I went to visit my dad in the NH yesterday. Come to find out, his lower denture has been missing for two weeks and the facility never notified me. To say I was angry is an understatement. Also there was no denture cup in his bathroom so who knows how long they haven’t been soaking his dentures at night. Federal NH regulations say a lost denture is to be attended to within 24 hours. Our Oklahoma regulations say referral within 3 days.
I've always hoped my dad would die before he lost his dentures but now I’m living my worst nightmare. There is no way with his dementia he can adjust to new dentures. We tried that once two years ago when his mind was in better shape and we basically threw away $3300. Then we tried to get his old upper relined and dad tore out the reline that very night. What is also upsetting is whether they have adjusted his diet to not being able to wear his teeth? My visit was on a Sunday and so the DON wasn’t there. I will be speaking with her and the administrator and heads will be spinning. Anyone else deal with this issue?
My best guess is it got caught up in the bed linen and washed or lost or broken and no one is fessing up.
While there, one of the many issues that occurred (along with going into his room to find oxygen thing was out of nose, finding another belligerent man sitting in room looking at him, not giving him thickened liquids) was we could not locate his partial denture. (one of those things like a retainer with just one tooth on it to fill one gap). They claimed they looked all over for it but could not find it.
We eventually moved him to a SNF which he should have been in to begin with, and on intake one of the first things they found was the partial denture in the back of his mouth.
I was livid. He could have swallowed and choked on it.
This memory care had a deal where you first five thousand dollar payment, plus 500 would be refunded if you were not happy within 30 days.
I wrote a letter requiring said refund expecting it would be a battle and we had a check for $5500 the very next week.
I am guessing they knew they had a losing battle.
Anyway, I can understand your anger. I did not know about the federal regulation saying such things had to be attended to in 24 hours
Off point, but I feared that having put my dad in that place took a few weeks off his life. His first couple days they did not have the prescribed thickened liquids so he was basically dehydrating, though they tried to fee him applesauce
The visiting MD who made rounds for the place was livid, then told me off to the side that she in effect works for the place, so keep this quiet, but she said get your dad out of here. We took him to a very nice SNF that was 100% paid for because he was a vet on hospice. The earlier social workers had never told us about that either, otherwise he could have been in there earlier.
I take care of my mother 7x24, in her home. She has accidentally thrown out dental appliances and lost a hearing aid, all by herself. I now try to check on all of them after meals, before bedtime etc. It's a constant challenge. My sister and I have made the decision that we will not purchase any more replacements at this point.
My brother would toss his teeth and put his eyeglasses in his back pocket and sit on them!