Meal time in a nursing home is one of the most enjoyful events for residents. This is a gathering and social events as much as it is for nourishment. Residents who may not interact at any other time of the day will venture to the dining room for the pleasure of eating with others.
Meal times can also be an extremely frustrating time for residents as well. Often time, due to budget restraints, the dietary staff is minimal. From the cook in the kitchen to the servers on the dining room floor they are often overwhelmed and overworked. Residents should be served as in a restuarant. There is usually two main course along with a soup, beverages, and dessert. Often time selections are minimal, if existant in many nursing homes.
Meals are a way for administration to save on their budget as well. This is probably the most penny pinched department in a nursing home. Because the staff does not have to eat these meals, the taste and pleasure of a meal are of little concern. In most nursing home the number one complaint that most residents will have is poor quality food. Poor tasting, poor service, poor quality, and this is often coupled with poor dietary orders. All this makes for what can be a very frustrated resident, who goes to the dining room for no other reason but to be around others...sadly, not to enjoy a nice tasting, nourishing meal.
Families often times get extremely frustrated about meals as well. Because they have little to no control over the meals families will bring in meals cooked at home or fast food. This often times can interfere with the therapeutic process. Although the family is only trying to offer their loved one an enjoyable meal, many times they are doing more harm than good. So, what is one to do in this situation? There is not much that can be done. As always begin with managment and offer us concerns. If this does no good then proceed to administartion. If stil this does no good then one can address these with the doctor. If the resident is not eating because the food of not good, then the doctor will be sure to take note and possibly modify the diet consistency to facility intake. The doctor will be primarily concerned about a weight loss. This is VITAL. I cannot express enough how vital it is for the elderly to maintain a healthy weight. Weight loss in the elderly can be catastrophic.
Keep an eye on the meal for your loved one. We want them to actually enjoy their meals. We enjoy them at home, just as they did before they were placed. Before they were placed they enjoyed nice, home made selection. Although a nursing home cannot replicate all culture food selections or replicate home made meals, they are able to provide quality, nourishing meals.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
Just who is caring for your loved one??
Just who IS caring for you loved one? Who are the nursing assistants? Who are the nurses? Who is the dietician, the laundry personel, the housekeepers? Who is the social worker, the recreational staff and who is the management that is making decision for your loved one?
All VERY good questions that you need to know. In regards to nursing staff(nurses and nursing assistance) they MUST be licensed(nurses) or certified(nursing assistants) in the state that they are practicing. This is law and I would be confident that all of these staff members are so. During the application process each of these persons are verified to hold licensure or certification in good standing with the state. One either HAS a license/certification or they do not. There is no other options. Although a nurse can have restrictions upon their license for disciplinary reasons. EVERY state has a Board of Nursing that licenses nursing/nursing assistants and these states have a verification method that anyone can verify licenses of staff members. I would advise calling the State Board of Nursing and aski for the website for license verification. Go to the site, enter a name and there you go. It is public information for all. This also will tell you if a nurse have an restrictions on their practice due to disciplinary reasons.
Also be aware that many of the nursing staff have VERY likely been employed at several nursing homes for short periods of time. I can only explain this by one means; politics. This forces may nurses to move on looking for greener pastures. Most never find them. Ask your admitting persons for long the veterans nurses have been employed with them. Stabiliy and consistency of care is key to your loved one getting either descent care or excellent care. Just as with any career field you want someone who is seasoned and happy with their employer. The same goes for nursing assistants; although their turnover rate is MUCH higher that nurses. The nursing assistance is the person for will provide the most direct care to yoru loved one. If there is a constant change in this group of workers then there are questions that need to be asked. Why is there a constant turnover? Why is there always new faces providing care?
I write this blog from a nursing prospective, but there are many other disciplines involved in the care of resident. Dietary staff, social services, recreational staff, laundry staff, housekeeping staff, maintanence staff, administration, medical records staff, and managment. ALL of them play a role in the care of your loved one and every one of them can create harmony or disrupt harmony in the experience of your loved one. Most people focus on the nursing staff only, do not do this. Ask about ALL of teh disciplines. Most of these disciplines employ people with experience in their prospective position, but yet these require zero licensures. Many of these people care criminal records; yes I will repeat that. Many of these people have criminal records. Most may not be serious, but they do exist. These position are usually low pay and require no education hence the beginnings for questionable behaviors. Especially those nursing homes located in the inner cities.
I hope this opens up conversation about just WHO is caring for our elderly. Notice behaviors, conversations, customer service, and all the signs of what could be questionable care. Ask questions and let managment know that you are watching.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
All VERY good questions that you need to know. In regards to nursing staff(nurses and nursing assistance) they MUST be licensed(nurses) or certified(nursing assistants) in the state that they are practicing. This is law and I would be confident that all of these staff members are so. During the application process each of these persons are verified to hold licensure or certification in good standing with the state. One either HAS a license/certification or they do not. There is no other options. Although a nurse can have restrictions upon their license for disciplinary reasons. EVERY state has a Board of Nursing that licenses nursing/nursing assistants and these states have a verification method that anyone can verify licenses of staff members. I would advise calling the State Board of Nursing and aski for the website for license verification. Go to the site, enter a name and there you go. It is public information for all. This also will tell you if a nurse have an restrictions on their practice due to disciplinary reasons.
Also be aware that many of the nursing staff have VERY likely been employed at several nursing homes for short periods of time. I can only explain this by one means; politics. This forces may nurses to move on looking for greener pastures. Most never find them. Ask your admitting persons for long the veterans nurses have been employed with them. Stabiliy and consistency of care is key to your loved one getting either descent care or excellent care. Just as with any career field you want someone who is seasoned and happy with their employer. The same goes for nursing assistants; although their turnover rate is MUCH higher that nurses. The nursing assistance is the person for will provide the most direct care to yoru loved one. If there is a constant change in this group of workers then there are questions that need to be asked. Why is there a constant turnover? Why is there always new faces providing care?
I write this blog from a nursing prospective, but there are many other disciplines involved in the care of resident. Dietary staff, social services, recreational staff, laundry staff, housekeeping staff, maintanence staff, administration, medical records staff, and managment. ALL of them play a role in the care of your loved one and every one of them can create harmony or disrupt harmony in the experience of your loved one. Most people focus on the nursing staff only, do not do this. Ask about ALL of teh disciplines. Most of these disciplines employ people with experience in their prospective position, but yet these require zero licensures. Many of these people care criminal records; yes I will repeat that. Many of these people have criminal records. Most may not be serious, but they do exist. These position are usually low pay and require no education hence the beginnings for questionable behaviors. Especially those nursing homes located in the inner cities.
I hope this opens up conversation about just WHO is caring for our elderly. Notice behaviors, conversations, customer service, and all the signs of what could be questionable care. Ask questions and let managment know that you are watching.
The opinions of this blog are strictly the opinion of the writer and do not reflect the opinions of others. Be individual writes comments bases upon their own experience/situation. Nursinghomeprocess.blogspot.com is open for public view, though HIPPA laws are maintained by the conductor.
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