Seniors and Criminals

[annageckos]

I hate nursing homes. I am sure there are some good ones around. But when my great grandmother had a stroke and it got too hard for my family to take care of her they had to put her in a nursing home. She was paralyzed and could only move her left? side, I think it was. She couldn't talk, but you could tell she was still 'with it'. She know what was going on around her and tried to communicate the best she could. Anyway, at the nursing home some of her things got stolen. The nurses would leave her a try of food, and put it on her paralyzed side. They didn't always feed her, or give her anything to drink. I remember going in one time with my grandma and Nanny(great grandmother) was so thirsty, she drank almost two of those pitcher they use in hospitals. The nursing home also dropped her while using one of those slings type things to get her out of bed to change the sheets. I kind of remember her either coming back home for a little. But had to go back into a home. What killed her was gangrene. I remember going in to see her and my grandma moved the blanket from her legs and saw it was horribly infected. She died not long after that. I was young when all this happened, maybe 12. But I can remember most of this pretty well. Also my mom has worked in nursing homes in dietary. She said some of those nurses are callous and just do not seem to care about the people. Now I am not saying all nurses or nursing homes are like that. But it is now burned into my brain, nursing home = bad.

 

[PineappleMama]

Gran ended up in a hospice thing, think that's what they called it... it was clean, but that's about all I can say about it. The staff wasn't rude or anything, but they weren't exactly kind either. Given that they KNOW the patients are there to die, that the folks visiting are about to lose a loved one... seemed a little compassion would have been in order. But that's a personal opinion, not in their shoes, prolly go mad if I was... and clearly biased since I was about to lose her so... *shrug* I don't envy those in the medical field... sure helping is great, but the ones you can't help... stronger folks than me.

 

[Dunkopf]

My Mom 76 had 2 episodes of low blood sugar due to her diabetes. The first time she laid on the floor in her house for almost 3 days till my Sister went to check on her. She was so out of it that they had to restrain her in the hospital for 5 days. They felt she had Alzheimer s. When my Sister found her she gave her a glass of OJ and it brought her sugar back up before the ambulance got there. She spent 3 months in a rehab facility and was sent home. Three months later she had the flu and didn't eat and had another drop. This time my Sister found her within 12 hours because she checked on her every day after the 1st episode. Spent 2 days in the hospital then 1 month in rehab. After that, she agreed to move to an assisted living place. Sold her house and now lives in a 1 bedroom apt with a sink, microwave and a small fridge. Meals are served in a cafeteria and are luke warm and not very tasty, mostly because they are bland. Most of the other seniors are about 10 years older than my mother and tend to have some minor dementia. It's 2400.00 a month and the only real service they offer is the food. No nursing care, but they do have cords all over the place in case of a fall in your apartment.

Mom isn't happy but she knows she can't live completely on her own. My Sister fills up her pill containers once a week and calls Mom to make sure she takes them. She doesn't take her blood sugar as often as she should and I know she will have complications from that. Not looking forward to an actual nursing home. I know most are fine and we would be sure she went to a nice one. She lives 1200 miles away though. I hope I just die before I get to the point where I can't take care of myself. I think my Mom would feel the same way.