Relatives in nursing homes...
By coffeeshot
@coffeeshot (3783)
Australia
March 18, 2010 9:53am CST
I have recently begun working at a nursing home. One thing that I have already noticed is that it is the really small things that make an oldie's day. For example there is one lady who likes to collect all the table cloths after dinner and she wheels them over to the laundry basket in her chair. Another man likes to take a couple of sachets of salt and pepper back to his room (he claims that they are for his penguin, but it makes him happy) and another likes his two serviettes instead of one.
I have noticed that there are many residents who do not get many visitors which is quite sad. Their lives are the same day in and day out and it amazes me how much they appreciate even just a quick chat.
Do you have a relative or relatives in a nursing home? If so, how often do you visit?
2 people like this
6 responses
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
19 Mar 10
my mom is in the health care center, but its like a nursing home, except its attached to the Manor and it acts as a transition for people who don't need to be in the hospital, but also can't be alone and need some assistance, like a friend of my mom who broke her hip.
I got at LEAST once a week, I went twice this week, but mom was so out of it that I left again, after I put the Easter egg on her door and took off the St Patrick's day wreath.
1 person likes this
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
18 Mar 10
I have a grandmother in an assisted living home and I also had my other grandmother that was in a nursing home years ago before she passed away. You are right it is really sad to see all of these people there with no one visiting them. I go visit my grandmother every week in the home and I'm very surprised if I even see one other person visiting someone there. It's really ashame. I think a lot of the residents that live there are just dropped off and forgotten about. I don't know where the compassion is in people these days.
1 person likes this
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
22 Mar 10
It certainly seems that way doesn't it? My mother used to work in a nursing home too and she said the same thing. She befriended a few of the residents and even though she has left there, she still occasionally writes letters to some of them.
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
18 Mar 10
My mother has recently moved into a care home and she seems to be very much happier now that she has lots of company and care. She's always been a formidable lady, very much a control freak, so she is happy that she can have things her way, from the position of her chair to the way her photographs are displayed on the window ledge.
I haven't been to visit her yet, thought, it home is 160 miles away from where I live
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
22 Mar 10
Wow it sounds like she is happy there and has made a lot of friends! Don't feel guilty about not visiting her yet- it is quite a long way away! I'm sure you call her regularly- that would make her happy too.
@scarlet_woman (23465)
• United States
19 Mar 10
um..i think only my uncle presently.
he lives too far for me to visit,but my cousin brings him down occasionally,so we do still see him.
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
18 Mar 10
I do not have any such friends or relatives, but I did look after a sick friend for almost a year recently and had occasion to see what you are describing and it makes me glad to live in a community where many of my neighbors go to nursing homes just to cheer people up and take them little presents and that sort of thing. They do not work through a volunteer agency but just by word of mouth where one person knows of someone who would appreciate a visit and so they go. I am happy to offer transportation to those neighbors who would like to do that but do not drive. So I drive them and they do the socializing while I read a book in the car. Everyone has a unique way of helping, eh?
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
22 Mar 10
That's great! My grandmother used to do that too. I went with her when I was a child. Something so easy and that doesn't take up much of your time can just totally improve the quality of life for some people.
@Cutie18f (9551)
• Philippines
19 Mar 10
No, I do not have one as I live in a country wherein our old people live with their families. In our locality we do not have such a facility so our old folks have to live with their families. I know how sad it must be to reach that age when your life seems to revolve around waiting for something that will never come. It must be boring to live that way. Our very old folks in our country, for as long as they are able to move, most often keep themselves busy by doing some work and not just sit around like waiting for nothing.
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
22 Mar 10
It would be great for the family to look after their elderly. I think our pace of life just makes that impossible. Everyone needs to work so they have no time to be able to do that.
