I have worked in various nursing homes over the course of my career as a nurse practitioner. I have seen abuse, assault, false allegations, and a variety of disrespectful and criminal behavior toward STAFF by PATIENTS. These young, hard workers are, by in large, good people. Many are from other countries and paid poorly for unglamorous work. They endure the allegations of abuse and the racism. Occasionally, they are on the receiving end of physical assault, mostly by patients with dementia. There is no recourse for these workers and as they are called racist slurs they continue to provide assistance with bathing, toileting, and hygiene. Often, there is no way to force these nasty old resident patients to leave the facility. They are allowed to stay and the state investigates these obvious fraudulent claims of abuse. I wish these patients or the families of the patients that act in this way had to be accountable in some way and we had the option to kick them out of the nursing homes.
The hardest, most vulnerable workers who care for our loved ones at the end of life deserve respect.
Word to the wise, if you have a loved one in a nursing home, the kinder you are to the staff, the better care you loved one gets. As it turns out, kindness makes a happier work environment and workers who give 110%. Not just doing a job but providing extra love and companionship in a lonely time of life.