| Nursing Home Misconceptions |
By M. Neislein.
As I walked into Perry Manor in March,
1992, I brought with me many misconceptions about nursing homes and the aged. I
had limited experience with the elderly and nursing homes. Most of my ideas were
tinged with negativity. I felt that nursing homes were needed, but I thought of
them as sad, depressing places that smelled bad. Like most folks I believed the
negative stories that were reported and thought that these stories represented
all of the long term care
industry.
I was surprised at how much in error I was. As I began to know and love the residents, began to appreciate my staff and the awesome task they perform in caring for the residents, and accepted the challenge of nursing home administration, I found that most of my former ideas about nursing homes were wrong.
Nursing home residents are individuals who have experienced major life change, sometimes suddenly as with a stroke, or sometimes progressively over time as with Alzheimer's Disease or a debilitating physical condition. These individuals need special care and attention to maintain a quality lifestyle. The mission of nursing homes is to assist each individual to achieve and maintain the highest quality of life possible.
Many nursing homes have residents who are admitted for rehabilitation purposes and who go home after a short stay. Other residents stay a long while. All residents contribute something to our nursing home family/community.
Some residents can become fearful when their confusion results in an inability to understand their environment and surroundings. Psychotropic medications can help ease their confused state and allay the accompanying fears. Most administrators will not allow their residents to be over medicated.
Residents sometimes develop physical conditions that result in the inability to sit up adequately without support or some type of restraint mechanism. It is the exception rather than the rule that ambulatory residents are restrained to inhibit their behavior. It is important to note that the use of chemical or physical restraints is closely regulated and monitored by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
Not everyone is called to work or volunteer in a nursing home, however I believe that every person who has friends or relatives living in a nursing home should take seriously the responsibility of visiting them. Visits from family and friends give residents a special gift that they treasure. Most residents have very few material needs, however the “time” that you give is their most precious gift. No matter how much staff and volunteers care for the residents, none of us can replace the family and friends that have been part of their lives.
Individuals who visit should keep in mind that they will come into contact with residents who are ill, but it is important to put aside fears. Anyone who visits and observes something that is disturbing should ask questions, talk to the administrator, and find out the facts. One thing to remember is that nursing homes do not have to manifest continuous odors. With good housekeeping techniques and proper incontinence care, odors will be controlled.
As the administrator of my facility I want to be aware of problems that visitors may see so that I can address and correct problem areas, or advise and educate visitors about situations they may not understand.
It is my hope that the readers will review their thoughts about nursing homes. A nursing home is not a place to go to “die.” A nursing home is a place where the elderly come to live because they need special care and attention. Please do not judge all nursing homes by reports you receive from the media.
More families are experiencing nursing home placement for their loved ones. I encourage everyone to educate themselves about nursing homes and rethink some of their perceptions, so that the nursing home experience can be a more positive experience.
###
The location of nursing homes in Southern Illinois, by county, can be obtain in the Resource Guide on Aging.