Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

Further to posting the comparison in another thread of 'Nursing Homes and Criminals', it made me think does anyone have any positive or negative experience from visiting anyone in a Nursing Home?

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

My father was in a very pleasant nursing home before he died. My mother will be put in an equally pleasant one assuming she doesn't fall off her twig first.

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

Sorry, never have been in one in recent years - I do remember many many years ago visiting an elderly relative on my late Mum who was in Nazareth House in Glasgow. It was very austere and too many patients and not enough nursing staff. Those that were there were nuns, if my memory serves me correct!!

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

Obviously they vary a lot. But I have had reason to visit a few. I have felt concerned because the patients/residents are very vulnerable. Their quality of life and welfare rely on the example of the person in charge and the training of the Staff.

The Carers should treat the residents in such a way that when and if they become old and in need of care facilities, that they will inherit the kind of care, concern and respect that they administer now!

Appropriate Authorities should also ensure that correct attitudes and treatment of the elderly infirm are firmly adhered to.


Rainbow

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

Are you speaking of Residential Home care or Nursing Home care Rainbow.

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

Actually both Aerolor. I have visited in both, and they have close similarities. Obviously Nursing Care Residents/Patients are far more frail and weak. However, they are all elderly folk in need of good quality care and attention.


Rainbow

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

My sympathies will be with the staff of any care/nursing home my mother inhabits that is for sure!

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

From what I know Rainbow I would be very wary of putting a relative into either a residential home or a nursing home - probably more so with a nursing home. Good establishments are very hard to find and as usual the better ones are expensive. It is difficult to find a good placement for an EMI patient and many places are unwilling to take them.
Personally, I hope I do not end up in a situation where I need either residential or nursing home care myself. I would prefer to be in my own home, even if I was on my own and possibly lonely. Warden care housing I would consider, but I hope I will always have my own door to close or open on the world as I choose.

I think I have said it before on this forum, but again I say that there is nothing that private nursing homes can provide that cannot or could not have been provided by our NHS. If nursing home care had been undertaken by NHS establishments then I think there would have been better standards and provision of care.

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

There are two issues here.

Are there good residential homes for the elderly or infirm which treat their needs sensitively and properly? Of course there are. But sometimes it's hard to identify them.

The other issue is whether it's in the best interests of an individual to be placed in residential care.

It's my firm belief that every individual should live independently for as long as possible; with or without the support of external agencies. The moment that independence is relinquished is the countdown to institutionalisation - and that's not good, no matter how caring the staff.

Re: Experience of visiting a Nursing Home?

A number of years ago my mum went into a Nursing Home nearby. Myself (I always lived with my mum) and my siblings cared for her at home for six months, until sadly we had to make the decision to let her go into the Home as we could no longer give her the care she needed 24 hours a day due to her illness-had a number of mini-strokes daily.

I only have praise for the staff at that Home-they were absolutely brilliant with my Mum and treated her with dignity and respect.

On the other hand, my Sister worked at a Residential Home on nights. She only lasted 4 nights and walked out. There was only 1 other member of staff with her, and she went to bed telling my Sister if she needed help to go and get her! My Sister did her best to help the people during the night on her own, but the last straw for her was when she was told not to make any of them a cup of tea during the night as they would wet the bed!!!!!! That's when she walked out in tears.....Since then the Home has been closed down, and rightly so. This was a private Home, and it would appear that the owners were out just to make money and the residents suffered in the process!!