Hi,
My father recently had to move into an assisted living facility. They decided he needed help with his medications and he accepted this at first because he had just gotten out of the hospital. However, now that he does not need help they will not allow him to transfer back to his original pharmacy, nor will they provide the results from a re-evaluation to see if he needs the help. He has told me that other residents are able to use their own pharmacy. I am wondering if anyone has any advice on dealing with shady business from assisted living facilities like this.
Number two, the medication administration program differs from ALF to ALF. In my mother's place, for instance, the doctor was NOT the one to 'put' her on the program; I was, as her POA. I decided to utilize their med program when she was making too many mistakes administering her own meds and when using her own pharmacy became way too much of an ordeal for ME, frankly. Using one own's pharmacy has little value, in reality, b/c the elder's insurance program pays for their meds no matter WHICH pharmacy is used! The co pay is the co pay, regardless. Plus, I have not seen a big difference in cost between the pharmacy the ALF uses and Walgreens, to be honest. Using the on site/ALF pharmacy is SO MUCH easier, it's amazing. Should there be a med change ordered by the doc, it's all handled by the staff at the ALF vs. you or your dad having to arrange the med pick up at his personal pharmacy. So in reality, using the pharmacy of dad's choice creates more aggravation than it cures. At least in my opinion and experience with AL life for 5 years.
That said, if you are your father's POA, just call over to the ALF and ask them about their 'shady' practices with regard to all of this. Hear it from THEM what their policies are about going on and off their medication administration program and what it entails. Your father should have access to any and all of his medical records and so should you as his POA, if you do have it.
While elders want to maintain their independence for as long as possible, when it comes to medication management, that can be a dangerous place to exert 'independence'. I used to find my mother's pills in coffee cups in the cabinet and under her easy chair ALL the time. That's when I made the decision to get her onto the medication program offered at the ALF; it was for her own protection, really, and to insure she'd get her meds on time and in the right doses.
Wishing you the best of luck.
Just tell Dad that the AL distributing his meds is their policy.