Death in a nursing home

[Cyrano]

Today, nursing homes are called “Senior Care Centers.” I had a neighbor who had to go into a nursing home a few years ago because she couldn’t care for herself anymore. The home took her Social Security checks, and Medicare and Medicaid picked up the difference.

I’d been visiting her on a regular basis for the past couple of years and, at first, the care she received was adequate for her needs. Then the Republicans took over the House of Representatives and Rick Scott became governor of Florida. The GOP congress, Rick Scott, and the Republicans that control Tallahassee, all had doing away with Medicaid in their crosshairs as their first priority.

Since most nursing homes are privately owned, they began cutting costs themselves in anticipation of the government cuts that were sure to come. And that cost-cutting is continuing at this very minute.

There were some layoffs, employee’s hours were cut way back and they all have to work harder to make up for the shortfall in people and time. Every morning, each nurse’s aide is responsible for getting over a dozen seniors out of bed, cleaned up, and fed. (Many people in nursing homes can’t feed themselves and need help to eat.) And when many people are immobile and in wheel chairs, that’s a workload that’s virtually impossible to keep up with. Anyone with more than basic needs was out of luck.

Almost everyone who works in a nursing home today is overworked, underpaid and can’t complain for fear of losing their jobs. Nonetheless, virtually all of them with whom I came into contact are decent people who don’t take out their frustrations on the seniors in their care

Over this year, my friend’s needs increased and she started to go downhill very quickly. Where before, she had participated in the activities they had to offer, she was losing interest. And I also noticed the same thing with other seniors there whom I didn’t know very well. (Many don’t have family or friends visiting them – ever.)

Two months ago, my friend stopped eating. One month ago, she died. Fortunately, hospice got involved at the end to make her passing easier.

So my point here is that anyone who thinks politics has nothing to do with their lives is a fool. My friend, (and others), may have lived many more years. But that’s not likely today unless you have a lot of money. Yet, many people keep voting for Republicans for reasons that are totally beyond my comprehension.

As Obama’s health care plan is being gutted, the Republican “health care” plan seems to be working out pretty well. Remember what their plan was? “Die Faster!”

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. My condolences on the loss of your friend...

And my anger and vitriol for the goddamn politicians, esp. those Republicans who are doing this to the helpless old.

[Cyrano]

3. Thanks for caring, Peggy

Every time I went to visit, I saw what was happening, yet I was helpless to stop it. I always brought her whatever goodies or other stuff she couldn't get there. But I couldn't bring enough for others who needed or wanted things not available to them.

I know how awful this is going to sound, but I will off myself before I will ever allow myself to be put at the "mercy" of Rick Scott and his ilk.

Roosevelt's "New Deal" and Johnson's "Great Society" did much to alleviate the uncertainties of life. And now the Republicans are doing everything possible to destroy it all. Damn them. Damn them all to hell.

[RegieRocker]

2. They ain't workin so.....

[davsand]

4. My mom did a short stay in a nursing home post-surgical.

A little over a year ago, my mom had a quad bypass post heart attack. She lives alone in her own house, and as a result, we were relieved when she opted to do a stay in a local nursing home/rehab center after she got out of the hospital. I was in and out of there every day, and I got to observe how it rolls in one of those places.

Most of the time, it seemed like staff was very caring, and honestly liked the residents. I thought the food was nasty, (I can't abide mushy food, as a general rule--I want veggies with some life left in them) but it was plentiful, and the menu seemed pretty varied. It clearly was a warehouse for old people, and it broke my heart to see how many were there with NO family ever around, but all in all, it was about as bright and cheerful as any institution can be.

Having SAID that, I want to share the story of the Tylenol, and how I came to be hiding my Mom's stash of drugs...

My mom needed a little bit of pain relief while she was healing up from her open heart surgery. She didn't require narcotics at that point, but she did need something like Tylenol for pain. One night, they never brought her her "pain pill" when they brought in the rest of her meds. The nurse told her she'd be right back with it, and about an hour later my mom STILL didn't have that stupid Tylenol.

Mom toddled up to the desk and asked about her Tylenol. "Oh, we'll get that right out to you..." was the response. An hour later, still no pill. Again, Mom goes to the desk and asks about it. Again, they tell her they'll get right on it.

This goes on for THREE hours! Finally, they bring in her Tylenol, and when she asks why she had to wait so long they tell her that there was only one RN on duty that night--the other one had called off sick--and they'd had an emergency come up that kept the one RN tied up for all that time. (We found out later that somebody actually died and that was what the RN had been dealing with.)

My Mom grabbed me the next day and asked did I have any Tylenol in my purse, and would I leave some with her. I agreed, and reminded her that she was NOT supposed to have any of her own "drugs" in her room. She looked at me and said, "Well, we better stash it, then, hadn't we..."

:rofl:

Anyhow, I had a chat with the administrator about the long wait for a Tylenol, and she was quick to explain that the budget did not allow for more RNs. My comment was they might consider requiring residents in that nursing home to schedule when they die so that elderly women don't have to sit in pain for three fucking hours waiting for an RN to dispense an over the counter medicine.

When I told my Mom what I'd said to the administrator she about fell out of her chair laughing.



Laura

[Cyrano]

6. I can relate, Laura

My friend often asked for Tylenol and it never showed up. I started bringing in small bottles of it that could be hidden in the pocket of one of her robes. I really don't know if a nurse or aide ever found out about them, but if they did, they didn't say anything.

As I said before, many of them are decent people who know that they're working under impossible conditions. The place my friend was in had six nurses on duty at any given time for about 250 people who were in the facility.

I hope your mom is doing well.

[davsand]

8. Mom is doing great, thanks for asking!

She came over for dinner tonight, in fact.

She did her short rehab stay at that nursing home and then went back to her own house. She has finally conceded to our pleas and hired a cleaning lady to help out with the house, but other than that she's still going strong. Seems like she's on a fairly busy schedule with various social events including bus trips with her Senior groups and trips with various family members. She and her room mate from the nursing home recently went out for dinner and saw The Help--they became good friends while they were together. Tonight Mom told me she's making plans to go to Florida for the winter with my aunt.

I hope I'm functioning that well when I am in my 80's.



Laura

[Obamanaut]

5. The conditions you described are not what we see in the nursing home

Miz O's mom lives in.

"Granny" is 95, is well into dementia, and receives excellent care. She no longer recognizes Miz O, but continues to chat with her on their daily visit. Granny had seven children, and many of the staff know all their names, and talk to her about them even though she often does not always remember the names herself.

The staff call the residents by their last name, preceded by Mr or Mrs. The activities' director plans a lot of things for them to do - fishing excursions at catfish ponds owned by one of resident's family, picnics at the director's home, eating out, shopping, etc.

[Cyrano]

7. Please tell us where this nursing home is, Obamanaut, so we

can all go there when our time comes.