Nursing Home

Folks, I heard the other day that there are people in the local nursing home that simply Should NOT be there. It was told to me that they have no where to go and family has kinda turned a blind eye. Apparently they "should be out doing stuff" but are stuck in the home. This is VERY sad to me. What can Be done? I mean if it were me I would want someone, somewhere to care enough to help me. I am not sure the situation but I do know that there needs to be more independent living situation, with more dignity and respect given to the quality of life of those who live there.

My high school boss Helen Schagel, use to be in the Nursing, I visited her a couple of times later in my life. She had one leg from Polio as a child. She still owned her own insurance company, next to the theatre and her family owned the local lumber company, where Gwynn Lumber is now. She walked to work every day up main street on her crutches. She was one of the smartest, strongest women I have ever met.

When I went to the grocery store for her, I bought her food for her VERY strict diet.

She ate no sugar, she ate fresh fruits and vegetables, cottage cheese and mostly salads. She was getting around good in her older age and was still one of the smartest people I have ever met.

Once she went into the local nursing home, she was fed HORRIBLE food filled with fake salt, preservatives, chemicals and fat. She went down hill VERY fast. As a young woman I went to visit her, I was not quite as outspoken as I am now and kind of regret not helping her.

She asked me to help her, she said that they would not let her eat the way she wanted and that the food was make her not be able to think straight and her body hurt. She did not want to starve, of course, so she ate it.

For the Last 20 years I have studied alternative medicine and I have read alot of information on foods, and its affect on your mind and pain level. I feel that if your living in a place that controls how you eat, and in a Very BAD way than you are not living in a respectful, dignified manner.

Food is Everything, what you eat and how you eat it is essential to your pain levels, disease levels, mind clarity, and quality of life.

My Guess, this Kind of "institutional food" is cheaper. To me the Bottom Line is "Quality of Life." And NO ONE should get to be in charge of YOUR quality of life.

As with the person in the first part of this post it sounds like because there is not enough money and family did not step in, that this persons quality of life and right to go out and "do stuff" has been taken away when this person does not really need to be in a home, Why?

I hope to know more about this person and I hope to shine a light on how Elders of our community are treated, good or bad... let's find out and together lets give them a voice.