A crazy Easter at the nursing home 2017

Ever since I moved to a nursing home twenty-one years ago, that's where I spent most holidays. At my first nursing home holidays were usually quiet. Some of the active residents went out with family or friends. The sicker, slower ones, and those with dementia, stayed in and were in bed. They were kind of out of sight and were not all that disruptive. But when those with dementia had to be admonished for their fuzzy reasoning, there could be loud outbursts.

My present nursing home is for residents with cognitive difficulties. Some have traumatic brain injuries, "off the charts" diabetes, neurological problems, amputated toes or limbs, and then those with mental problems like schizophrenia. Though many are able to get around holidays are rough. I saw them standing to use the phone after breakfast. But since a female resident was having an outburst in the TV room, they were asked to wait. The situation in the TV room went on for twenty minutes and everything else stopped.

There were only three aides, and a few residents needed: toothpaste, mouthwash, towels and wash cloths, and soap to take a shower. But, until that female resident either settled down or was sent out to the ER, the others had to wait. A few residents paced the halls, and were asked to go sit in the dining room until the TV room crisis was over.

Meanwhile, I waited to go to the bathroom. No aides were available because all the nurses and aides were trying to quiet the situation. Then they waited for the squad so the female resident could be transported to the ER.

Afterwards, resident behavior was all over the place. Before lunch a resident, who's not to walk unassisted, was walking in the dining room. An aide constantly told her to sit down. The ever busy walker is a former RN who usually just wants to help out. Nevertheless, she and the aide had a back-and-forth during the whole meal.

I went to get my meds and couldn't find the nurse. On the hallway I saw the squad guys were here to pick up that same female resident and take her back to the ER. When I checked back later, I discovered the squad guys were NOT taking her. Maybe they assisted the nurses to give her an injection to calm her. But whatever it was, she stayed here.

By that time the residents were calming down. Smoke time was approaching and the smokers wanted to make sure they did not lose their smoke break.

For me, this Easter holiday has been and noisy and exhausting. I've had laryngitis for several days and my achy throat and hesitant voice have me worn out.

I hope the residents who wanted to go there families, or friends eventually got to. I also hope they got to talk with a person, instead of just the answering machine.