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Seriously? Generally, when you go into the nursing home it because you are near the finish line. You pretty much have nothing left to live for. Your home is gone, your family pretty much gone, your friends, etc. The goal here is not to become more independent or improve your health (unless you are there just to convalesce). At this point in life they are't going to put elderly folks on a diet.
That's not always the case. First of all, we have many subacute rehab patients, and many of them are obese. Most of the morbidly obese we get are younger than 65 and not even on Medicare yet (I don't think I've ever had an obese 90 year old, whether because they die younger or that previous generations didn't eat like we do now). They go home, stay home for 6 months, go back to hospital, come back to rehab, go home again.....for the people on these boards who see illegal immigrants as the cause of higher health care, I can assure you it's much more traceable to the morbidly obese, smokers, and alcoholics (who also come in young, many already with dementia at 58, 59, 60).
But people who end up in long term care, can still get therapy and still get better. We just recently had more half a dozen long term residents, some of whom here for years, get accepted into a new low income assisted living facility that opened in a nearby town. The younger ones we try to get into low income senior apartments, but they have to stay here while they wait for a spot, which could be months to a year or more. We get a LOT of younger people now in long term care (obese, mentally ill, smokers and/or drinkers most commonly). Many of them are many, many years from death.
But there are a lot of people with depression, too. In fact I think that goes along with morbid obesity in many cases, and is one of the things that makes changing hard.
And it doesn't help that many of the activities are food-centered. In fact it's one of my pet peeves that they don't get anything sugar free even thought half the building is diabetic. So if a diabetic resident goes to the monthly birthday party, they will be served cake with sugar, and it's up to them to decline it. But like you said, if you feel you don't have much to live for, you're certainly not going to want to sit there while everyone else is eating cake.
Meh. Those in end of life nursing homes dont have much of a quality life left anyway. Most have limited mobility if not bed bound. They often keep them medicated as well. When you are at that point age wise/health wise food may be your primary if not only joy.
I would not say at all that most have limited mobility. We have lots of walkie talkies, and also a lot who use wheelchairs but are still independent going to the bathroom, dressing, and propelling the chair. They don't keep people medicated/sedated, unless they are a danger to someone, but even then it's usually just until they can transfer the person to a facility with a psych unit. Most of our residents still have families that see them, and they have to give permission for meds in any case.
There are people here who are miserable, but a lot who make the best of it. They go to every activity, and sit out in the hall in little groups of 4 and 5 chatting during the day, or outside on nice spring and summer days. I think it's dependent on your nature. Some people will never be happy and weren't happy at home, and others are the opposite.
I personally would have a hard time, because I am controlling and a bit OCD, and want the temp a certain way, the curtain closed in just the right way, etc. Giving up the ability to control the seemingly small aspects of life will be tough.
My grandmother spent the last year of her life in a facility I worked in many years ago after a stroke prevented her from returning home. She was one of the latter type people, social, outgoing, kind and loved people. At home, for at least several years, she was quite isolated, as all her friends and the "Cousin's Club" she used to have lunches with, all dead and gone. We went to see her as much as we could, and I took her to appointments and shopping, but we all worked full time so it was limited. I know she was lonely.
She blossomed in the home. She made friends. The CNAs and nursing staff adored her and doted on her (when an aide brought her lunch, she would try to insist the person sit down and share it with her, lol) and I worked there so saw her daily. She went to every activity. She died in her sleep after being put back to bed for a nap, after attending the monthly birthday party. I thought that was a great way to go, during a nap after a party.
That's not always the case. First of all, we have many subacute rehab patients, and many of them are obese. Most of the morbidly obese we get are younger than 65 and not even on Medicare yet (I don't think I've ever had an obese 90 year old, whether because they die younger or that previous generations didn't eat like we do now). They go home, stay home for 6 months, go back to hospital, come back to rehab, go home again.....for the people on these boards who see illegal immigrants as the cause of higher health care, I can assure you it's much more traceable to the morbidly obese, smokers, and alcoholics (who also come in young, many already with dementia at 58, 59, 60).
But people who end up in long term care, can still get therapy and still get better. We just recently had more half a dozen long term residents, some of whom here for years, get accepted into a new low income assisted living facility that opened in a nearby town. The younger ones we try to get into low income senior apartments, but they have to stay here while they wait for a spot, which could be months to a year or more. We get a LOT of younger people now in long term care (obese, mentally ill, smokers and/or drinkers most commonly). Many of them are many, many years from death.
But there are a lot of people with depression, too. In fact I think that goes along with morbid obesity in many cases, and is one of the things that makes changing hard.
And it doesn't help that many of the activities are food-centered. In fact it's one of my pet peeves that they don't get anything sugar free even thought half the building is diabetic. So if a diabetic resident goes to the monthly birthday party, they will be served cake with sugar, and it's up to them to decline it. But like you said, if you feel you don't have much to live for, you're certainly not going to want to sit there while everyone else is eating cake.
I didn't say it was always the case, thus the "generally" and the reference to convalescing. The point is that the goal of being in such a facility is not to put the residents on a diet to improve their overall health.
That's not always the case. First of all, we have many subacute rehab patients, and many of them are obese. Most of the morbidly obese we get are younger than 65 and not even on Medicare yet (I don't think I've ever had an obese 90 year old, whether because they die younger or that previous generations didn't eat like we do now). They go home, stay home for 6 months, go back to hospital, come back to rehab, go home again.....for the people on these boards who see illegal immigrants as the cause of higher health care, I can assure you it's much more traceable to the morbidly obese, smokers, and alcoholics (who also come in young, many already with dementia at 58, 59, 60).
But people who end up in long term care, can still get therapy and still get better. We just recently had more half a dozen long term residents, some of whom here for years, get accepted into a new low income assisted living facility that opened in a nearby town. The younger ones we try to get into low income senior apartments, but they have to stay here while they wait for a spot, which could be months to a year or more. We get a LOT of younger people now in long term care (obese, mentally ill, smokers and/or drinkers most commonly). Many of them are many, many years from death.
But there are a lot of people with depression, too. In fact I think that goes along with morbid obesity in many cases, and is one of the things that makes changing hard.
And it doesn't help that many of the activities are food-centered. In fact it's one of my pet peeves that they don't get anything sugar free even thought half the building is diabetic. So if a diabetic resident goes to the monthly birthday party, they will be served cake with sugar, and it's up to them to decline it. But like you said, if you feel you don't have much to live for, you're certainly not going to want to sit there while everyone else is eating cake.
Just wanted to point out that illegal immigrants can also be obese, smokers, alcoholics and even substance abusers. They might be less inclined to care for chronic health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes because they don't want to draw attention to themselves.
I am sure there are plenty of American citizens who fall into the category but that does not mean that only American citizens land in the hospital with serious medical complications due to their poor life style habits. I do not know of any statistic on that but it certainly makes common sense.
Just wanted to point out that illegal immigrants can also be obese, smokers, alcoholics and even substance abusers. They might be less inclined to care for chronic health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes because they don't want to draw attention to themselves.
I am sure there are plenty of American citizens who fall into the category but that does not mean that only American citizens land in the hospital with serious medical complications due to their poor life style habits. I do not know of any statistic on that but it certainly makes common sense.
I’m sure they can, but in 25+ years of working in health care I’ve not once had an illegal immigrant as a patient. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to Americans with poor habits. They’re also probably much more likely to care for their family members themselves, I would imagine, as other immigrants I’ve had the family is extremely involved (Indians, Hispanic etc)
I’m sure they can, but in 25+ years of working in health care I’ve not once had an illegal immigrant as a patient. It’s a drop in the bucket compared to Americans with poor habits. They’re also probably much more likely to care for their family members themselves, I would imagine, as other immigrants I’ve had the family is extremely involved (Indians, Hispanic etc)
If the family is staying at home providing 24/7 nursing care then they must be getting some other kind of assistance to do so - I have no idea how they are doing it.
Also, the medicine isn't free. They are getting it from somewhere, most likely going in and out of the hospitals which isn't exactly a cost efficient way to do things. If they aren't obtaining and taking the medication that they need then they are most likely not living very long.
I didn't say it was always the case, thus the "generally" and the reference to convalescing. The point is that the goal of being in such a facility is not to put the residents on a diet to improve their overall health.
The goal is always to improve their health unless they’re on hospice. But you can’t just put people on a diet in a nursing home, they have to be on board with it as would the family. They still have rights. I do feel like you have the impression that most people who go to long-term care die shortly there after, it is not the case at all. Their health and weight are monitored (weight gains or losses have to be reported to the state). They still go to the dentist and medical specialists and all the other aspects of maintaining or improving health that people “on the outside” do. Nursing homes today are medical facilities first and foremost.
If the family is staying at home providing 24/7 nursing care then they must be getting some other kind of assistance to do so - I have no idea how they are doing it.
Also, the medicine isn't free. They are getting it from somewhere, most likely going in and out of the hospitals which isn't exactly a cost efficient way to do things. If they aren't obtaining and taking the medication that they need then they are most likely not living very long.
Again, I haven't seen any stats on any of this.
I can only speak to my own experiences and I have never had an illegal immigrant as a patient ever, in more than 25 years. I don’t think I’ve ever had a patient of Mexican or Venezuelan or any of those countries.
We just got a new patient who is Caucasian, American. Morbidly obese. She was in the hospital in June, July, August, September and November. All of it charity care because she’s not 65 yet and has no insurance. Just this one person probably consumed tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands in medical care over the summer and fall of this year. Because she’s alone, so every time the hospital discharged her she went home alone to an apartment she could barely function in, so her health declined again every time. In the 2.5 years I’ve been in this facility we’ve had a dozen or more patients who have been to us for rehab, went home, three months later back to hospital and rehab again, rinse and repeat. Some 4 or 5 stints over that time frame. These people consume far more health care than others.
If she were Indian, Asian, Puerto Rican, in most cases she would have had family helping her out which would have enabled her to avoid the hospital revolving door. Those families spend the entire day at the facility with their loved ones. In one facility I tried to take an elderly Indian woman to the bathroom and half a dozen female family members wanted to come with us, and I had to tell them there’s not room, lol. It’s just a different attitude about sacrificing for family.
Dim is scaling in, at a svelt 440 pounds, and smokes 100 cigarettes a day. I'd say he's committing suicide via 57 cuts...
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