Tuesday Topic - Home Health Care Lacking

I took my walk today even though it was a little drizzly out and only in the 40s. Even though it wasn't the most pleasant walk, it was nice to get a walk in for once!  I'm hoping it is nice enough Wednesday to walk again then too.

I really don't know about the health care service for elderly folks. I have had to call the home health care folks for the third time today to let them know about supplies I am running out of to help with my  dad's catheter procedure that he has to do 3 times a day.  I already called Thursday and told them I only had enough Iodine swabsticks for a few more day and they promised to order some. I asked them to sent me a good quantity of supply so I am not asking every couple days for more. 

None have arrived at my folks house and I heard nothing more from them.
Now I won't have any for tomorrow morning but they are having a nurse go first thing to take care of it and provide more supplies. This would not have happened if I hadn't kept calling them. I called them at 8:30 this morning and they were going to call me right back. Finally around 3:30 I called them again to see what my dad was suppose to do if he could not do the catheter due to lack of supplies! I try to be polite but it is hard to keep my temper when they obviously just flat out don't seem to care.

Also he has a bladder infection. They took a sample Thursday and I asked about it Friday. No word yet as they 'send them out'.  Today I asked about it again and was finally told he does have a UTI (infection) but they have to send the results to his doctor who will then call in a prescription for him. Nothing happened for that today.  There is just no sense of urgency at all! Let's just let him go for days with a urinary tract infection.

I don't know how my folks would have handled all this if they were trying to do all this on their own. Between my sister and I we got a lot accomplished but we have to stay on top of everyone too.  Makes me sad wondering how many elderly are just not cared for, even if they are Vets??!  My dad is a Vet and this home health care was provided via the VA (and my sister had to push and push to get that care).  Maybe they are short staffed.  Who knows, but it has not been a great experience and I just pray every night that my dad gets to go like he used to so we do not have to deal with this any more.