Can we improve the old folk's homes where we send our loved ones? Here's hoping

Ever visit an old folk’s home?

There is a place where old folks go to live out their remaining years of life.  It is nothing quite like the home they once knew, but old age and increasing related medical issues have brought them here.

I heard a story once about a man who went to visit his dear friends in an old folk’s home; although once strong and robust, his friends were now weak, confused and suffering from medical ailments and the loneliness of old age.

Some lay in their rooms and cry out for many things and help far beyond their once happy self; their brain cells are dying along with their physical bodies. Other patients must listen and be exposed to their cries and agony until a medication is provided to help the disturbing patient.

Many others take medications to keep them calm, help with their anxiety and provide that opportunity to sleep long hours.

As he approached the old folk’s home, he noticed the grounds were well kept, flowers abounded and the place appeared very clean.

He entered the building and noticed a similar appearance. Some facilities are far better than others. You will see and smell the difference should you visit some of them.

But as he made his way to one old friend’s room, he began to pass more patients alone in rooms than employees.

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It was quite obvious to him that attending staff seemed insufficient or very busy.

As he pondered this dilemma, he soon learned that many states have various requirements for staffing ratios for nursing homes.  Maryland has a ratio of one nursing service personnel to 15 patients.

Ever consider the needs of a person in a nursing home?

Does one staff member to 15 patients seem about right to you?

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In most nursing homes, professional staff attempt to develop a "care" plan for its patients. Does one staff person (nursing service personnel) seem sufficient for providing care to the sick, disabled or those prone to maladies of old age?

What happens if one of these staff assistants have to assist another staff person during a shift to respond to some emergency of a patient? What happens when more than one patient has an emergency situation.

Does that treatment for other patients then decrease and suffer?

What happens when you cannot keep your required staff vacancies filled? Do you then have to depend on other resources (i.e. private agency staff) to complete their mission and provide necessary services to the elderly patients?

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As visitors come to see their family members and aging loved ones, does anyone ever see an administrator making routine rounds on the floor? Are daily rounds made and recorded? Does the administrator actually visit other shifts?

Are staff properly supervised, is there an organization chart with someone in charge of the staff to ensure that services are provided to all patients, and the needs of those 15 clients per staff receive that care under those responsibilities of that individual?

Have you ever asked for a supervisor during a visit?

Are nursing home staff adequately compensated in salary for the services they provide? Does excessive work of overtime contribute to staff burnout and vacancies?

In my 34-year career in the prison world, our institutions were always audited to various standards by different agencies.

Court cases sometimes were initiated by those prisoners of some facilities because conditions were not satisfactorily provided.

The local grand jury from Washington County would always schedule visits to the correctional institutions and make recommendations to the state correctional administration for improvements.

As an obvious thought, perhaps one day these same grand jury panels might schedule nursing home visits to examine minimal standards, adequate staffing and treatment of the elderly. Are these sick individuals receiving adequate medical oversight, treatment and patient welfare?

I’m certain there exists a state overview board and certain standard review occurs for nursing homes, but I have to wonder out loud if 15 patients per one caregiver is a realistic standard for nursing homes.

The escalation of costs to treat and house our elderly is rapidly increasing along with other expenses in this modern-day world. Our senior population is under duress.

What happens too when outside medical contractor staff are called to cover shifts unfamiliar to them during emergency staffing shortages?

Since many families in our county have utilized nursing home facilities for their beloved elders with various medical maladies; are family members and visitors ever surveyed to ascertain what their evaluation might be of the facility?

Given the current and future number of individuals who may require nursing home access in the future, maybe now is the time to reexamine those needs and standards.

Can we make those old folk’s homes a little better?

Hope so!

Pete Waters is a Sharpsburg resident who writes for The Herald-Mail.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Can we improve the old folk's homes where we send our loved ones?