Final+Research+Paper

Nursing home. For some, this word may send shivers down the spine, thinking they one day have to be in one. For others, it makes them think of a place where elders go to be provided with extra care. Today, nursing homes strive to provide a comfortable, homelike environment for their residents. As a volunteer at a nursing home, I see many elders playing games, making friends, and enjoying life. Sometimes I think it is sad looking at those who live in a nursing home rather than home. But then I think about it, and I would rather send a loved one somewhere in which they are constantly surrounded by others and are cared for, then at home, by themselves struggling day to day. Due to the disappearance of the extended family in modern society, nursing homes have become an essential social institution to aide the elderly by providing constant care, a healthy diet, and an active lifestyle. Out of 30,453 men and women ages 75 years and older, 21% live alone. That means only 6,442 out of the 30,453 live by themselves. John M. Prendergast of the St. Louis University School of Medicine declared the statistic: “Elderly persons without family used hospital emergency rooms 7 to 30 times more often than elderly persons with family in the area” (Para 2). Our society needs nursing homes in order to strive and move forward with life. From an adult perspective that is taking care of an elder, nursing homes take a load off their shoulders. Instead of providing an elder with day-to-day care at home, nursing homes have registered nurses, doctors and specialists, like an occupational therapist, who work with patients one on one. This allows the residents to still lead productive lives but have someone watching over them. If still living at home, there is a big chance someone wouldn’t be home, in case something happened. Children of these elders will feel more relived, although they may not in the beginning, the long term effects are greater. There worries will stay small for they know there loved one is in good hands. They may feel as if they were better off at home, but the realization is, that an adult has a life and they can’t be home 24-7 caring for one, even though they may try. The SCAN Foundation confirmed that direct care workers, “DCWs,” are essential to quality nursing homes. Having one of these well trained DCWs reduces the chances of nursing home abuse or neglect. The number of violations identified within a nursing home increased from 4.8 in the year preceding the initiative to 5.5 in the year since it began. One may look at these statistics and think they will never send their loved one to a nursing home, but the number of violations with actual harm or immediate jeopardy to resident health and safety identified, increased from 0.65 to 0.73. One of the highest complaints that residents protest against is that nurses don’t treat them with respect and dignity. This complaint is much better than having one complaining of being ill-treated. In the book, //An Aging Population//, Lou L. Hartney describes the traumatic decision to send her mother to a nursing home after many years of caring for her at home. “While I am turning endlessly, I find myself wishing she could go peacefully in her sleep before I have to do this” (Hartney). At the beginning of Hartney’s decision, she felt it would be easier for her to have her 94 year old mother to pass away then putting her in a nursing home. After choosing the best fit nursing home for her mother, Hartney visited her twice a day. She found that the staff was even kinder and more cheerful then she expected, and her mom had even made a best friend. Hartney decreased her visits to one a week. Her final thought about sending her mom to a nursing home was the following: “I have come to the decision which surprises me: I think my mother is actually happier here than she was at home with me” (Hartney). Mealtimes are one of the most important activities of each day and provide an important opportunity for social gathering and sharing. Due to their social and nutritional significance, meals are a major concern for most nursing home residents. Many of the nursing home residents have special nutritional needs that must be catered to. Generally, a physician is responsible for identifying special dietary needs one may have. In charge of meal preparation within a facility is a dietary or food supervisor and is certified and meets the state training requirements. In an article from //Nutrition Research Newsletter//, an unknown author stated: “Dietary staff and nursing assistants were the catalysts for a pleasurable atmosphere as they served and chatted with residents, ensuring that food preferences were honored” ( Para 3). Along with the food supervisor, staff members are essential when it comes to helping residents open cartons and making sure food is served at the right temperature and on time. Consistent care within a nursing home is vital, and residents’ likes and dislikes, which should be elicited, prominently displayed for staff, and honored, meal after meal. In 2003, the United States accounted for 16,323 nursing homes and in Pennsylvania, 3,182 which included 1.7 million beds. The Commonwealth Fund/Modern Healthcare Opinion Leaders Survey found that the three most urgent challenges facing nursing homes are securing adequate financing, improving the quality of care in long-term facilities and developing a workforce that is sufficient in both size and skill to provide care (Zigmond). Leslie Grant, director of the Center for Aging Services Management at the University of Minnesota stated, “It’s all about giving residents more autonomy in their day-to-day decision making.” Now and days, some nurses will create a schedule filled with different activities that keep the residents busy. Such activities include bingo, “Pet Therapy,” sing-a-longs, different holiday celebrations, trivia, etc. These activities make the residents feel as if they were more at home rather than in an institution. Within the United States 14,500 of the nursing homes have off-site activities; 15,300 have evening activities; 15,700 have weekend activities; 15,200 include outdoor activities; 14,000 allow Pet Therapy; and 13,700 comprise of intergenerational activities. Many structured activities within a nursing home have been shown to improve dementia-related behavior problems. Such activities keep all the elders active and also get them involved in a variation of things. Instead of sitting around all day, the residents are able to get up and going and also have fun, which keeps them spirited and happy. While I was volunteering one day, one of the nurses asked if I would come in and paint the residents nails. After painting their nails shades of pink and red, they seemed to feel young again. One woman told me that she remembered when she painted her nails as a child before she would attend a dance or going out with her friends. Activities like these keep there spirits alive and helps them remember the good times in life, and how they can still have these good times. Just a few years ago, I was devastated at the fact that I had to watch my grandmother be put into a nursing home. I cried thinking that she was all alone, stuck in a room with a stranger everyday. It is not until I began volunteering that opened my eyes to see that nursing homes are beneficial to our society. With the constant care they receive, the activities to keep them busy and having fun, and the diet they are provided with, nursing homes help keep the aged young! I believe that since the deterioration of extended family is increasing, elders are better off passing away in a nursing home then at home by themselves. The elderly have seen so much and been through so much, that they should get a chance to live again. They best way for this, is to put someone special to you, in a nursing home.