Tales from the Nursing Home 4

TheOtherRick

TheOtherRick

Member
Location
Savannah Missouri
It's amazing how fast people go downhill when they start the slide. I've watched several people go into a tailspin and lose control once it starts. The central table in the dining room has seen the loss of several residents and there are more that sit there that don't look or act too well. Lou used to sit at the nurse's station rocking out on her phone for hours playing the golden oldies. She doesn't eat any longer or very little when she does, it's kind of hard to take, but, that's why the majority of people are here to make their exit.

Kathy sits at our table and is slipping as well, she has headaches that may or not be real she's a little slip of a woman who weighs about ninety pounds and smokes like a chimney, may be getting pneumonia the cigarettes don't help but when you're that old the only stopping is when they carry you out.

Anyway, after the maudlin start, things are not bad the food is hit or miss sometimes they hit dinner out of the park, and other times well just a little weak groundball (shameless baseball reference) Sylvia and I are going along great she has swollen feet and ankles and I have a foot fetish so things are working very well there. My roommate gets cold and doesn't run the air and wears long-sleeved shirts buttoned all the way so I spend a lot of time in her room where it's like an icebox giving out foot massages and waiting for roomie to start snoring.

My roomie's brother comes every day bringing him food either fast food or from the diner here, they weighed him the other day and he's put on twenty-five pounds and they're wondering how he did it. I keep my mouth shut I'm not a snitch, they see his brother carrying insulated bags every day and how they don't smell the food I don't know, I guess they aren't snitches either.

So, there's more going on there has been some sort of power struggle going on in the front office corporate has had someone in checking things out, and the HR person quit and took the login passwords with her now no one can get cash until they get it straightened out that may get interesting, the resident doctor is getting divorced because he was having an affair with his Nurse Practitioner and got caught, so that's the gossip besides me and Sylvia.
 

Rick, don't you start going downhill! It sounds like you are keeping occupied. But it happens. I think you know Kathy's issue, but if she wants to go out with a cigarette in her hand, at this point, why not.

I think I asked you before if they do any shopping for you so you can have treats. Some places have a van and take residents to the store so they can shop themselves. But I think most, do the shopping service with activities going to the store.

Sorry about the roommate who likes it warm.
 
We were lucky, we had a facility about a mile from my home. We could take her home cooked meals when we wanted. They had a wonderful cafeteria, but Mom was not big on meat. I would take her a plate ever couple of days, she had a little fridge and microwave in her room. She also had a big cabinet in her room where we kept her supply of personal products.

This is where we also stored her snacks and drinks. it was locked and she wore the key around her neck. For those of you that have elderly parents/relatives in care, this is a must. Residents will go into others room and will take things. Clothing and bedding will make there way back to the owner with in a couple of days, everything has the patient name and room number on it.

We did early on that other residents that had no family were prone to entering other rooms to find snacks, We felt for them but could not take care of them. A lock was placed on Mom's cabinet, only she could access that. We did however go in and distribute special allowed snacks to other residents. It is important to check with the director to make sure that the snacks/treats are approved for their diet/health.

I hate to bring it up but the issue of sex comes into play for some. Of course. it is better to be informed, another thing we must be aware and that proper protective measures are in place.
 
TheOtherRick said:
It's amazing how fast people go downhill when they start the slide. I've watched several people go into a tailspin and lose control once it starts. The central table in the dining room has seen the loss of several residents and there are more that sit there that don't look or act too well. Lou used to sit at the nurse's station rocking out on her phone for hours playing the golden oldies. She doesn't eat any longer or very little when she does, it's kind of hard to take, but, that's why the majority of people are here to make their exit.

Kathy sits at our table and is slipping as well, she has headaches that may or not be real she's a little slip of a woman who weighs about ninety pounds and smokes like a chimney, may be getting pneumonia the cigarettes don't help but when you're that old the only stopping is when they carry you out.

Anyway, after the maudlin start, things are not bad the food is hit or miss sometimes they hit dinner out of the park, and other times well just a little weak groundball (shameless baseball reference) Sylvia and I are going along great she has swollen feet and ankles and I have a foot fetish so things are working very well there. My roommate gets cold and doesn't run the air and wears long-sleeved shirts buttoned all the way so I spend a lot of time in her room where it's like an icebox giving out foot massages and waiting for roomie to start snoring.

My roomie's brother comes every day bringing him food either fast food or from the diner here, they weighed him the other day and he's put on twenty-five pounds and they're wondering how he did it. I keep my mouth shut I'm not a snitch, they see his brother carrying insulated bags every day and how they don't smell the food I don't know, I guess they aren't snitches either.

So, there's more going on there has been some sort of power struggle going on in the front office corporate has had someone in checking things out, and the HR person quit and took the login passwords with her now no one can get cash until they get it straightened out that may get interesting, the resident doctor is getting divorced because he was having an affair with his Nurse Practitioner and got caught, so that's the gossip besides me and Sylvia.
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Sounds like there's a lot going on there and you aren't bored Rick! 😊
 
Aunt Bea said:
Keep the tales from the nursing home coming!

I find your reports very interesting.

“There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.”
- Albert Maltz
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Thank you I will, I forgot to put in our continued use of edibles keeps things interesting too when you're in the dining room high AF and the dementia people start in it can get very
mrstime said:
Well sex should be all sorts of fun, no one is getting pregnant.
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She was probably thinking about stds and such, but I agree nobody is going to get pregnant.
 
TheOtherRick said:
It's amazing how fast people go downhill when they start the slide. I've watched several people go into a tailspin and lose control once it starts. The central table in the dining room has seen the loss of several residents and there are more that sit there that don't look or act too well. Lou used to sit at the nurse's station rocking out on her phone for hours playing the golden oldies. She doesn't eat any longer or very little when she does, it's kind of hard to take, but, that's why the majority of people are here to make their exit.

Kathy sits at our table and is slipping as well, she has headaches that may or not be real she's a little slip of a woman who weighs about ninety pounds and smokes like a chimney, may be getting pneumonia the cigarettes don't help but when you're that old the only stopping is when they carry you out.

Anyway, after the maudlin start, things are not bad the food is hit or miss sometimes they hit dinner out of the park, and other times well just a little weak groundball (shameless baseball reference) Sylvia and I are going along great she has swollen feet and ankles and I have a foot fetish so things are working very well there. My roommate gets cold and doesn't run the air and wears long-sleeved shirts buttoned all the way so I spend a lot of time in her room where it's like an icebox giving out foot massages and waiting for roomie to start snoring.

My roomie's brother comes every day bringing him food either fast food or from the diner here, they weighed him the other day and he's put on twenty-five pounds and they're wondering how he did it. I keep my mouth shut I'm not a snitch, they see his brother carrying insulated bags every day and how they don't smell the food I don't know, I guess they aren't snitches either.

So, there's more going on there has been some sort of power struggle going on in the front office corporate has had someone in checking things out, and the HR person quit and took the login passwords with her now no one can get cash until they get it straightened out that may get interesting, the resident doctor is getting divorced because he was having an affair with his Nurse Practitioner and got caught, so that's the gossip besides me and Sylvia.
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Wow! You should start a Nursing Home Tabloid. (But don’t, because then no one will talk to you anymore!)

It must be tough seeing people pass, but you are trying to cope with it via humor, which is what I would most likely do too.

Do the residents get many visitors? You could private message those of us who are reading with your address and we can send you some snacks there at The Joint. Granola bars are very shippable.

I read about your situation before in other posts, how you’re grateful you got a place to stay because all you have is Medicare and Soc. Sec., but it’s still a tough life. We could send Sylvia some aromatherapy oils for her feet too.
 
You can become Lord Whistledown at your home. Write all the stories. Require a subscription that would keep you and Ms. Slyvia in chocolates and lotions of the best sort. We can send our donations directly to you. It would be quite an adventure for all of us!!
 
Blessed said:
You can become Lord Whistledown at your home. Write all the stories. Require a subscription that would keep you and Ms. Slyvia in chocolates and lotions of the best sort. We can send our donations directly to you. It would be quite an adventure for all of us!!
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I was joking/not joking in my idea that he should private message all of us his address.

Seriously, we could send him good books or DVDs of good movies if he has a DVD player. We could send him puzzles if he likes those. Some people hate jigsaw puzzles.

But you know, over on Reddit, the Youngers have done this for years. Especially around the holidays - they will send each other stuff. Just random Internet strangers trying to help each other out. Yes, of course, along with the sincere desires to be helpful there is an abundance of SUPER-JERKS over on Reddit. The women complain about that a lot over there, as they should.

I was basically borrowing an idea from Reddit, where the Youngers do actually help one another sometimes and are not all Creepazoids.

But, The Other Rick is enduring a depressing environment. Many years ago I used to be in a church group where we would go sing at convalescent homes. You have never seen old people so grateful to see young outsiders in their world as when you go entertain Seniors at the convalecent homes.

We cannot go visit, most of us, but we can send boredom-busters. My idea is well intentioned.
 
VintageBetter said:
I was joking/not joking in my idea that he should private message all of us his address.

Seriously, we could send him good books or DVDs of good movies if he has a DVD player. We could send him puzzles if he likes those. Some people hate jigsaw puzzles.

But you know, over on Reddit, the Youngers have done this for years. Especially around the holidays - they will send each other stuff. Just random Internet strangers trying to help each other out. Yes, of course, along with the sincere desires to be helpful there is an abundance of SUPER-JERKS over on Reddit. The women complain about that a lot over there, as they should.

I was basically borrowing an idea from Reddit, where the Youngers do actually help one another sometimes and are not all Creepazoids.

But, The Other Rick is enduring a depressing environment. Many years ago I used to be in a church group where we would go sing at convalescent homes. You have never seen old people so grateful to see young outsiders in their world as when you go entertain Seniors at the convalecent homes.

We cannot go visit, most of us, but we can send boredom-busters. My idea is well intentioned.
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Seriously, I'm doing okay I have more than enough to keep me happy, I have a clean, well-maintained place to live, I have friends, and get along with everyone we have a huge library of DVDs that people have left here. I don't get to do what I used to and don't have a cat, but it's okay you have to compromise in life and this is one of those compromises.
So, I don't get to wake and bake that's okay, I used to ride my chair all around town but they want me to here that's fine, I can go anytime as long as I'm with someone and do whatever I wish I have no qualms about telling people who or where I am, but if you'd like send me a DM and I'll give you my particulars.

I was on Reddit for years in fact I was among the first, and just left last year when I was feeling the need for a change, I committed poster suicide to ensure no going back, but I'm in much better shape now than I was, the cancer is gone I'm putting weight on, I'm not a hermit anymore, I have a special friend, I don't worry about the Elm tree dropping on the roof or making payments for anything. I've got it soft here life is good for a change. I will take all the edibles I can get though.
 
Remy said:
Rick, don't you start going downhill! It sounds like you are keeping occupied. But it happens. I think you know Kathy's issue, but if she wants to go out with a cigarette in her hand, at this point, why not.

I think I asked you before if they do any shopping for you so you can have treats. Some places have a van and take residents to the store so they can shop themselves. But I think most, do the shopping service with activities going to the store.

Sorry about the roommate who likes it warm.
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Sounds good, but here in Canada the rules about smoking would never allow somebody to smoke in side a building where people are being paid to work . No smoking in any work place in Canada is the national rule.
 
jimintoronto said:
Sounds good, but here in Canada the rules about smoking would never allow somebody to smoke in side a building where people are being paid to work . No smoking in any work place in Canada is the national rule.
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I'm not even 100% sure what the rules are in California. I think something like x amount of feet from a building. Completely not followed in my workplace. I doubt the residents at that facility smoke inside. What the facilities do is have staff supervised smoke breaks at set intervals through the day. Outside. Their cigarettes and lighters are kept locked up. The smokers may even have to wear a smoking apron. It's top priority to let these people smoke! (I'm being sarcastic here, but it seems to be the case.
 
Remy said:
I'm not even 100% sure what the rules are in California. I think something like x amount of feet from a building. Completely not followed in my workplace. I doubt the residents at that facility smoke inside. What the facilities do is have staff supervised smoke breaks at set intervals through the day. Outside. Their cigarettes and lighters are kept locked up. The smokers may even have to wear a smoking apron. It's top priority to let these people smoke! (I'm being sarcastic here, but it seems to be the case.
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Calif facilities send a staff person with you when you go out for a smoke only for safety reasons, like to make sure you don't fall or whatever (and, I suppose, to talk you out of attempting to escape). They can't lock up your smokes. They do prefer to keep them in one of their locked cabinets, i.e., at the nurse's station or in the supply room, but if a resident insists on keeping their smokes someplace in their room, they can't tell them they can't. They can set a rule that tobacco products must be kept in a locked drawer or box.

And while staff prefers set times for smoke breaks, they cannot refuse residents a smoke whenever they want one. They aren't allowed to tell a resident "You can't have a cigarette." They can tell them they have to wait until someone can go with them, but that's only a "recommendation". If a resident decides they're not going to wait, the staff can't refuse to let them exit the facility. All they can do is hurry up and find someone to go outside with them, even if it's a janitor or van driver.

Bottom line, Calif nursing home residents have the same rights as everyone else, and nursing home staff cannot infringe on them. (except for residents who have dementia or Alzheimers or are legally deemed mentally incompetent)
 
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