What are some of the social issues elders are faced with

Hi Tko,

My Dad died of Parkinsonian Dementure. His last days were lived in a nursing home.

Issues:

1/ Reduced family visit duration and frequency - negativity of
"hospital-like" atmosphere.
2/ Lack of basic care - only found he had eye trouble when I took him
to an Optometrist myself.
3/ Lost his glasses and walking stick - 2 weeks - no answer as to why.
4/ Attitude of nurses - dismissive, arduous.
5/ Without glasses, unable to read paper, books, watch TV and view the
outside world. Thereofore commnication was lost.
6/ Regimental timings of "feed time" etc.
7/ Basic, easy food prepared before thought to more palatable fare.
8/ Conducive to a place to die, not a place to live.

Phil

My friends mother is in a nursing home and I know her biggest issue is
the room mate next to her and not enough room.  The room mate has
Alzheimer's Disease and will get disoriented and disrupt her mother. 
The situation's can sometimes get extremely out of hand. There are two
beds to a room.  The patient is allowed to bring a T.V., chairs, and
other personal belongings from home. Not always enough space for what
some patients bring in, example couchs. And the other issue is the
staff.  Not always kind, friendly, and helpful.  The staff sometimes
treat the elderly like they are a bother to them.

1)stagma attached to nursing homes
2)schedules--they have to adher to meal, bath schedules...can't do
things on their own time.
3)you have to be an axe murderer not to get hired as an RN nowadays
becuase of the worldwide shortage.
4)they cannot take many personal items (ie) furniture there
5)families don't come to visit as ftern because they don't have to anymore.
6)recreation programs are minimal in some homes
7)there is always the possibility of elder abuse by staff

One issue my grandmother faces is that her friends (all her own age)
keep dying. Every time I talk to her, someone else she knows has
passed away.

-- Hammer

My late grandmother seemed to be quite happy and well cared for in a
nursing home, but once when I asked her about her life there, she
smiled a secret sort of smile, leaned over, and whispered "They treat
me like a baby."