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My mother's husband has been in and out of hospital (is currently in a rehab facility). My mother was taking care of him (not very well, since she is elderly). My mother fell and broke her arm in 3 places. She just had surgery with a rod put in last week. She cannot really take care of herself and the rehab place that her husband is in wants to send him home.


What can be done? He cannot take care of himself, and she cannot take care of him. I live 25 miles away (and work 2 jobs), so I can only stop by for a short time every few days. (His children will not help in any way.)

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Notify social workers and discharge planning at ONCE.
This is something that means that there must, at least for now, be placement in care.
They need to be warned of this.
Do NOT under any circumstances agree IN ANY WAY to take this on.
There must be placement now, temporarily or permanently.
Call rehab. Ask for the Social Worker, discharge planner, administrator and doctor and warn them of this status change and the need for placement TODAY!
Helpful Answer (14)
Reply to AlvaDeer
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As others have said: UNSAFE DISCHARGE.

so where is mom right now? Is she still hospitalized? Or is she in rehab or about to herself be discharged from the hospital to rehab?

Please pls keep in mind that her husband very well could have been gaslighting the rehab/SNF staff as to all the family support he has. That his kids are so there for him & do for him yada yada type of nonsense. Ditto for you. They are taking him at his word. So that has to be shut down, you have to clearly let them know that 1. You do not live with them, 2. You are not their caregiver at all and have your own FT job, 3. He is your mother’s husband and has never been your stepfather so you have no parental relationship to him, 3. Your mothers is recovering from her own surgery and has restrictions on her ability (I bet she’s limited to a 5 lb lift at best) so she will be a caregiver (anctually make this #1). And 4. If they have any questions….. here’s the contact info for all his kids.

Personally I’d be on heighten alert to be monitoring their bank accounts and financials. If you are not a signatory n all the accounts, I’d suggest you & mom asap go down to the bank and have this done on all. Not as a Co owner to her and him but as a signatory. And then you do online access to all their accounts. All this about being proactive for future LTC Medicaid filing and knowing what their actual finances are like, so that WHEN he finds he has to private pay for him to stay at the NH, he does NOT depleted their joint holdings to all be to his advantage. Your mom does not have to herself become impoverished for him to be eligible for LTC Medicaid. NH can run 7/8K - 15K a month. A small nest egg can vaporize quickly. And you don’t want your mom to spend any $ she does not have to spend. Couples & LTC Medicaid is not straightforward and really needs an experienced atty, like a CELA level atty, to go over options and shepherd the process.

I know this sounds super negative…. but I’ve been on this forum a long time and guys like your moms hubs who are estranged from their own kids, well imho they tend to be all about themselves and will screw over the wf in an instant. Just sayin’….
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Reply to igloo572
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Who is stepfather's POA?

Someone needs to speak to the discharge planner at the rehab and tell them that there is NO care available at home and that sending him there would be an "unsafe discharge". Use those words.

Do NOT sign for his discharge and do not take him to his home, or to yours.

If they send him home in a cab, call 911 and have him return to the hospital.
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Reply to BarbBrooklyn
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cin6004: It is imperative that you state that it would be an unsafe discharge.
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Reply to Llamalover47
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As said "unsafe discharge". There is no one to care for him. Maybe time to have him transferred to a Longterm care facility right from rehab. If no money Medicaid can be applied for. Mom will need to talk to an Elder Lawyer about splitting of assets, if any. Once he is on Medicaid, she remains in the home, can have a car and enough or all of their monthly income for paying bills, etc.
Helpful Answer (6)
Reply to JoAnn29
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Either he moves into assisted living facility or in-home care which is very expensive. Talk to the social worker at the hospital. You will likely get some good / helpful responses here, too.

I do not know if legally a rehab place can 'send him home,' if there isn't adequate care available for his welfare. Check into this. Do not allow the rehab facility (or hospital) intimidate you. They have rules & regulations they must follow.

Gena / Touch Matters
Helpful Answer (6)
Reply to TouchMatters
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Your stepfather should be placed into a facility for his care. Do not sign discharge papers since it is an unsafe discharge, so have a social worker place him. You are unavailable since you work. Do not quit any jobs.

Your mother requires either home care or recovery at a facility.
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Reply to Patathome01
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Rehab facilities are only intended to be short term, so they must discharge him at some point. That does not mean that he needs to go back home!
He can be transferred to a skilled nursing home, or assisted living, depending on his level of independence.
In fact, if they both want to be together, and can manage with limited assistance, this would be an ideal time for them to consider selling their home and moving to an assisted living home.

NOW is the time to start looking at nursing homes and assisted living and schedule a tour and meeting with the admissions director. There are many different care home options and they vary in the level of support provided and quality of environment! You need to be prepared before he is discharged! Otherwise, mom will end up taking him back home!
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Reply to CaringWifeAZ
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I’d seek legal advice and quote them legally
as others have said unsafe discharge
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Reply to Jenny10
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Are you all assuming their assets are not combined? Are you assuming they don’t have assets or long term insurance etc. ? His children are not responsible for him, mom is, legally, financially and morally. Yes, see an attorney pronto but mom will be financially responsible for the bills until or if stepdad is ever able to receive Medicaid.
Helpful Answer (3)
Reply to Jdjn99
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