Feb 5
steps 10,999
I will tell the story of Tuesday later.
Today, the PT person came. He does nothing except take temp, bp, and oa. He said today was my last day with home health care. I commented that it was sporadic. He said most people were home all the time, but I always gone. So, it seemed I needed nothing from the program. I told him it was sometimes hard to get a dr appt and tests I needed. So, since they always called at last moment, I was not going to miss other healthcare. He said that was the way all home healthcare operated. I doubt that. Maybe I am wrong.
He did comment that since I was walking better, I was improving under their program. Well, I told him that my ability to walk without staggering was dependent on other things in my life: how much sleep I had, if I had just gotten out of bed for appointment, blood sugar, general malaise that time of day, was my knee hurting, was my foot hurting, was I hungry, did sinus and ear congestion affect my balance. He had no comment.
Diet Pepsi at Publix was buy 3, get 2 free, making it $6/24 pack carton. We got five. Well, it was Pepsi products. When I saw the ad, I thought maybe it was a typo. Tommy, sitting in the car said several couples came out with two carts filled with cartons of Pepsi products.
Today was so warm that for the first time in six months, I wore a sleeveless blouse out to stores to pick up ads. Actually, the blouse was not only sleeveless, it was cut back exposing not only arm but the shoulders. I believe it was still 70 at 6:30. Wonderful! We have to use the ac.
I did manage to make one more call to put out a fire. YAY me.
So that was my Wednesday.
The weather has been warmer here too, which has been nice. My home health waits until the night before to schedule me too. I was discharged from home health physical therapy on Wednesday. OT is coming today however. Good deal on the Pepsi at Publix.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteDo you cancel other things for home health? The Pepsi products were $9.99!
Our team members would typically try to schedule at the end of each visit. As he has 4 visits/week, (PT, speech, OT 2x’s week) they were all very good about giving him one day each week called a “therapy break” with no appointments or therapy. That often meant that OT was leaving when the speech therapist was entering.
DeleteThe only valid reasons to leave the house while qualifying for home PT were doctors appointments, worship, special family events regularly scheduled things like hair cuts, and business dealings like banking or meeting with, say, your accountant. The PT explained that they cannot justify asking insurance to cover home health visits if the patient is capable of gadding about town.
Our home healthcare was stellar. I fear, though, that in the current atmosphere it’s about to become very lean, and difficult for those that need care to access it.
Congratulations on your graduation from PT, Belinda. I know from watching DH the work involved with PT…not my husband’s favorite part of recovery!
About the OT, a kid said to me, “I love waking up to hear her that she’s in the house, because I know that means Dad will have a great day.” Speech was great too!
I don't even get out for the things you listed--only one professional haircut in six years, telephone banking or they bring paperwork to car or send to drive-through, no worship service. Tommy goes in for most groceries, no gadding about!
DeleteYes, it is like that here. I tried to warn you that home health would do that, especially PT. The thinking is if you are able to get out and about for other things, then you can get to OT at an outpatient clinic, and don’t need them coming to your home.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don’t understand is why your home healthcare isn’t connected to your other doctors? Did they come in with a laptop and do do an interview at the first of each session, asking things like changes in medication, any recent falls, etc? They would also ask DH how the previous week’s appointments to his GP went as well as ask him about future ones…which they knew about because they had them in the system on the laptop…they would say things like “and I see you have a ct scan scheduled Thursday?” (I think this was twofold: 1) To test his cognition, and 2) T assure he could get there-/the follow up question was something like “and your wife will take you?” This is because there was transportation available in home health for those visits if the patient needed it.
Meg,
DeleteThey asked a few questions but nothing about my doctors.
I am aghast that home healthcare is scheduled on such a catch-as-catch-can basis! How can there be any consistency in client care under such a flighty system? I would be so mad...
ReplyDeleteOMG, we are having freezing rain right now and it's absolutely icy/cold/miserable outside! I tried not to cry when I read, "I believe it was still 70 at 6:30. Wonderful! We have to use the ac." Sniff, sniff!
I decided to try and cut way back on my diet sodas. I bought a bunch of zero-calorie Polar Seltzers (no artificial sweeteners) in various flavors. We'll see just how long my resolve holds out. LOL!
Sue,
DeleteMy thoughts, too. Meg seems to disagree.
Sorry you are freezing, 3 pm and ac is running with 75F temp,
Meg here…I do not “disagree” but tried to explain the situation when you started. Home care is provided to patients who for one reason or another have difficulty leaving the home. If you qualify for home care, they expect you to be home. If you are not home, or demonstrate that you are capable of getting out and about, they will drop you, even if you are just going “along for the ride” to, say, the supermarket. The thinking is if you can ride there, you can ride to outpatient care. Also, if you don’t keep a regular schedule, they can’t keep you on a regular schedule. If you’re, say, wide awake at 9 a.m. one morning when they show, but then still asleep when they arrive at 9 the following week, and use precious therapy time coming to, they’re going to put you in “will call.”
DeleteAnd, even here, heaven help you if you miss, or even reschedule an appointment for any non emergent reason. You will be warned, and then dropped. The reasoning is that there are people who are waiting to get on the schedule who will make those appointments a priority.
We had six months of four visits/week, and missed only 3 appointments. We missed one due to PT showing up early and not waiting the required 10 minutes, (she was coached on that by the team) one for an emergency ct scan, (OT showed up, we weren’t home, she checked her laptop and knew exactly where we were) and one due to a kid testing positive at school for COVID. No sooner did I get the call that kid was being sent home than OT showed up in our driveway for DH’s appointment. That out therapy on a two week hold, but he didn’t lose momentum because we, especially the kids kept at him with the exercises. In fact, he was happy to start up again with the therapists because he said we made him work twice as hard!
Stupid rules.
DeleteNo, they are not stupid. They are trying to maximize the good they can do with limited staff. Why should they keep a slot open for someone who can’t be bothered to keep the appointment when someone else is waiting to be taken in as a patient? And if a person is capable of riding in a car to and from the supermarket then they are capable of going to outpatient care. Home health is for home bound patients. If you aren’t home bound you don’t need their services.
DeleteBur, they DON'T keep a spot open.
DeleteBur, they DON'T keep a spot open.
Delete70 degrees? That’s so unfair!!!!
ReplyDeleteSassybear
https://idleeyesandadormy.com/
Sassybear,
DeleteI will give you some of the warmth.
It seems no matter which country you live in health care and help is not easy to get at hours that are suitable.
ReplyDeleteYour temperatures are warming up!
All the best Jan
Jan,
DeleteIt is so nice here right now. Other parts of the country are covered with snow.
It seems the help is just not available. I will not cancel a doctor's appointment that I have had for a long time.
70 degrees? Sign me up! We have had super high winds with cold air, and *everything* on the ground has turned to ice.
ReplyDeleteWith the way we are charged for cancelling appointments without 24 hours notice, I would not cancel one either!
Mrs. Murphy,
Delete76F on Thursday! We will share.
It doesn't matter the cost to me. They have their agenda and no schedule.
Coming on to say that, although I understand what the PT said, and see the reasoning, what I do not understand is why you weren’t told all this at the start, at what they call “patient intake.” The RN who showed up first for the initial assessment sat down with us and went over the paperwork which explained in great detail what to expect, and what was expected from the patient.
ReplyDeleteYou also should’ve been given, when the PT told you he was going to drop you, written notice of the discharge, as well as directions on how to dispute it if you felt therapy was still necessary. But maybe that only applies in this great state.
There are things you have shared about your healthcare providers that, frankly, gall me, and I wonder if part of the problem is a regional issue?
They left a brochure that gives me no clue.
DeleteLinda, was the interview to set up the PT treatments the one where you were bothered by their questions? I remember that you felt the questions were too personal. I'm just not certain who it was that asked the questions.
ReplyDeleteJanet,
DeleteNo, not to set up treatment. At this point, I have forgotten mostly. Not just too personal. They were not even remotely on point. They promised me specific treatment and I never had it. It was just a rickety setup.