Nursing Home advice

My son-n-law, 38, was recently admitted to a nursing home for skilled nursing care after being diagnosed with PML caused by the his MS meds. He lost the use of one leg, general all over muscle weakness, loss the ability to swallow, has trouble speaking, lost some of his vision (we can't tell how much because he can't communicate) and may have lost some of his mental abilities. He also has a PEG tube.

Due to the level of care needed, only one skilled nursing facility in the entire area would accept him and they are pretty low rated. The main reason to have him there was the hope for daily rehab that could be done in bits and pieces based on his his lagging energy levels.

The low level care is taking a toll with rashes and the start of bed sores after two weeks. The rehab, on the other hand, is helping as we're able to understand a few more words here and there.

Does anyone have any advice on how to handle the nursing home staff so that we can try to get better care for him? He is incontinent and sits in his own waste sometimes for an hour or more. We really want him to have the rehab but are considering bringing him back home. Daughter is very worried about taking care of him as she is the only one at home and has to work and would have to rely on home health and rehab care. It's a very stressful situation so if anyone has any ideas we would appreciate it.

Thank you.

I am so sorry to read what about your SIL. My brother was in one for a few weeks until he could be moved elsewhere. He had another brain bleed & had many of these complications like your SIL. It was horrible I know that. Something I found out is they only change them so many times a day. Ask this place how often they change the patients. He needs to be turned frequently & the bed sores need a lot of treatment. Letting them lay causes the skin to break down quickly.

As Gretchen said, the homes are understaffed & nearly all of the patient care is left up to the CNA's. I found the RN sat at a desk all day & had no interaction with the patients except to give them their meds or do check their sugar checks for the ones with diabetes. I spent a lot of time with him every day & saw many things that I did not agree with. We managed to find a rehab place that accepted him & we were so glad. He took needed rehab to walk, talk, feed himself, all of it. We had been down this road with him before. They touted what a wonderful rehab facility they provided, it was a joke.

Is there a chance of getting some family & friends to help out also if he is brought home? I am so sorry about this situation.