Minutes of meeting re mom, at mom's room at Providence/Pacific TCU (6th floor) 3-4pm 6/19/2010.

PRESENT:

• Family: Mom (at first, but see notes), Sharon, Randy, Sue, Dave; Caillie and the boy she's babysitting were also around but not in the meeting;
• Emeritus: Pat;
• Providence: Robin (social worker), Patty (discharge planner), Chris (physical therapist); I may have the precise professional titles wrong.

SUMMARY

• Positive encouraging nonstressful attitude toward mom is most important. Make no promises that cannot be kept. Assign no blame for what cannot be controlled.
• Mom has worked hard on developing the skills she would need to return to Emeritus. She has succeeded at all or nearly all of the skills, e.g. transfer from bed to chair. Some adaptive technology is needed; David & Ellen will get the data they need to make such purchases as needed.
• However, Mom's blood sugar stabilization is a big problem. It crashed during the meeting itself (down to 26), prompting us to move the meeting while she was cared for by certified staff. This happened in an environment where her diet is carefully controlled, so it's not necessarily a problem of mom fudging on the diet. It is a barrier to her returning to Emeritus.

COMMENTS

Mom

• Strong preference to return to Emeritus ("home")
• Understanding that blood sugar problem prevents this for now.
• Willing to go elsewhere as needed, prefers it be temporary.
• Would like arrangements for calls to or from friends at Emeritus in the meantime.

Pat/Emeritus:

• Everyone keep in mind that if mom's blood sugar cannot be stabilized in Providence's very controlled environment, it's not her fault and it's important not to make her feel she has failed (or anyone else).
• A blood sugar crash at night would be a problem, because Emeritus (A) does not monitor residents frequently (B) have night staff certified to give tests or insulin. With mom's door closed, no-one would notice the crash and even if they did, all they could do is call 911.
• Emeritus would be happy to have mom back but only if she can be safe, and it does not seem safe at this time.
• It has happened before that a resident went to a more intensive facilitiy, stabilized, and then returned to Emeritus.

 Patty/Providence:

• Providence won't discharge mom to the parking lot (don't laugh, it happens some places).
• Mom's ready to leave the TCU to a less restrictive place. Any of us can help look for one!

Me:

• Providence staff, Patty, Sharon and Susan are all looking around for a placement (...possibly others ho weren't there).
• Bethany (at Providence, but 4th floor instead of the 6th Floor TCU mom is currently at) is a possible short-term placement, subject to space availability.
• Emeritus is keeping mom's current home available but there is a fee; David and Ellen (as the money managers) have figured out how long the fee will be paid.
• David is the Single Point of Contact, that is, if you have any information, make sure it gets to him in addition to anyone else you tell. That way it'll get passed on to everyone.