All I've read point out how the CNA's and other residents can be greatly affected.
Here's one from the National Institute of Health:
At Bethesda Meadow, they hide the event as much as they can. Usually they want the "deceased" belongings cleared out immediately -- the same day or no longer than the following day.
Memorials and mentions of a "passing" are rare.
Do they really think if they isolate residents, those living and dying, they won't be missed?
Carol was deprived from most human contact.
The facility did not take her out of her room but they paid for the rental of a gerry chair (believe the same one was possibly double paid for by Carol and her Roomate as I saw them use it once for each of them) except for two occassions when I insisted she be dressed and put in the chair to be able to socialize.
The curtain between the two beds in the room was almost always drawn.
The door to the room was almost always completely closed or if not completely, closed so far as to deter or disinterest any other resident or even a visitor from stopping by and visiting.
Isolation and segregation from the general population -- not taken to the dining room before she had "frozen" hands.
No one assigned to feed Carol when her hands became inoperable.
Given small glasses of liquids she couldn't begin to hold or reach to obtain.
Food placed in her room and aides walking away -- believing she or whoever was visiting would do the feeding.
I know it wasn't her time to pass. I watched too much. I tried to be heard. Many others understand; they've done the same.
Death is a part of life. Death should have its own schedule and not have someone who gives aid and assistance over weeks of providing unnecessary antipsychotics and other medications.
Anyone who loses as much weight as Carol did in the amount of time she did suffers greatly as the body goes through significant stress and duress.
She wanted to eat. We fed her. They did not.
Grief is a part of living.
Dishonoring the passing is demoralizing the living.
Carol's room was filled with her treasures; many had been removed; some we'd given her, hats from trips we took, pictures of us with Carol, were GONE.
No one has contacted us. It's two weeks today.
When we arrived that Wednesday evening, flowers in hand, to see an empty bed -- actually two--her roommate's and hers-- we went to the floor nursing station and the first person didn't even know she'd died -- another employee told us.
No Memorial Service.
No posting of her picture.
It's as if she never existed.
Close your doors, Bethesda. We'll open windows.
Examining this Not For Profit who must file its Form 990's and can't understand the large salaries given to ten corporate people....
Trying to see where the money is coming from and going to over a million dollars in salaries and "other income" for just ten people-- and that doesn't include all the salaries for each facility including medical/non medical/office and other.
Know they have many Medicaid Beds. That's income.
Know they doubleshift many workers -- less cost than adding another employee. And, they hire from outside services, bypassing the need to pay certain taxes and other payroll items.
Did you know you can find a Not For Profit's 990's on line? All you need to know is the general name of the corporation/company/entity and it helps to know the State.
Anyone who believes Not For Profits in Long Term Care provision are barely subsisting should take a long look at the salaries and other compensation and should request -- it's public knowledge -- to see "the books" if they're Not For Profit.
If they're not .... there are other ways to check online their income, expenditures and salaries. In today's world, they can attempt to hide information but it's there and someone can find it.
You're paying the bills -- Medicaid is Federal Money -- where does that come from....your pocket and mine. And that's both For Profit and Not For Profit LTC's.
I called Bethesda Meadow following our finding Carol's bed empty and learned she'd passed and asked if there were any directives on memorials for Carol.
NO REPONSE.
They'd cremated her; she told me she wanted her body to be donated to science.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
The receptionist didn't know. Said they would ask.
NO ONE HAS CALLED.
NO ONE CARES ABOUT OUR GRIEF.
I asked for the mailing address of her only relative to send a note of condolence
NO RESPONSE.
And why isn't someone asking these questions from the DHSS? Seems to me without a body there could be no autopsy and with cremation -- evidence is gone.
I've watched so many come and go at Bethesda Meadow.
I've watched as the year progresses and "bonuses" are wanted to be met how cutbacks, eliminations and yes, inactivity for the residents becomes so prevelant.
- Food an animal would turn their nose up at.
- Cutbacks to one CNA per hallway; 2 per floor and sometimes just the 1; so many bed bound, always sleeping, morning, noon and night.
- Significant changes every time their yearly "review" by the DHSS comes around. The DHSS says they don't schedule it and so it's a "surprise".
Really? An authorization to operate, a license, that must be renewed within a period of time and the facility isn't aware there will be an "annual visit" for this purpose?
Not what we've seen. It's wall to wall staff and everyone in his/her place, volunteers and others playing games with, moving people around and so much more.
That's not reality; it's a created fantasy land.
If changes are to be made, they will have to come from the grass roots. They will have to rise up through the ranks of people who can well afford "Nursing Home" care at all levels and that includes all prices.
Most importantly, until all ages form a movement to protect our Seniors as strongly as those protecting animals, the unborn and children, the challenges and the problems will grow for the aging Senior population and those will affect more and more families.
Some stats from the State of Pennsylvania:
- Most people will need some form of long-term services and supports in their lifetime, including assistance with daily activities such as bathing and dressing, because of a physical impairment or a cognitive impairment like Alzheimer’s disease.
- An estimated 70% of people currently turning 65 will require long-term care in their lifetime, and they will receive care for an average of 3 years.
- Eighteen percent of all seniors will require more than one year in a nursing facility.
More stats in the next entry.
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