We're going to see more of this

I expect some things to change with increased regulation (or at least more enforcement of existing rules) under the Democrats.

But I don't know that there's going to be a huge outcry for better conditions in nursing homes. As long as there are extreme pressures to maximize profit, there's going to be pressure to cut costs. And old, frail people who can't take care of themselves are going to be the easiest target.

IME, nursing home administrators often have a blindness to what really goes on in their institutions. It's very common for the staff to be overworked, to not have consistent work hours, to be under pressure to find ways to minimize their workload to get things done during their shifts. The administration talks the right talk, but they don't really know about what goes on day-to-day.

We had to move my MIL to a local nursing home on the 4th. She was getting to be too much for one aid to handle at home during the day due to her Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and we had work pressures that meant we were going to have to be away more often (which always increased her confusion). There were looming financial pressures as well. The time seemed to be right, unfortunately. Thankfully, she's adjusting fairly well and doesn't seem any more unhappy there than she was here, but it's been stressful for us because we have to make sure the aids and nurses understand her routine, her idiosyncrasies, and her medications. All for the privilege of paying $260 a day, plus various supplies, services, etc... :-( It's a pretty good facility, but it's nowhere as good as having her home.

I'm not optimistic that the Boomers will cause substantial improvements at nursing homes. Even if you try to be a good guardian, there's only so much you can do. Perhaps there will be pressure to have the government pay more for home care, which is often cheaper and better, but there's always the fact that few are going to want to have their taxes increased to help pay for it. Boomers's kids are going to have a lot to say about any changes - if you believe the hype about them, well... :-/

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #293,476 by imqwerky 9/23/07 2:10:42 PM Reply	We're going to see more of this with the aging boomer population. But I have a strong feeling that it won't last. It is obviously repugnant and as more cases come to light, this type of practice will come to a screeching halt. /me shakes her head in dismay. Smile, Amy
Post #293,477 by Andrew Grygus 9/23/07 2:43:51 PM Reply	Yeah, when the "Me, Me, Me" boomers hith the market . . . . . there's bound to be a ruckus. [link\|http://www.aaxnet.com\|AAx]
Post #293,479 by Another Scott 9/23/07 3:50:21 PM Reply	Dunno... I expect some things to change with increased regulation (or at least more enforcement of existing rules) under the Democrats. But I don't know that there's going to be a huge outcry for better conditions in nursing homes. As long as there are extreme pressures to maximize profit, there's going to be pressure to cut costs. And old, frail people who can't take care of themselves are going to be the easiest target. IME, nursing home administrators often have a blindness to what really goes on in their institutions. It's very common for the staff to be overworked, to not have consistent work hours, to be under pressure to find ways to minimize their workload to get things done during their shifts. The administration talks the right talk, but they don't really know about what goes on day-to-day. We had to move my MIL to a local nursing home on the 4th. She was getting to be too much for one aid to handle at home during the day due to her Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, and we had work pressures that meant we were going to have to be away more often (which always increased her confusion). There were looming financial pressures as well. The time seemed to be right, unfortunately. Thankfully, she's adjusting fairly well and doesn't seem any more unhappy there than she was here, but it's been stressful for us because we have to make sure the aids and nurses understand her routine, her idiosyncrasies, and her medications. All for the privilege of paying $260 a day, plus various supplies, services, etc... :-( It's a pretty good facility, but it's nowhere as good as having her home. I'm not optimistic that the Boomers will cause substantial improvements at nursing homes. Even if you try to be a good guardian, there's only so much you can do. Perhaps there will be pressure to have the government pay more for home care, which is often cheaper and better, but there's always the fact that few are going to want to have their taxes increased to help pay for it. Boomers's kids are going to have a lot to say about any changes - if you believe the hype about them, well... :-/ Cheers, Scott.

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