Before we could address Leslie’s 30 day notice, her leg wound worsened. I took her to the emergency room on the day before Thanksgiving. Her leg was infected with MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant type of staph infection. After 14 days, Leslie finished an intensive course of antibiotics, and surgeons covered the wound with a skin graft.

She was now well enough to leave the hospital, but she literally had no place to go. The assisted living facility had expelled her, and other facilities refused to let her in. Her time was up at the hospital. “I was loaded into an ambulance, not knowing where I was being taken,” she said. “I was being kicked to the curb like a stray dog.”

Thoroughly distraught, Leslie landed in a nursing home, and I was determined that it was only temporary. Her leg was healing nicely, so management agreed to let Leslie return home to Riverchase Village.

Luck was not on our side, and Leslie had an accident that caused her stable condition to worsen. She bumped her leg, a blood vessel burst, and Leslie made another trip to her doctor’s office. On the way back to Riverchase Village, I received a call from management to say that Leslie had been issued another notice. She again faced homelessness.

Coming up next...The conclusion of Leslie's story!

Advocate Tip: MRSA is prevalent in many places, and individuals can be unaware when they encounter the bacteria. To avoid its effects, it is essential to practice good personal hygiene, such as consistent hand washing or using hand sanitizers.

Eventually, Leslie’s kidney function returned. This was good news but now Leslie would need a different level of care, a nursing home. She was discharged to Fairhaven Nursing Home to undergo physical therapy and regain her strength. She was soon able to get around independently with a rolling walker and no human assistance.

With the improvement, Leslie’s son contacted me again. I was impressed with her intact mental faculties and cast-iron constitution. I began coordinating her care and eventually got her home to Riverchase Village. The staff helped with meals and medication while visiting wound-care specialists worked to heal her leg wound.

Just when Leslie thought her life had settled down, the facility changed ownership. They put her on a 30 day notice to heal the wound or find another place to live. I was infuriated by their total lack of concern for Leslie. Leslie, whose wound care was in a regulatory “gray” area, now had another fight on her hands.

Coming up next...Read the Fine Print

Advocate Tip: Regulators have very little enforcement power. Assisted living residents and the facility are governed not by regulations, but by the leases they signed.

Leslie's physician found out that her cellulitis had deteriorated, which caused them to open up the blood flow to improve the chances for healing. Leslie agreed to be hospitalized and her long-term care saga began.

After surgery, Leslie's surgeon told the family that she could not and should not live alone. With Leslie's best interests at heart, her family began the search for an assisted living facility.

Leslie was discharged from the hospital to Mount Royal, where she began her recovery from prolonged bed rest in the hospital. Eventually, Leslie was discharged from Mount Royal to her new residence, Riverchase Village.

Leslie never had the chance to return to her home in Belleview Heights and never said good bye to her friends and neighbors of 58 years. Her family made every effort to make the new residence just like her own. Still, Leslie was facing a life-changing event.

Coming up next…Leslie’s Story: Balancing Ambiance with Safety

Advocate TIP: Cellulitis is from bacteria causing an infection. Some people can get cellulitis without having a break in the skin. These include older adults and people who have diabetes or a weak immune system.