Granny Dumping

Specialties Emergency

Published

With the Memorial Holiday over it is now the official beginning of summer time vacation. Time for the family to hit the road, the skies or the boats. But what to do with Gramma? Lets take her to the ER. She hasn't appeared "quite right" lately. Heck she even peed on the couch last week. Im sure they can keep her in the hospital for a few weeks while we go on vacation!!!

Yes folks, this is quite common. I even had one pts darling daughter who overloaded granny on a salty bacon breakfast and skipped a few days of lasix so she could get nice and gurgly for us in the ER. Time to call social services, elder abuse.

Ever get one of these in your ER?

Specializes in Emergency Room/corrections.
With the Memorial Holiday over it is now the official beginning of summer time vacation. Time for the family to hit the road, the skies or the boats. But what to do with Gramma? Lets take her to the ER. She hasn't appeared "quite right" lately. Heck she even peed on the couch last week. Im sure they can keep her in the hospital for a few weeks while we go on vacation!!!

Yes folks, this is quite common. I even had one pts darling daughter who overloaded granny on a salty bacon breakfast and skipped a few days of lasix so she could get nice and gurgly for us in the ER. Time to call social services, elder abuse.

Ever get one of these in your ER?

OMG that is awful! We had quite a few "granny dumps" over the weekend, I thought it was just our bad luck.... :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle

Totally freaking sick! :o Never heard of that here. Hope we never will.

My grandma just died after we brought her there for a sore throat and feverx7 days. (my mother in law insisted she was fine) Well she had AML. Died in 48 hours.

Believe it or not this is one of the reason's that the Medicare program had to reform, People's mentality is why not send the 'rents off for a lil 'vacation' of their own, it's paid for........well go ahead, but when it's time for our generations to start drawing medicare, there won't be any

Something that is more horrible though, my friend had her son in the hospital over New Years, we saw so many babies in their, we had to ask what was up. The nurses told us that on big holidays parents will say that their children stopped breathing, and then the child is admitted and then the parent takes off, using the hospital of a babysitter. She said that they have to hire volunteers just for that reason.........I'm not a hosp nurse, just curious if you all see this at all, along w/ the granny's?

Specializes in Emergency Room.

it is VERY common in the er where i work. we are close to a senior community so we see this everyday and even more on major holidays. sometimes the family is even honest to admit that "we don't have anyone to take care of her/him while we are away. she will be safer in the hospital" yes, the patient will be safer in the hospital, but the hospital is not a daycare. sometimes the patients haven't been bathed in days, are covered with old bruises or haven't eaten in days. common admitting diagnosis are: dehydration, altered mental status and weakness. the docs admit the patient even when they shouldn't because they see that the patient will not be cared for at home. we do get a social worker to consult the patient because alot of times families are unaware of resources that are available to help them. this is a common problem and will only worsen as our society is living longer.

Some days it just don't pay to get out of bed.

Specializes in Oncology/Haemetology/HIV.
Never heard of that here. Hope we never will.

Common problem here, the tacky phrase is a "Pop Drop" or "Disappearing Taillight Sign" as family leaves the patient as soon as it is obvious that s/he will be admitted, or even a little before, to push the issue.

I've heard of kids being dumped on the pediatric floor especially during New Year's Eve. I just can't imagine.

On the ortho/neuro floor I worked on we have patients from time to time that have no place to go and we have them for weeks on end because the family can't take them and they can't get into a facility.

Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Case management to the rescue - tee hee hee! In the ER where I work - one of our jobs is to divert admits. We have about five nursing homes that will take "granny" or "grandpa" either for legitimate respite care or because the family can't care for them anymore. These are almost always private pay stays too. I always phrase it to the families that we can get you a break by putting the pt into a nursing home on a temp basis. Then (here comes the clincher for some families) "does she own a home, property, car?" So...off the pt goes to a nursing home. Medicare scrutinizes admits nowadays big-time so an admit that isn't justified will come back to bite someone. I let the families know this too, especially when the pt doesn't meet Medicare criteria to be admitted.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Psych.

Oh my... I never would have thought someone would do that. How terrible!

Michelle

I think if you admit the patient's to the floor after issuing a HINN (stating the admission is not medically necessary) then the family will stop dumping, at least at your facility. Facilities need to stop allowing themselves to be the dumping ground. If in fact someone is truly abandoned, then call APS.Just my .02

:) I see a doctor for depression as taking care of my 82 year old mother with Alzheimer's is very challenging. My doctor said I must get some time away from Mom or I won't be able to help her. He told me "I really shouldn't be telling you this but if it gets too much for you take your Mom to the hospital and get her admitted. As soon as she is admitted go on a vacation for a week so the hospital can't find you. He said if I didn't take care of myself that I would be in no shape to take care of my mother. However, I think I will just get her into respite care when I have to go on a vacation.

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