Don’t use American House in Livonia, Michigan for respite care. They use a separate company for the residents that need care. The night shift there is awful. In 10 days my mother was found on the floor 3 times because of being left unattended. I have video of the entire 12 days she spent there and watched staff members ignore my mother, tell her she needed to “learn how to talk to people,” and I also watched someone leave her on the floor after she called “Nurse!!” 3 separate times to be helped and the staff member said, “It’s shift change.”
What is my best method to make this company accountable and weed out these bad staff members so no one else is harmed there?
Did you follow the state rules for taking video? In some states you need permission and notification, some states won't allow audio with the video, etc. If your video was taken lawfully, then I would start by talking to an ombudsman. As an employer for 40 years, I'd always want to be given the chance to correct the situation in my own business first. If you do this, you (or someone) will need to do follow-up to make sure the facility and contract company either fires or retrains the guilty staffers. Be careful about sharing the video with any other source other without first consulting an attorney because you may step into slander/libel territory.
There was nothing secret about my camera. Everyone knew about it (especially the supervisor and all management) and I placed it on the dresser where it was very easily seen by all staff. That’s why I was surprised at the lack of care.
Since the camera was in her room and it was a private room, no other patients or residents were affected. It is a Blink mini and I purchased a subscription plan to have 24 hour recording. Every time there is movement in the room it records. The camera was $35 on Amazon and the subscription for a whole year of cloud recording is $30.
I’m contacting other resident’s families to make them aware of how the medical team (especially the Night Shift) cares for their loved ones. I only remember one specific name because he’s familiar in our community. I’ve contacted his wife.
I contacted corporate and they are assuring me that measures will be taken to either retrain the staff or punish the staff or fire the staff members. I sent the videos to the executive Director of The Medical Team and regional Director of American House, and they have responded. These are two separate businesses working together in the same building, but constantly passing blame. Example: One time when I checked the camera my mother was laying flat on her bed eating her lunch out of a Styrofoam container that had been placed on her bed. Because American House is in charge of bringing the food, that person would not be allowed to prop her up in bed or get her in her wheelchair to the table in her room. They also are not required to contact the medical team to make that happen. I had to contact the supervisor who wasn’t working at the time, to have one of their staff members go in and prop her up. She could’ve choked if I hadn’t checked in on that particular moment. On day 10 I saw a staff member ask my mother to stand up. She’s been there for 10 days and this staff member had no idea that my mother needs to be moved from the bed to her wheelchair. Plus she’s been on the floor three times in those 10 days. The other constant excuse is low staffing. Too many residents or patients per staff member. We also paid for full care so my mother had a pendant around her neck where she could push the button when she needed help. Because she’s very forgetful she would forget to push the button so she would yell for a nurse who would never come, or eventually come after a couple of hours or after my mother had fallen on the floor. All recorded. I suggest finding a facility that has a method for when a pendant isn’t pushed why the staff does not have to go into their room to check on them. After her first fall, I contacted a supervisor who told me that I’d have to pay more for more care. They were trying to upsell me when my mother had been laying on the floor being neglected by their staff. Another change should be if they had fallen or are a fall risk the staff should be made to check on that particular resident more often. Policies need to change at this facility. By the way, staff was walking by my mother’s room when she was screaming for help several times someone even mocked her. Also on camera. That one will probably be fired. I also suggest anyone find a facility that has ample staff, which I know it’s hard to do these days.
Have a great day. I hope all are able to have peace from time to time while caring for their loved ones. This job is not for wusses.
I called the Ombudsman office in Ohio. I expressed my concerns referencing my mother and they were on it. They even asked if it was okay for them to mention that I'd called them and I said "Yes". They came out to the nursing home, talked to my mom, checked her medical records and spoke w/ the administrator. I've had to call one more time after that; however, her care is better. If I have to call them again, I will. I also learned that if the problems does not cease, call the Department of Health. They will shut it down if need be.
I don't and won't accept nonsense; they chose the profession and I expect for them to treat my mother as they would their own. I hope this helps.
Second, to "weed out" the staff members, and/or take other action, you need to contact an agency/entity that has power to take action against the company.
That would first be an Ombudsperson. I don't know if either Wayne or Oakland County (Livonia is in Wayne County) have an Ombudsperson, but you could search online and find one. I called one several years ago, but I don't remember if the individual was responsible for counties, other local areas, or Michigan state.
Posting on Yelp or other open comment sites might alert others, but it isn't going to create action on the part of entities that provide oversights, and it could backfire if the parent of American House takes action against you.
Another effort could be to locate that parent company of American House. If I recall correcty, there are a few of them in this area, so it may be a chain, and may be part of a larger organization with sites either throughout Michigan or the US. Go directly to the top of the corporation and raise all the issues you address.
Did a quick search for you;
1. https://www.bing.com/search?q=american+house+corporate+headquarters&cvid=9974de8fd7a042908fcb10b96c566b2f&aqs=edge.2.69i57j0l8.11623j0j1&pglt=41&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=U531 ("Contact Us | American House")
2. American House, Corporate HQ: (apparently in Southfield, Michigan):
Contact Us | American House
You'll also need to determine which company provides the contract services, as it may be that American House corporation itself is not aware of the abuses you've mentioned. AH should be able to address the issue with the contract company.
I doubt if your going directly to that contract company would result in much other than frustration for you. But the AH corporate office could examine your complaints and address them with the contract company, including addressing a contract termination for cause.
I'm sorry to learn though that you and your mother experienced such unpleasant and traumatic events.
I would never place a camera facing a love one's bed. Cameras are known to be hacked and said film is distributed who knows where. Hopefully that isn't the case here.
And I am curious how you are able to get the other resident's family information so you can contact them regarding what you see at the facility. Are your getting said info from the Staff? If yes, that's a glaring HIPAA violation.