How do you handle a nursing home who keeps allowing workers to bring their kids to work. My grandfather gets to watch sponge boball day. We have complained but nothing ever seems to be done.
Who are you complaining to? To the higher ups? (DON or Administrator?) If that doesn't work you can file a complaint with the ny dept of health https://apps.nyhealth.gov/nursing_homes/complaint_form/complain.action
I understand your frustrations, however I think it is a good opportunity to foster a family atmosphere and cooperation. First of all, I would hope that bringing their children to the nursing home means they think highly of the facilities and residents. Second, I think having children around, if well behaved, brightens the atmosphere for the residents, especially for those who have no family visiting regularly. As to what they watch on TV, I think that could be one of the areas where they could compromise. I do not know how the facilities are there, but in the ones I have seen, there is a TV in every room or for each resident so I am assuming you are talking about the main room TV, which is usually a larger screen where several of the residents can enjoy watching together. Perhaps the best compromise would start by a questionnaire asking the residents how they feel about it, since it is they who are the most affected.
I'm sorry, there's a difference between a "family" atmosphere where kids are there visiting with the residents, and employees bringing kids. I use to go and interpret once a month for the pastor (it was a Deaf nursing home) and would bring my kids. They sat quietly in the back and colored, and visited when the pastor finished. (If they were very good, we'd stop at McD's on the way home...the only time we did that!) It was a good expeprience for them. But I've also worked there as an aide, and there's NO WAY it is appropriate for the children to be there while Mom's working. Sure, emergencies always come up, but as a general rule, NO. If someone is abusing it, it needs to be dealt with.
I agree with Jackie. Children visiting to build relationships with the residents is fabulous, but coming to work with the parents every day isn't acceptable. And as for the TV, the residents (or their insurance companies) are paying for the care. They should choose what to watch.
I agree with Jackie as well. Also, if they are bringing their kids to work how are they able to give the paitents the best care possible and supervise their kids at the same time ???
I do like the idea of "adopt a grand parent" HOWEVER, these people need to realize this is the seniors home and they pay a pretty penny to live there. If they don't want to watch sponge bob, they shouldn't have to. I work in a home for seniors and their faces light up when a younger child comes in HOWEVER there are times when it just isn't appropriate to have a child there (what about that little old lady with Alzheimer's who is verbally abusive, etc). When presented with an emergency, having younger children poses a risk to the residents there. If you bring your 3 year old child to work with you and a fire breaks out, who are you going to kill yourself to get out first? Your child (probably) or the senior who lives there and is paying a dear price for it? Having children there on a regular basis is a HUGE HUGE liability. Follow the "chain of command" with your complaints. Go to the Director of nursing (put it in writing and save a copy), if he/she fails to act on it, go above her to the administrator and then to the department of health, go to the media if you have to. If it's any help to you, get other family members involved with it.... there's strength in numbers when you're dealing with something like this. If all of this doesn't get the desired results, find another environment for grampy - he deserves better care than that!
I am may have missed the point of the OP. Is the only real complaint about the current arrangement is what they are watching on TV all day or is it that the children are there? Are they there every day or just some days?
It is a home for people with Alzheimer's. There is one resident who gets extremely upset with you kids and generally yells at them. My son went in ahead of me one day to see his great grandfather and I walked in to her hitting his head into the wall and asking him to get out in not so kind words. Now that time has pasted, when we visit I ask him not to go ahead of me and we generally laugh. But seriously it stresses some of them out. My mother has been complaining for a while. To administrators and directors. They told her yesterday that they see her point and are going to change their policy. My grandfather has to pay sooo much money to be there. It is one of the best around here its just this one employee and it seems everyone caters to her. urgh.......
WHAT are they thinking!?!? That can be a very dangerous situation for unsupervised kids, and the kids ARE unsupervised while Mom is working! As a mom, I can't imagine putting my kids in that situation! Well, we'll see if the "policy" is going to change...sometimes that's just something they say to placate people.
My grandfather became violent at in the end stages of Alzheimer's. I can't imagine putting my children in a situation where they may experience a violent patient. It really is dangerous for the kids and the residents!
A violent resident is just as threatening to the other residents. In such cases, there would already be precautions in place--I would hope--to ensure the safety of all, visitors included. If the residents are violent enough to be a threat to children, I do not think I would have any family member there. I understand the argument, but I think the safety of the children is not the real issue here. It seems to me that the first post was more about rights over the TV, and the safety issue came up later. I am assuming this would be the TV in a room where several people congregate, as most nursing homes I have visited have TVs in every room or even one TV per bed. The TV issue and the supervision of the children are things that could be worked out. Mutually beneficial activities could be instigated. It saddens me how much we compartmentalize people by age and abilities in our society and we are so used to it that anything else seems...well, just wrong for some good reason and we will find a reason just to support that ideology. We miss out on the opportunities to complete each other cooperatively. I personally can see a few children in the nursing home can be a bad thing if done wrongly and a very good thing if done right. It gives the opportunity for the children to learn to be considerate of and learn from older people and the residents the opportunity to be on their best behavior, brighten their moods, feel useful, and express their love. I think it could be beneficial in many ways if people were cooperative in making it work. If it were me, I think would look forward doing some activities with young children while being a resident in a home, even prefer it.
