My dad was on vacation in Florida and on the 3rd day there, he fell and broke his femur. He had emergency surgery to repair it and is now in a Rehab in Florida. We want to move him up to a Rehab in NJ. First question is best way to transfer him? We are thinking the train as they have handicapped train cars and he is in a wheel chair. Second and most importantly, how do we get him from one Rehab in Florida to the Rehab in NJ so he's back home where the support system is? We were told it's difficult to do and he has Aetna Managed Care Insurance. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
I've taken the train from NJ to FL when I was younger. It was a long trip that had unexpected and very long delays. Is all of the train ADA compliant? A lift to get the wheelchair into the train? The bathrooms? The sleeper compartments? The restaurant? What if he has a medical emergency while on the train? Breaking a femur creates a stroke risk, not to mention infection. At his age it won't be a comfortable trip. Wait until he's more mobile and healed and then fly him home on a direct flight.
Why are you responsible for the man who married your biological mother?
If he has gotten through this far he doesn't sound like he needs a daily advocate.
for him. If your concern is that rehab in Florida isn’t as good as that in New Jersey, I can assure you that there are many fine rehab facilities in Florida.
I lived in Florida. My parents and other relatives were in and out of rehabs there. So many older people live in Florida, and facilities are accustomed to their needs. They know what they’re doing. Don’t risk dad’s health by moving him back up nawth.
Every little jiggle was painful for my broken bone. It's so important to keep the bone immobile, which is why they're put in casts or boots or some other immobilizing device. Start moving around, accommodating to cramped quarters, etc. - there's a chance that the bone will move. The other thing is that pain itself is so debilitating. Pain wears a person out, even a young one. That changes the mood and the determination to complete certain tasks. When considering the whole patient, this becomes majorly important.
I was transported in an ambulance with a painful kidney issue. Every little bump in the road to the hospital was magnified by the pain. The ambulance seemed to have little in the way of a spring suspension. It was agony.
This is why I'm against transporting an elderly man with a broken femur and recent surgery.
In the Florida rehabs that I've had experience with for my elderly relatives, they worked them. They worked them hard, the goal being to get them up and out of there ASAP so they could go forward and live their best lives. That didn't include plane, train or automobile trips until they were in the best shape they could be for such a journey. As for a support system, what? Rehab doesn't need relatives standing around holding flowers in the busy PT rooms while their LO is struggling to concentrate on relearning to walk for 6 hours per day. Or learning to transfer to the toilet from the wheelchair and back again. Or watching the educational videos about how to cope with their new health issue. And when they get back to their rooms, all patients need rest before they go to dinner (required) in the dining room. They get to know each other and the aides. The support is built in right there, even "graduation" with a fancy celebratory dinner with diplomas at the end.
If you want to be supportive, call every day, be encouraging and send cookies.
https://medic-trans.com/non-emergency-medical-transport/
... charge, or whether his care insurance (or travel insurance, did he have any?) would cover it; but maybe it wouldn't hurt to find out?
You can also contact his primary care physician in NJ and, ask for their assistance or direction/ referrals to get him back home. Or you can reach out to a care facility of choice in NJ and find out if his insurance would be acceptable there etc etc.
His PCP should be able to get you in touch with a Case manager there in NJ or from the PCP office who can provide facilities in your area that will accept his insurance and that have bed availability.
His "patient rights " should be honored and, if he wants to be home in NJ, the " systems" are obligated to facilitate that.
As for transportation, confer with his Physician and care plan professionals caring for him as to which mode of transportation will be safest and best for him.
( Remember that trains are bumpy and getting to the bathroom on trains is challenging for a healthy person and, it is a LONG train trip from Fla. to NJ. Airlines are certainly accustomed to accommodating injured people .....and are much quicker than trains or cars..... ). A few thoughts to consider.....
Follow medical directions .....
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