Inadequate nursing home care must be addressed

Once again, the topic of addressing issues within nursing home care is brought to light.

There continues to be a dire need for changes within the nursing home structure. If you have not visited a nursing home recently, it’s an eye-opening experience! The lack of adequate staff along with inadequate training needs to be addressed.

During the past year, I have interacted with three different nursing homes and the experience went from bad to worse. We were assured and reassured our loved one would receive excellent care, sadly, that promise was not fulfilled. Our family obtained additional care givers (both being volunteers and paid out of pocket) with our hope proper care would be given. Even with this additional help, on numerous occasions staff did not respond to the needs of the patient nor follow instructions given or know the correct procedure/process.

Hopefully with higher wages and training a difference would be made. Each of us has a responsibility to be an advocate for those individuals who cannot speak for themselves but continue to tolerate being treated with no respect or dignity.

Please express your concern to the governor and legislators in hopes of making a difference. Remember, it could be you waiting hours to be transferred from your wheelchair to your bed or being promised a necessary item to be brought to you. You wait but the person who promised to bring it never returns.

We need to do more! All residents deserve better!

Ruth Bensmiller-Reed

Marion