Nursing Homes Neglect Elderly
My great–grandmother was placed in a nursing home last December, and consequently, I have become painfully aware of the neglectful incompetence in many nursing homes. In the case of my great–grandmother, medicine wasn't administered, bandages weren't changed, eating times were forgotten, pertinent information was difficult to obtain, and at least once, a communication breakdown between my great–grandmother's doctor and the nursing home resulted in nothing being done for her at all. This sort of thing happened at two separate nursing homes in the Belleville area. As a result of this gross neglect, my great–grandmother's condition rapidly deteriorated until she died on March 1, 2000. From stories in many magazines, newspapers, and news programs, I know this problem affects the entire country.
As conscientious individuals, I'm sure those reading this are as appalled as I am. As men and women of "ethics," many representatives and senators—both on the state and federal level, Republican or Democrat—are outraged at this sort of thing. Why, then, has relatively nothing been done to eliminate the absolutely horrible conditions that persist in many nursing homes? Must the money of special interest groups override the moral judgment of our "esteemed" legislators? Must our treasured elderly citizens suffer in bastions of despair and pain while our elected officials in state capitols and Washington look the other way?
I think the only ethically correct answer is, "No!" I ask Terrace Scroll readers to join those people who are working to improve conditions in our nursing homes. Write to Congress, newspapers, and magazines condemning the deplorable conditions in America's nursing homes and urge friends and family to do the same. With large numbers of people apathetic about this issue, nursing home reformers need all the dedicated allies they can get. This is an issue affecting all of America, and its ethical resolution will help make the United States of the new millennium far better than the United States of the last millennium.
