I get HIPAA, but sometimes it sucks. My Grandfather died this morning.

[Ruby the Liberal]

79. He was - but only overnight all 3 times.

Last edited Sun Apr 8, 2012, 10:54 PM - Edit history (1)

No one knew about 2 of the 3 visits, and insane grandmother made up some shit about his blood pressure on the one she did tell people about. The only way that family found out he was being starved was talking to the hospital AFTER he died and was taken there to try to revive him. All 3 visits were by ambulance - so that was also documented. It wasn't until after his death that family was able to get ANY information out of the assisted living facility. Seems THEY knew, and tried for over a week to take food to him every day, but insane grandmother was apparently throwing it away - also confirmed, but after the fact. Assisted Living also attempted to send a dietitian and a physical therapist to the apartment after the 2nd ER trip, but she wouldn't allow either of them to speak to him.

This is why I am so ticked - my HIPAA issue is her. Yes, we could have done something about him being starved if we had known, but the fact that NO ONE has listened to any pleas for assistance over the years with HER is my issue here. Physicians have been approached by family for many, many years now, begging them to review her medical/pharma history - but to a one, they aren't allowed to talk about it or even take the information and do anything about it. Had people paid attention that she isn't capable of tending to a ham sandwich (or a pet rock), much less an elderly man in need of assistance, this wouldn't have happened.

Good news (if one can call it that) is that now he is deceased, doctors and the staff of the Assisted Living facility are NOW talking with my family and attempting to address this issue as best they can, without it "invading her privacy". Why it took that is beyond me, but apparently, now she is a danger to herself or something similar which opens a new lid on it all.

Thanks for your perspective, and no - it wasn't dense. I was on a rambling rant and probably didn't make any sense.

EDIT - I am using the wrong term. This is Independent Living, not Assisted. They are/were not checked on a regular basis - it was up to them to press an assistance button if they needed help. Sorry if that caused any confusion, I was corrected above about the difference. There is assisted living in the complex, but not where they/she were/are living.