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.