M:
Sorry to hear about your Mum's experience; it is also hard to watch usually caring staff under stress.
AS: Oh they were caring...I think most people are...there were just too few to go around and they did not give meds on time because of it. I am talking hours late. My mom was rushed back to the hospital because she was not given this certain med on time.
M:
much better to be in a plastic bubble and rolled about; hmmm, no - think of motion sickness.
what about a stationary bubble with insertions as required...
AS: No No...have you ever been in a sling?
You can't beat it...much more comfortable than a bubble or wheel chair! Plus you can roll it slightly very easily so one is not sitting in the same position constantly. I am thinking for more practical purpose as caring will always be there...but caring can be a double edge sword too. If you have too many people to care for...I think it is human nature to see to the needs of the ones you prefer...rather than the others. I was thinking that each sling conveyor could have a automatic alarm system that is programmable. SO that when the meds are required, a little ding ding ding could go off (like a seat belt alarm in a car) until the meds are administered and logged....then woosh...off to the next station! lol
M:
Not all care homes are the same; unfortunately, the few nurses that do harm get all the publicity.
I agree that some countries have better care/health systems than others.
AS: I agree that not all are the same. I am sure not all here are the same either...although I have had several people in nursing homes here....most just to recoop from operations...but they are the worst! Worse than any hospital stay...caring staff...warm and fuzzy and all that...just given way to much on their plate and not educated enough to make command decisions (i.e. if a patient needs and asks for their meds...they literally can't give them for hours until they call a doctor who does not return calls!) Some of the caretakers told my mom she should bring her meds from home so she could get them on time as they could not contact the doc!
They definitely need some sort of system in place. And this coming from people who were not old and feeble...who could ask to be given their meds! Can you imagine what happens to the ones who can't ask?! Some I saw were just placed in the hallway in a wheelchair and left all day. The was one cute little old lady who had the ability to tip toe sitting in her wheel chair up and down the halls....she did not speak...but boy did she get around! I think she could have tip toed around the world! lol I wondered if she needed meds throughout the day...she certainly wasn't in her room to receive any...the staff would have to hunt her down in the halls! I doubt they would take the time. But they would give her a big smile if they happen to see her during one of her laps around the halls.
Smiles without action can kill a person. I would rather get the meds I need from a sour puss rather than a smile from someone who cared and felt sorry for me that I was in distress from not receiving my meds.(that is the cynical side of me talking)
M:
If you are talking about accountability for errors, then there is a system of key-workers who have responsbility for a group of patients, with a team-leader who organises the daily activities.
Not conveyer-belt style, necessarily - but inevitably there is routine, together with a care-plan... hopefully involving the wishes of patient and relatives. No sheep-dipping and dunking.
AS: Well this sheep would rather be rolled, dipped and dunked on schedule at least here in the states. I don't think there is n american alive who relishes the thought of a nursing home. They are awful!
M:Other than dealing with your fear and hopes for the future, how did you cope during this difficult time.
Philosophically speaking...[/quote]
AS: I didn't have to cope...my Mom was the one who did. I just did what she told me...that is the only way to comfort my mom as she likes to be in control at all times. So when she said she wanted to go home...I took her home....even though I knew it was going to be a long ride home (5 hours) in the car.
We both knew, even as sick as she was, she could take care of herself better than the nursing home. All I did was take orders...lol.
I think at some point though...we will have to have some legislation regarding retirement homes in this country as from what I have seen with family and friends (not just once but every time) is simply atrocious. Being wheeled into a hallway or a lunch room for the whole day is not my idea of practical care. At least the geriatric conveyor keeps you moving....re positioning you at intervals, dings when you have not had a certain task completed. Okay, so maybe you can have an option of what type chair you wanted...maybe one could be a like a shiatsu chair, firm or soft, sling or other....and each day you could mix and match...but always your information could be stored on a thumb drive of sorts which could be "inserted" in your choice of chair at the beginning of each new day. Or something like that....Sci fi baby