would complain that rehab would never do anything with her and she wanted to come home. After doing a little checking up, I discovered that she was refusing to do PT.

I was extremely hands on during her early SNF years, screaming at nurses when they ignored her, threatening to move her if they didn't work with her more but as we both got older, I just got plain tired of all of it.

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score 2 · Answer 5

Electric shavers are sometimes not allowed due to the fact the outlets differ in a hospital/institutional situation. As to why they removed the walker I would ask THEM because we would have utterly no idea. They may have taken it in hopes he would call them for assist. They may have taken it because he doesn't need it. You say when you visited he made a beeline for the bathroom with the walker. What walker was that? Was it one you brought to him.
Go to the nursing station to ask about the walker situation. If you are there when physical therapy visits they can help with with this question as well. As to the UA results, if you are POA just keep trying. Go to nursing station at each visit, call the social workers daily. Sometimes it is the squeaky wheel that gets oiling.

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Thanks Alva, I visited before they took the walker. They have given it back now. I'm just frustrated by lack of communication, I do understand the rationale behind taking the walker away. There is just so much going on with him and so little communication, it is just not what I expected. There is not a nurse's station in this particular setup (VA Home with separate homes that hold 12 residents each - I don't know where the nurses are - maybe in the main building far away). I am not close to my father, but I am all he has now since his wife does not visit. I can't imagine how I would feel if this were a truly loved one. Although it is not an emotional matter for me really, I do feel an obligation to make sure he is cared for.

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score 0 · Answer 6

I still haven't been able to get ahold of anyone. When I visited on the weekend, there was noone there to answer my questions. He had his stuff back but I also got a bill today for an antibiotic injection and Cipro tablets last week. He must have had a UTI. I still can't get a call back or email. Is this typical?

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Call to Social Worker, to administrator, to admissions and to EVERYONE ELSE. Be so annoying that you will be answered just to avoid your calls. Cipro is broad spectrum and used for a variety of things, but yes, it certainly could be used for an infection. Just keep calling. I would say as to whether it is typical or not I can't guess, but I personally have always found it to be a problem even in a hospitalized brother's case.
Wishing you good. Just continue to be the squeaky wheel in hopes you will get oil eventually.

(2)

score 3 · Answer 7

bluebell19, I can understand your concern, but let's remember that Senior Nursing Facilities have a lot of on their plate. Chances are they probably were going to call once they had a chance. Taking away an electric shaver isn't the same urgent message as having a fall.

I would suggest you ask for a Update Meeting with whomever does these meetings to know what is currenting going on and what to expect later down the road.

When my parents were in their separate facilities, we had routine meetings with the Staff, and it was always very informative, but that all before the pandemic and shortage of help.

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SNF took Dad's personal walker away. Does this make sense to anyone?

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