Questions to Ask at Your Elderly Mother's LTC Rehab Care Conference

Question
She is recovering from hip surgery (week 2) in ltc rehab facility. Care conf. Wed.  I need help with questions to ask during the conf. I believe the staff has done a good job with pt and ot however, concerns include her emotional readiness to go home with husband with short term mem. loss.  An RN visit 3 days, 2 hrs./day has been in place for a year.  Concerned how the staff is involving husband and wife's emotional status with all this going on. They've been married 64 yrs. and I believe some emotional counseling would be helpful. I've been the overseer of their care for the last 15 yrs.

Answer
Hello Rebecca,

It sounds to me that you are very aware and well able to articulate your concern for the issues your parents may face when she returns home which may interfere with her recovery or their ability to function in a healthy manner together.

It also sounds like you live in an area with tremendous community support if they're receiving care and oversight from a RN 6 hrs/wk!  It's always wise to write down your concerns ahead of time so your remember to address them during the Care Conference.  I would be straight forward and tell them you're impressed with her progress to this point through their program (always good to start and end with a positive whenever plausible), and then share your concerns for your parents' coping skills and emotional challenges, and simply ask what support services are available for them and how do you go about arranging them.  Ask if it's possible to have some professionals* work with them as part of the discharge plan and whether those services could begin now (pre-discharge) and continue upon her return home.

*By saying 'professionals' it doesn't limit their thinking strictly to counseling as an option for support services.

I hope this helps and it works out well for you all.

All my best,
Margot