Being sentenced to ‘hard time’ instead of nursing home

[The Straight Story]

Being sentenced to ‘hard time’ instead of nursing home

I hope no one interprets this column as disrespectful, because it isn’t intended to be. The only reason I bring up such a personal matter is that I am quite sure that others have dealt with this issue or may in the future and perhaps I have come up with something that could help someone else who has an aging parent, even though it didn’t work for us.

But before I get to that, a little background information is in order. First of all, let me state clearly and resolutely that we feel fortunate to still have our elderly mother with us. For many years her children have been happy to see to her needs. But life has been cruel in the fact that her will is stronger than her body now. Her needs may become greater than our combined energy and economic abilities. She has begun to focus on an “exit” plan from living with her daughters, but a nursing home in the future is not high on her list. (These words are much gentler than those she actually used during the real conversations in consideration of the gentleness of the reading audience.)

So, as that step to a nursing home may be inevitable in the future, I thought maybe we should explore the reasoning behind her feelings.

....

“It’s too fancy. I don’t like fancy,” she added. “And besides, I like to be alone sometimes and you can’t be alone there.” The fancy I wasn’t too sure of, but the “alone” part probably was true.

...

“If you could commit a crime worthy of prison time, then you could have free room and board and medical help – even dental! You would have people all around you who would need to have you read your Bible to them. You could receive visitors AND you could get sassy and have solitary confinement when you wanted some alone time!”

http://www.farmandranchguide.com/entertainment/country_living/farm_wife_diary/being-sentenced-to-hard-time-instead-of-nursing-home/article_1bc0dcd0-297f-11e0-a729-001cc4c03286.html

[jody]

1. SCOTUS says government is not obligated to protect a law-abiding citizen however if in custody govt

must provide care that meets a high standard.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

2. California is wrestling with that now under Federal supervision