My Witness 5-27-10

Today I witness why I'm in the Assisted Living / Long -Term care business. Do we believe we will never get old? Is that why we can ignore what we see when we visit a facility? Can we really ignore the terrible food and the smells? The less than respectful treatment. I went to visit a couple who lives in a facility in Silverdale. It is considered a " nice place". The couples room smells like urine. The gentlemen fell and was on the floor for three hours before anyone came in: and the only reason they came in then because it was time to get the women up and dressed for the day. The gentleman suffered some rug burns and a very swollen and sore right knee. He was not taking to the Doctor for evaluations. He is a diabetic and the edema around his knee concerns me. They invited me to have lunch with them, so I did. The food was absolutely terrible. It was unbelievably awful. I felt so sad when I left. I will be returning today to take this man to see his doctor. What is going on in our world? How do we sleep at night or look at ourselves in a mirror without vomiting? How do people work in places like this day after day as if this is acceptable? Do we think old people are invisible? Do we think they really deserve less than the best that could be given to them? How could we be so smart as a nation and so stupid to how old people are cared for? I'm so hurt right now and I'm not sure what to do. I can't ignore this couple's plight. I'm doing everything possible to move them into the Haven in Allyn. They visited the Haven and had lunch there three weeks ago. They cleaned their plates so fast that it was amazing, and some what interesting. I had no idea the type of food they are being served on a daily bases is so bad. They gentleman still remembers the brownies we served for desert. He said he had not had a brownie like that in years. He also remembered how beautiful it was there and how good it smelled and how clean it is. Everyone I do mean everyone comments on how nice it smells in the Haven. I could not imagine it being any other way. If we continue to live we will get old. You may require some type of assisted living care or long term care. Do you really want to smell like urine and eat awful food? Do you think you deserve that treatment because you are old? Do you think you will be unaware of your surroundings? You will be the way you are now just older. You will still enjoy the feeling of being clean after you take a shower. You will still enjoy the taste of good home cooked meals. You will still enjoy being treated with honor and respect. You will still want to be able to make your own decisions. These desires don't diminish or disappear as we age. If we don't stand up for our elderly community we will suffer the same fate. I'm not willing to do that. With the help of everyone who visits the Haven. I'm going to change the model of Assisted Living / Long Term Care. The Haven is a new model and my goal is that it becomes the standard for the industry. It is the kind of care everybody would want for themselves. It the kind of care I believe every human being deserves.