There are married ill people that are 'forced' or encouraged to go into
a nursing home.  Young ill people who do not have spouses or who have
spouses that can not emotionally handle such a responsibility at such a
young age, tend to be placed into nursing homes.  One of the problems is
they are a minority amount of young chronicall ill long term poatients
compared to the amount of elder patients in N.Homes. There are different
interests and cognitive level for the most part. Neither is better just
different.

Suggestions-

1. Decrease equating NH = Alzheimers or dementia.

The Nursing homes or whatever anyone wants to call them should cater to
the customers needs. They must have activities beside ice cream parties
and music therapy. Or junior high kids coming to sing. Young people like
to go out. They can be half dead and go out. They insists on daily
baths. Young patients in many ways are different than the elderly
patients with regards to interests and concerns.
We do not have to build all new facilities to care for neuro impaired
patients. We have enough unoccupied bldging. --- Renovate the ones we
have and maintain them.


2. Give tax CREDITS to people who renovate old schools or hotels and
accomodates chronically ill patients, letting the, take part in
maintanance of the bldging, ect. with the unionized custodians, ect.

3. Change the disability law from not allowed to work AT ALL in some
careers to maybe the disabled person can't work more than 'x' amount of
hours a week.  Why assume that the federal govt. knows or spends our
money wisely?
- If a person can work 3 hours a week,then what is the problem?? Once
again A=B , but B Not = to A necessarily.

supply and demand ---

4.Advocate for better regulations for home care. Nursing homes are
concerned now because their funding is going to be cut. The caregiver
assoc. is fearful because the NH may become understaffed. Heck they
already are. And there are many times the patients are not treated well.
Then the caregivers feel overwhelm and too much guilt. The ones who are
not caring for their patients when they are being paid should feel
guilty.

We have Zero tolerance for kids misbehaving, so why not for NH and
Agencies ??
We want teachers to prove they are educating OUR kids, so why not family
and agencies??
Put the family in the nursing home for respite.

5.Range of motion should be increased to 2 times daily minimum. I get
asked daily ' are u going to be able to do ur therapy?' The aide even
asked my doc figuring he would pity me. LOLL right.   I finally said, '
I have to be close to near dealth and in hospice before I dont' do
stretching and motion. The aide wheeled me into my docs office and I
couldn't move or talk. She asks ' Is Nancy going to be able to go to
excercise this afternoon??' 'Yes she has to move. If she doesn't move
she will get into serious trouble physically. It helps her to function
and breath.'  No more asking.


6. The NH /facilities must improve the craft room. There is more to life
than tempra colors and BINGO. I love BINGO, but it appears that most
people in my age bracket do not enjoy it.

7.NH or facilities can install cable phone lines and set up an exchange
between students or other patients with simiar interests. Have the
computers locked down.
8. They must have books and magazines other than people and cooking
ones.
9. In some states the State pays 12 dollars per hour if the patient
hires a medicaid certified HHA. The agencies only pay about 8.50 per
hour to start.
This program is only for people under 60 years of age because that
population  on the average didn't have a chance to save at all or a
extremely minuit amt. of time. Generally, our homes are not paid and we
have young children still at home to raise.  $93 dollars a day??? The
State pays 3000k avg. per month for NH care. The patient and the
patient's spouse pay the rest. After the spouse gets down to approx.83
k, then the State will take over the NH payments. Thus minimal care.

How hard would u work if u only saw ur boss once a year?? Honestly. How
often does the State audit the Nursing homes?? or patients homes for
care. Once a year, 3 years??


10.Regulations- Have a minimum of 2 HHA for a case. That way if one
calls off u may have a better chance that the other will come OR chances
are that the other aide will be their the next day.  Federal and state
criminal and credit history  as oppose to only state CBC.  Both charges
AND convictions:)

11. Hire a live in. That way u know they will show up for work.
Colleges and NH are teaming up with patients to have the college student
live in the patients home and do LIGHT duties in exchange for room and
board.  HHA's call off of their home cases too. They are often looked
upon by their families as not having a 'real job' and are called upon
first to take off of work for a family member of their own. I hear daily
how HHA's quit the NH because they can't  take care of 12 -24 patients.
The NH get around the state minimum standards by scheduling HHA's
---(Cover thy Bxxx), so they can say that they tried with self patting
on their backs.


As for alzheimers patients, they require a significant amount of care.

Thank u.