I have to punch in a number code to enter or leave my husband's facility, and a different code to continue into the unit. I would seriously question the security of the place and not be satisfied until you get an answer.
Several years ago our Church group sang at a local NH and as we were leaving and in the parking lot, we noticed one of the female patients with us. Someone escorted her back to the facility. There also, the room was near the front door. We wondered about the security at the time and I don't know if things have changed since then or not. I cannot imagine why some person, male or female, would want to take a NH patient outside the facility. Makes no sense whatsoever to me.
You need to make an appointment with the director of the facility and make sure that s/he is aware of this terrible security breach. You should also call the police. Seriously. There are all kinds of nuts out there. The police need to be alerted in case this person ever is spotted in the area again, and the other nursing homes in the area need to know about this too so they can increase their security. For all you know this guy has tried this at other places, and you may not be the first person to make a report about this behavior to the police. Or, if this happens somewhere else later on and is reported, they will take this a lot more seriously.
There are all kinds of explanations I can think of for why someone might impersonate a pastor and do this, and NONE of them are for purposes of doing good.
FAYEBAYE. I agree with Shanteuse. YOU need to raise cain!!!!!!!!!!! The police should be called, this was literally an abduction, you just happened to catch it. Maybe this is what happened to his shoes. He could have been lured out and his shoes taken by this person. That person should be reported and his id an background can be checked out by the police dispatcher. The lack of security at the NH is not appropriate. Raise cain let them know who you are, when they see you coming the should be calling each other on their cells and saying "here she comes". Thank Goodness this did not end badly.
Fayebaye, that is scary. I agree with the others. The owner of the facility and the police should be notified of the breach. Just because a person is a pastor, whether his or not, does not give him the right to take him out of the facility. There should be, on his chart, a list of persons who can visit him and a separate list of persons who have persmission to remove him. If they don't have such lists on their charts, they better have them starting tomorrow for all residents. They are legally liable and I'm certain that they don't want any lawsuite.
Fayebaye...that could have been a disaster! I think the police should have been notified immediately. This is really frightening to me. Thank God you arrived when you did. Please keep us posted.
At John's facility there are two security doors with number pads to pass through getting in and out. Even I have to sign a leave of absence book before we leave and again when we come back. I am shocked by the nh's lack of security in allowing your dh to leave with a stranger. This happened to Brooke Shields mother recently. A photographer took her from the nursing home without Brookes permission. He took her out for lunch then brought her back but my goodness how could they let that happen? Needless to say Mrs. Shields was in another facility the very next day and authorities are considering kidnapping charges against the photographer. I'd raise holy hell if I were you. cs
I agree with all the above. Way too scary, and potentially dangerous! Please do follow up on it both with the facility and the police. Let us know how it turns out.
You better keep him there then, FayeBay and maybe you can discuss the security situation with the people in charge. I would definetly not want to put them someplace a distance from where I could visit occasionally. It may be a risk you will have to accept.
Thank goodness for the alarm he was wearing. If not for it, who knows how far they would have gotten. But I agree, you (not staff) need to bring it to the attention of the head of the facility.
Glad you found the shoes.
Now we just need to find those missing pajamas from weeks ago!!!!!! :-)
I hope the proper people have been notified by now. Nh where dh is, the patients are on 2nd and 3 rd floors. You need to go through a door before you can see the elevators. Most patients are too disabled to even open the door. Most are confined to wheelchairs so the opportunity to leave with some one is remote. You have to notify the nurse if you are takin lo out of the facility. Where my Mom is, things are a little more relaxed. The front area is secured. You must be buzzed in and then sign in before they buzz a second set of doors. Problem is, they all have access to a patio area. It would make sense that it is fenced in but the weather has been so lousy, we haven't investigated it yet. What I don't understand is why is he wandering room to room. The aides should know where everyone is. People may not be comfortable with other pateints walking in and out of their rooms.
In Johns facility they give the residents as much freedom to move around as possible. Within the secured unit of course.On any given day Emil will be wearing Johns hat,John will be wearing a watch that isn't his, Josephine will be in Williams bed and so on. The aides calmly and sweetly get everything back in order with no harm done. If a resident has a stong reaction to any of this then the staff watches their room more closley. Family members know that when there is something extra or something missing in the room to let the staff know. It seems we all handle these things with a sense of humor. It's worth it to allow the residents freedom and dignity. cs
i also had other support members that told of finding their loved ones wearing others false teeth!! oh boy.. can you imagine. they move from room to room and sleep in others beds or together:) wear their clothing, and shoes and its all very normal. nobody cares but the relatives who visit. nurses dont seem to care as long as everyone is cared for. objects go missing in action daily! AD persons dont recognize whats theirs once they get to that point. its a common thing in AD units i hear. divvi
I hope I'm not weird but I enjoy these little things and I think the staff does too. It lightens the mood in there. John is forever running low on socks even though I do his laundry daily. Yesterday I found out why. Emil (the infamous hat taker) always has a pair of Johns socks tucked into his front shirt pocket! If it makes Emil happy so be it. cs