Gonna resist / get more allies

[shootingstar]

Situation at long term care/nursing homes for elderly near end of life is being highlighted with the covid-19 spread and death rate. Approx. 50% of CAnada's covid-19 deaths are residents in nursing homes.  It's a tough sector because we don't pay people enough, ongoing shortage of workers....points in the end how society views frail elderly.  There are some good facilities and others one wonders because of the news exposes....long before covid-19. Dearie's 92 yr. old mother was looked after well in a publicly funded facility attached to a major teaching hospital...actually the doctor specialized in geriatric medicine.

Well, I'm gonna make sure I live in a home ..no stairs, awkward levels, make a few more friends now ('cause I'm gonna need them) and hope I win the lottery, so I can be at home as long as I can be by having a good visiting day worker for a few hrs.  (one of my sister's mother-in-law has this.)

 

[sheep_herder ★]

Our neighbor had this, and she was found one morning after she passed away sitting at her kitchen table.  She would have been very happy her life ended in this fashion.  Another neighbor had to move in with a daughter and eventually a home, as her mind failed her. We have known folks in both situations.

I do not find it alarming at 50% deaths occurring in these homes, as these folks are aged and many frail.  We all know abuse can occur anywhere that you are dealing with people. Hope I go another way.

Winning the lottery is not an option for us, as we never buy tickets.

[shootingstar]

54 minutes ago, sheep_herder said:

Our neighbor had this, and she was found one morning after she passed away sitting at her kitchen table.  She would have been very happy her life ended in this fashion.  

Most definitely she would have been happy about this.  

Though my father died in pallative care at the hospital for only 4 months, we were glad he had great care. My mother couldn't take it all if he was dying at home.  There was also a little suite with fridge for family members to spend many hrs. to sit with father..even though we know he may not have been fully conscious. However I'm a strong believer that even in that state, the patient is aware of friendly presence in room.  The hospital was the workplace for 1 of sisters and other siblings in other hospitals within 15 min. walk or less.  So convenient. It worked out really well even if to other families would think, it was not at home.

The first job out of university, was working a library specializing in geriatric medicine and geronotology (sociology of aging). In indexing the content, of course there tons of stories of nursing homes, different models.  Then later in fire protection engineering and firefighting library we had to track news in the nursing home fires in Ontario --this was before the Internet.  So I guess I have an opinion on health care, ageism, self-care, etc. just based on my exposure to all the information and research.

[onbike1939]

At my age I have to think about what's likely to happen and I certainly wouldn't like to die in care.

On a lovely morning on the Island of Mull our Cycling club left a Youth Hostel and freewheeled down the hill. My friend, now ninety-seven was last, and as she descended she found one of our group laying on his back on the grassy verge and quite dead, his bike neatly parked alongside. He was a pal of mine with a heart complaint who had chosen to have a normal life rather than one as an invalid. The whole group returned to look at him laying there and all said exactly the same thing...."That's the way I want to go".

My sentiments entirely.

[sheep_herder ★]

44 minutes ago, onbike1939 said:

At my age I have to think about what's likely to happen and I certainly wouldn't like to die in care.

On a lovely morning on the Island of Mull our Cycling club left a Youth Hostel and freewheeled down the hill. My friend, now ninety-seven was last, and as she descended she found one of our group laying on his back on the grassy verge and quite dead, his bike neatly parked alongside. He was a pal of mine with a heart complaint who had chosen to have a normal life rather than one as an invalid. The whole group returned to look at him laying there and all said exactly the same thing...."That's the way I want to go".

My sentiments entirely.

Similar thing happened to a fellow cyclist that I had ridden with earlier, when he was riding ahead of a group in Washington.

[BR46]

2 hours ago, onbike1939 said:

.."That's the way I want to go".

Last year we were at a race when the news traveled through the pits that one of the racers had died on the track. He was in a race and witnesses said that he dropped off the pace and on the next lap he slowly drifted off the track and fellover. 

Had a hart attack and died doing what he loved. 

[shootingstar]

5 hours ago, onbike1939 said:

At my age I have to think about what's likely to happen and I certainly wouldn't like to die in care.

On a lovely morning on the Island of Mull our Cycling club left a Youth Hostel and freewheeled down the hill. My friend, now ninety-seven was last, and as she descended she found one of our group laying on his back on the grassy verge and quite dead, his bike neatly parked alongside. He was a pal of mine with a heart complaint who had chosen to have a normal life rather than one as an invalid. The whole group returned to look at him laying there and all said exactly the same thing...."That's the way I want to go".

My sentiments entirely.

Last a long-time cyclist and cycling advocate in Vancouver who dearie and I knew well (dearie worked with him on a number cycling infrastructure matters with city to ensure it was put into place), died of broken neck when he hit a curb while cycling solo in evening along a nice residential street. It was just after he had a cycling advocacy meeting ..

So he went also this way and gave to the community right up to nearly the final hr., what he gave for the past 25 years...to Vancouver. The high cycling mode share in Vancouver is partially due to his leadership... 

[MickinMD ★]

My nurse sister says that the word in the Johns Hopkins grapevine is that part of the problem is that people getting paid lower wages to work in a nursing home need the money and, to beat the thermometer test when entering work, they're taking Tylenol to drop their temperature.

 

[shootingstar]

2 hours ago, MickinMD said:

My nurse sister says that the word in the Johns Hopkins grapevine is that part of the problem is that people getting paid lower wages to work in a nursing home need the money and, to beat the thermometer test when entering work, they're taking Tylenol to drop their temperature.

 

The CAnadian federal govn't today announced they want to bump up the wages of those working in nursing homes....I didn't pay attention to the details...don't know if that's temporary only during covid-19 time.  Nursing homes by law, are provincially regulated.