what is a social worker's job entail in a nursing home?

[Lorix2]

I've been told by my uncle and a longtime familiy friend who was visiting my mother at a nursing home for rehab after a hip revision, that the social worker came in to have papers signed and wanted to be alone with my mom. My mom has severe aphasia from a stroke 10 years ago and communication isn't always easy. She can be easily alarmed and confused. She cannot say a sentence or hold a conversation. We communicate by asking questions in writing, that wasn't done for her today.

The reason I am asking is that our friend was made to understand by my mother, that she's afraid of what she signed, that there were "housing symbols" on some paperwork. She's very worried about her home.

The social worker did tell her friend and my uncle who were both present, that she needed to speak to mom alone and they let her and my mother signed the papers. I'm concerned about it.

I'm sure it's necessary, but I feel they might have taken advantage of my mother's condition and that my mother may have given inaccurate information in confusion and we've left a message for the SW to produce copies of all the doc's she signed, for my mother.

The SW left at 5:00 pm and I just got this news now. I hate having to sleep on it. My sister, my mom's POA is calling in her first thing in morning.

Are any of you in this field of work? What type of info other than health insurance would they be needing?

thanks alot

 

[Breezy_Carol]

If she is in ther rehab short term for therapy and reaching the end of her Medicare stay, there is a form about impending discharge that has to be signed. If it is at the start of her stay, there are all kinds of forms regarding the privacy act, consent for treatment, etc. I doubt she would be signing anything that would turn out bad but you are wise to call.

 

[Lorix2]

If she is in ther rehab short term for therapy and reaching the end of her Medicare stay, there is a form about impending discharge that has to be signed. If it is at the start of her stay, there are all kinds of forms regarding the privacy act, consent for treatment, etc. I doubt she would be signing anything that would turn out bad but you are wise to call.

It is short term. I'm concerned because there is such a communication deficit with her, I find it very hard to believe that the SW would think that my mom was understanding her questions fully. Even we have a difficult time.

Thanks

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I work in home care. If I have to have a patient sign anyting that would incur a charge to them and I don't think they undrestand, I always call the next of kin. If it is a standard consent to treat and family isn't there, I let the patient sign. If the patient is competent to sign for themselves, they usually sign. My mother is in short term rehab and is so low vision that she has no idea what she is signing. But her mind is good and I am an hour away so we trust her caregivers.

 

[npmommie]

I've been told by my uncle and a longtime familiy friend who was visiting my mother at a nursing home for rehab after a hip revision, that the social worker came in to have papers signed and wanted to be alone with my mom. My mom has severe aphasia from a stroke 10 years ago and communication isn't always easy. She can be easily alarmed and confused. She cannot say a sentence or hold a conversation. We communicate by asking questions in writing, that wasn't done for her today.

The reason I am asking is that our friend was made to understand by my mother, that she's afraid of what she signed, that there were "housing symbols" on some paperwork. She's very worried about her home.

The social worker did tell her friend and my uncle who were both present, that she needed to speak to mom alone and they let her and my mother signed the papers. I'm concerned about it.

I'm sure it's necessary, but I feel they might have taken advantage of my mother's condition and that my mother may have given inaccurate information in confusion and we've left a message for the SW to produce copies of all the doc's she signed, for my mother.

The SW left at 5:00 pm and I just got this news now. I hate having to sleep on it. My sister, my mom's POA is calling in her first thing in morning.

Are any of you in this field of work? What type of info other than health insurance would they be needing?

thanks alot

If she is in ther rehab short term for therapy and reaching the end of her Medicare stay, there is a form about impending discharge that has to be signed. If it is at the start of her stay, there are all kinds of forms regarding the privacy act, consent for treatment, etc. I doubt she would be signing anything that would turn out bad but you are wise to call.

I agree with Breezy Carol,

does your mom have a health care proxy? does she sign all her own stuff?

 

[Lorix2]

I agree with Breezy Carol,

does your mom have a health care proxy? does she sign all her own stuff?

Actually my sister is her health care proxy, but my mom is physically able to sign anything herself. She needs some guidance about what it is that she is to sign.

My sis spoke with another SW today about the paperwork and agreed without actually saying that word that a family member should have been present, but the paperwork was mostly administrative admission stuff, which I thought was done, but apparently not. The only "legal" document was a voluntary arbitration form that she had the sense enough not to sign.

The covering SW photocopied everything for my mom and gave it to her today and everything seems fine.

Thank you for your help