Dad was in hospital 3 times since middle of July. He had sepsis at least once. I feel hopelessness about the situation and the previous nursing home social worker was not very helpful. Should I assume that all nursing homes are under staffed? Is there a good support group for caregivers? I'm a only child who is trying to help take care of both of my elderly parents.
Yes, probably all are dealing with a staffing issue but there are other elements to consider as well
Look on this website. If several choices come up, make sure you select the Medicare.gov one.
https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/?providerType=NursingHome
You can enter the zip code and a list will appear for your zip code. Click on the name of the NH and it will give you info on staffing and other important elements of the NH.
What kind of sepsis did your Dad get and from what source?
How old is your Dad and what are his underlying conditions?
I'm sure his care is just too much for you both.
And yes, most if not all nursing facilities are running shorthanded. That's been going on since before Covid and has only gotten worse.
And other than this forum for support I would recommend you Google local caregiver support groups in your area and see what comes up.
That's how I found mine and it literally saved my life while I was caring for my late husband. There's something very powerful about being able to share with other folks who know exactly what you're going through.
I wish you well as you get things figured out for your dad and for yourself.
Yes, I'd assume most nursing homes are understaffed. Make friends with some of the nurses and aids. They can be very kind and helpful.
How's your mom doing? Is she independent?
Best of luck
Basically we are in a general labor shortage right now, affecting not just NHs. Some of it depends on where the NH is located: more rural areas will have smaller labor pools than larger, metro areas. Sometimes the issue is due to poor management, but not always.
This forum provides good support. Local, in-person support may be trickier since caregivers often can't leave their LOs to go to meet-ups. But you can search online or join Nextdoor.com and ask your actual community of neighbors if any groups exist.
It would help us to help you better if you can please answer some of the questions responders have asked you.
Nursing homes are understaffed at times. I saw this when my mom was in rehab. It wasn’t unusual for workers to do double shifts.
Check to see if any assisted living facilities have ‘in person’ caregiver groups. I love this forum but there is nothing like being able to have in person conversations.
The one that I attended was led by a licensed social worker. She was great at keeping the meetings on track.
Best wishes to you and your family.