Nursing Home Observations

¹⁸ Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”

These were the words of Jesus to Peter (John 21).

I thought of these words as I sat in the nursing home where my wife has been admitted for rehab after some serious abdominal surgery.  As I watched dear old people being helped to stand, sit, eat, all the things you and I do without even thinking about it, I remembered these words.  As I watched attendants put “gait belts” around residents so they could hang on to them as they walked or stood, I remembered these words.

Now to be sure, Jesus said this to Peter indicating how Peter would die (many believe).  Church tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down, because he didn’t want to be crucified in the same manner as Christ because he was not worthy even to die in the same manner as his Lord.

There are thousands and thousands, maybe millions, of senior citizens residing in nursing homes who depend entirely on someone else for being alive.  As I pondered their lives, I also pondered the lives of those who care for them.  Some are geniune care-givers, compassionate without fail, willing to help any and all.

Others are good at their jobs, but it really isn’t the same thing.  They are polite when spoken to, but rarely or ever speak.  They come across as not caring.  And that’s not a career I would be pursuing if I didn’t like the work.  And caring for the elderly IS a lot of work.

Before the nursing home my wife was admitted to the hospital three different times, first for 19 days, then for 4 days, then for 12 days.  I saw the same thing in the nurses and patient care techs, a range of true compassion and excellent care-giving, and some who obviously would rather be somewhere else.

We should be doing better with caring for our elderly.  They have a life-time of knowledge and experience and have made their contribution to society, some many times over.  To write them off and not give them a dignified existence is immoral, even criminal.  Yes, some of them have dementia, some of them have alzheimers, but they are still human beings in need of care, and not just enough care to keep them alive, but care that makes it easier for them to live.

It breaks my heart to see some of them, and it makes me angry when I see how some of the attendants and nurses show lack of compassion.  And I won’t even get started on the doctors who “care” of nursing home patients.  I will say every nursing home should have a full time on-site on-staff doctor, and not rotate physicians every week or month.

I am going to look for regulatory agencies in my state where I can voice some of my concerns.  I am also writing my U.S. Senators and Representatives.  But things need to be changed to care for our elderly.  After all, they made America great with blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice.

They deserve better.