Would anybody want to go into a nursing home now with the virus here?

A lot of the knowledge I have about this issue is from my nephew & his wife who, between the 2 of them, have worked in every phase of elder health care, Independent Living facilities, Assisted Living facilities, Skilled Nursing facilities, and paid in-home elder care.

And here are some things I've learned from them (which I realize of course may only apply to this area): (1) almost no one who lives long enough dies at home (or out on a walk or on a bike enjoying nature or whatever); they almost always die at one of the above-mentioned facilities or in a hospital emergency room. (2) The facilities & in-home care vary enormously in how good they are, ranging from pretty good (that's right, only *pretty* good for even the most expensive) to horrific. (3) The prices--again, just for this area--are about $1500/month for Ind. Living; $3000-$4000/month for Assisted Liv.; from $6000-$10,000/month for Skilled Nursing facilities; and I can't remember how much for the in-home care. In this state, MedicAid only pays for Skilled Nursing *if* you even qualify for Medic-Aid. (4) A lot of the facilities and in-home care agencies who are not even the best have waiting lists. (A co-worker had to take a 2-year's leave of absence without pay from her job because being that long on a waiting list to get her mom into the only facility in this area that would take Alz. patients & because even if she could've afforded it--she couldn't--she couldn't hire in-home care because the mother was violent with everyone but the daughter.)

So if you were ever wondering why some of us elderly do not like being elderly and hate the phrases "the golden years" and "You're only as old as you feel" and are afraid of being even more elderly, this may answer your question. Especially those of us elderly who never had children; another elderly with children said to me once, "Well, having kids is no guarantee that they'll help you in your old age!" and of course she was right. But *not* having kids IS a guarantee that you'll have no family to take care of you in your old age.
 

I forgot to add: (5) Almost all of these places and the in-home care agencies are owned by corporations. (The few that aren't have the longest waiting lists of all). So when I mentioned a facility not being good, I'm usually not referring to its employees necessarily because what usually causes problems at these places is that modern-day devil corporate policy. Both Nephew and Niece-in-law have had more than a few instances when they or a resident thought of a better way to do things, not only better for residents but better also for staff and, get this, would save the facility and the corporation $$. Welp, Corporate always said no; reasons given ranged from altho it would save $$ it wouldn't be good for public relations; it would be against that other modern-day demon Corporate Policy; they already have brochures printed up with it the existing way (and "OMG, the reprinting costs"); it's too much trouble to change; and it wouldn't save the Corporation *enough* $$.
 
Nope...I worked in a Nursing Home for 10 years and it was one of the better ones and very closely monitored
However I have no desire to end up 'waiting for God' in a foetal position in a bed that is not mine
I will have my 'druthers' and I druther die in my own bed and in my own home....when my time is at an end
 

Nope...I worked in a Nursing Home for 10 years and it was one of the better ones and very closely monitored
However I have no desire to end up 'waiting for God' in a foetal position in a bed that is not mine
I will have my 'druthers' and I druther die in my own bed and in my own home....when my time is at an end


So how do we make that happen ?

If ya get hit with say a stroke .....you are taken to a hospital. Once there, they take control. If ya survive? Once you are over the emergency , you go where they say. If you have no family willing to take you in ? Off to the "home" ya go.

Bring back Dr. Kevorkian !
 
I forgot to add: (5) Almost all of these places and the in-home care agencies are owned by corporations. (The few that aren't have the longest waiting lists of all). So when I mentioned a facility not being good, I'm usually not referring to its employees necessarily because what usually causes problems at these places is that modern-day devil corporate policy. Both Nephew and Niece-in-law have had more than a few instances when they or a resident thought of a better way to do things, not only better for residents but better also for staff and, get this, would save the facility and the corporation $$. Welp, Corporate always said no; reasons given ranged from altho it would save $$ it wouldn't be good for public relations; it would be against that other modern-day demon Corporate Policy; they already have brochures printed up with it the existing way (and "OMG, the reprinting costs"); it's too much trouble to change; and it wouldn't save the Corporation *enough* $$.

Who would you expect to own nursing homes except corporations? It's not like you can run a mom and pop nursing home. With all the expense, insurance, regulations and liability issues, to name just a few, you'd be crazy to try.

Even most churches are incorporated. A corporation is only a legal entity not some kind of demon. Some are bad, some are good, and some are terrible, just like the people who run them.

Corporations run hospitals, too, and airlines, and banks, and just about everything else, except maybe corner stores.
 
Who would you expect to own nursing homes except corporations? It's not like you can run a mom and pop nursing home. With all the expense, insurance, regulations and liability issues, to name just a few, you'd be crazy to try.

Even most churches are incorporated. A corporation is only a legal entity not some kind of demon. Some are bad, some are good, and some are terrible, just like the people who run them.

Corporations run hospitals, too, and airlines, and banks, and just about everything else, except maybe corner stores.
There are a few mom&pop nursing facilities around here.

The trouble with corporations is most are not in fact just like the people who run them since they were declared legal entities; the people who "run" them were thereby in too many cases absolved legally of suffering consequences for any malicious wrongdoing & therefore the wrongdoing intensified as it always does when there is little or no chance of consequences. What I'm trying to say is that when corporations were declared legal persons (entities), it seemed to stop the people at the top from even thinking about, let alone trying to, doing the right thing too much of the time. Sure there have been some CEOs who served jail time but nowhere nearly enough, nowhere.
 
Corporations have always been considered legal entities/persons for most purposes. The "declaration" of a corporation's legal entity as a person only changed recently in Citizens United in regards to corporations' ability to electioneer, donate, etc. for political purposes. It had nothing to do with liability for wrongdoing.
 
Who would you expect to own nursing homes except corporations? It's not like you can run a mom and pop nursing home. With all the expense, insurance, regulations and liability issues, to name just a few, you'd be crazy to try.

Even most churches are incorporated. A corporation is only a legal entity not some kind of demon. Some are bad, some are good, and some are terrible, just like the people who run them.

Corporations run hospitals, too, and airlines, and banks, and just about everything else, except maybe corner stores.


"just about everything else, except maybe corner stores."

And they're dropping like flies.......
 
Possibly in the next few years Voluntary Assisted Dying will allow quality end of life care to relieve pain and suffering
Make sure you have a Medical Power Of Attorney or an Advanced Care Directive with a D.N.R. Do Not Resuscitate Clause
included so when it is your time to go you will not be kept alive by extra-ordinary measures
If you choose to be an organ donor make sure your family are aware because even if you have this on your records you want
to be an organ donor the doctors are obliged to ask your family
 
My dream would be to share a home with one of my daughters, with enough room for our own privacy, and me having up to 24/7 outside help as my health necessitates. I have a feeling that would be very costly so my husband and I will have to save a lot of money in the next ten years before we retire!!
 
I am fortunate enough to not require nursing home care at the moment, two hip replacements enables me to continue my walking exercise, but the day might come and I must get used to the idea that there's a 50/50 chance it will happen in the future. Then I will have two choices - I can fight like hell and refuse to go or I can accept my fate and go quietly. Not sure how I would handle it.
 
No that’s why we try to keep as fit as possible and continue dancing .

Good idea about the forms you mentioned (y) @peramangkelder
We both recently filled out a form each of the advanced care directives and recently updated our wills , the solicitor said to bring them in-when complete and he’d hold them with our wills.
We haven’t looked into to Power Of Attorney for someone to,take over our money / pay our bills

The ACD is free to download and it has areas to fill in what you want while you are still able to make those decisions it even supplies a guide to help you
 
I've instructed my son and my SO if I get to the point where I can't take care of myself, just drop me off at the nearest, cheapest nursing home, kiss me goodbye, and don't look back. My worst fear is being a burden to the few folks I love.
YMMV
Me too!!! If I’m that bad off just put me with a group of peeps who are in the same shape or worse than I am. Come once a week, bring me a drink and a cigarette, and take me outside. Never ever ever let the grandkids or great grandkids enter the inside...I’ll come outside to see them. Call me, love me, and know for 100% certain that this is my wish ❤️
 
I would think alot of nursing homes will have a problem finding people that want too.
Not a nursing home but I would like to try assisted living. I don't have the money for that but I would love to have all my meals cooked and someone cleaning my room once a week.

I think the problem in nursing homes is hiring young people who do things that increase the chance of getting infected and once someone brings it in it spreads. In a nursing home, the risk is also higher because the contact is greater than in assisted living.
 
There was a government waiting list to get my mother into any home/residence. The dementia was setting in. It’s lucky she didn’t burn the house down. The first private place was fine. When she couldn’t stay there as the dementia advanced, the next place was government run and was much better. Private room, well-run and being under government operation it had strict rules. It was actually better than the private one.

When it’s time for me to go, adios please.
 
67% of all covid deaths in my county are in nursing homes.

I just attended a good friend's funeral on Wednesday. He died in a nursing home. Covid related.

During the shutdown, you can't visit your friends and loved ones. The dementia inflicted don't understand why they can't see anyone.

However, the people that work there, from health care professionals to admin to the hourly minimum wage people that clean the bathrooms, do the laundry, clean the rooms, assist the aids, cook, etc can come and go as they please and go home every night. I am sure a lot of them have family and kids and a social life. They get exposed and bring it in to work. They get tested twice a week! BS. like that helps.
The nursing homes are a death trap for covid right now.

We were getting text updates on the covid cases at the nursing home (until they stopped)
1 person one week, then 2 residents an 1 staff, then 5 residents and 4 staff, every week it got worse and it took over like Grant took Richmond.

If you have an elderly person in your care I would keep them out of a nursing facility as long as financially possible.

And right there folks is the problem.

My mom died in that same nursing home.
 
67% of all covid deaths in my county are in nursing homes.

I just attended a good friend's funeral on Wednesday. He died in a nursing home. Covid related.

During the shutdown, you can't visit your friends and loved ones. The dementia inflicted don't understand why they can't see anyone.

However, the people that work there, from health care professionals to admin to the hourly minimum wage people that clean the bathrooms, do the laundry, clean the rooms, assist the aids, cook, etc can come and go as they please and go home every night. I am sure a lot of them have family and kids and a social life. They get exposed and bring it in to work. They get tested twice a week! BS. like that helps.
The nursing homes are a death trap for covid right now.

We were getting text updates on the covid cases at the nursing home (until they stopped)
1 person one week, then 2 residents an 1 staff, then 5 residents and 4 staff, every week it got worse and it took over like Grant took Richmond.

If you have an elderly person in your care I would keep them out of a nursing facility as long as financially possible.

And right there folks is the problem.

My mom died in that same nursing home.
My MIL was in a memory care home. 11 of the 30 residents on the 3rd floor died of covid. They were locked down to visitors and no one knew that many people died. We were able to bring her home two days before she died so family could see her.
 
I think the problem in nursing homes is hiring young people who do things that increase the chance of getting infected and once someone brings it in it spreads. In a nursing home, the risk is also higher because the contact is greater than in assisted living.
The thing about nursing home employees: I believe there are more parolees getting those types of jobs, rather than squeaky-clean collage students.
 


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