Earlier this month I watched on the news something that happened in a large nursing home in New York that was caught on its security camera. An elderly lady with dementia was reaching for something on a nearby cart that she apparently wasn’t supposed to have. An aide came up behind her and turned her wheelchair so abruptly that the lady fell out. Instead of helping her up, the aide walked away! She then walked by her two more times without stopping. A male caregiver walked up, saw her and he, too, walked away, not helping her. Finally, after four and a half minutes, she received help. She lay for four and a half minutes on the floor with a broken hip!
Compare this with what happened within the last week at a local nursing.
An elderly resident who is very mobile with her walker was moving to her regular chair for lunch when she tipped the chair over and fell. Within seconds the call — “resident down” — rang out and two CNAs, a CMA, a restorative therapist, a physical therapist and an RN were all there to check her over and help her up. Even the cook came out of the kitchen to see if she could help. In less than two minutes, the resident was back in her chair with an ice pack and all was well.
Which kind of care would you rather have?
YAY, IOLA!
Pauline Hawk,
Iola, Kan.
