Saturday, November 20, 2010

Can unloving and uncaring environments create failure to thrive in the elderly?

Can unloving and uncaring environments create failure to thrive in the elderly? The Haven in Allyn Assisted Living / Long -Term Care Facility recently admitted this 97 year old man. He was on Hospice services for Failure to thrive. He was admitted November 5, 2010. When I went to do the initial assessment he could not open his eyes due to dried up mucous that was sealing them shut. He could not stay awake because he was so over medicated. According to the nurse that was giving me information this man was not waken up till lunch, but ate well. He was able to stay up for about 2 to 3 hours before being put back to bed because of pain. So this man ate one meal a day and was only out of bed from 1 to 3 hours a day. Basically,  he spent about 21 hours alone no people, no music, no food, and no love.

November 5 at 2:00pm we went to the facility to pick him up. He was very lethargic again lots of crust around his eyes. He had BM all up his back. We put him in a 1996 Cadilac and talked to him all the way to the Haven. He would answer us between naps. As soon as we got him back to the Haven we put him in the shower and shampooed his hair, he smiled the whole time. After the shower we feed him. We immediately started reevaluating the medication regime after the RN assessed him and discussed it with his MD. Now he start living the Haven life. He is gotten up about 7:30am showered and shaved dressed brought out to a warm dining room overlooking Mount Rainier and Case inlet. He is constantly greeted by cheerful caregivers. Lots of good food is set before him for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All narcotics are on a prn bases. He began to talk, feed himself, assist with transfers and wanting to walk by day 10. He has also gained 2 pounds. Most of the pressure sores are healed and the crust in his eyes are all gone. He looks like a new man.

This is the 3rd time we have rescued a elderly person that was considered  'failure to thrive'. The first one lived 18 months after being given 72 hours to live, the second one 15 months, and now this man. There is a real problem in our system when it comes to caring for frail elderly people who are total care. Unfortunately most of them are over medicated and starved to death but we call it "failure to thrive". I beg to differ none of these 3 individuals were properly diagnosed. They all thrived and lived to laugh, smile, enjoy music, food, art, hugs, kisses, love and life at the Haven in Allyn.

Visit us at www.haveninallyn.com

We are an assisted living facility on the Olympic Peninsula close to the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area. Our intention is to serve the community of the aged and aging and those who care for them. As an assisted living facility, we know the questions and concerns that attend an aging loved one. Regardless of your choice of care, we would like to make ourselves, our facility, and our network of shared interest available to all who participate in the world of assisting the elderly.

After all, we all will one day face aging.

At Haven in Allyn we believe the spirit doesn't change just because we lose the capability of our physical body. We choose to honor the spirit as the true state of the person and service the physical needs accordingly. We celebrate each life...aging is only a natural culmination to, hopefully, a life well lived.

So, our hope with this blog is to share experiences and the wisdom gained through working with our residents, caregivers, and families and to encourage you, the readers, to participate with your own experiences, too.

Visit us at www.haveninallyn.com .

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