Assisted Living Safety

On Thursday (June 27th, 2024) I attended the second annual AIR conference, in Arlington, Texas. AIR stands for Awareness + Information + Resources. This turned out to be one of the more interesting continuing education events that I have attended. I have never sat in a room full of employees of Adult Protective Services. Part of the point of the day was to get to know people from all different parts of the senior care industry and look at ways to solve problems together. Government agencies and private companies working together to increase access to better care, housing and transportation for seniors.

The keynote address was "Tackling the Tough Problems of the Aging Population" by Amin Iftekhar, PhD, from UNT. Dr Iftekhar talked about many of the problems facing elders including abuse, neglect, housing, and ageism. He brough an interesting spin to a topic that is becoming increasingly important as the number of seniors increases. The thought is by 2050, 22% of Texans will be over age 60.

As a nurse I was asked how can we solve the problems of abuse of elders in senior living facilties, such as residential care homes, skilled nursing facilities, memory care facilities, and assisted livings. Some asked me if I thought more regulations would stop the abuse. My answer is that the regulations already exist and more regulations will not make the situation better. I have been a nurse for 30 years and seen regulations created to keep seniors safe backfire and just create an unintended negative consequence. I remember as a young nurse people had seat belts on their wheelchairs to discourage them from standing up, if they were not able to stand on their own safely. Then a new policy came out that people have the right to fall, so seatbelts are no longer allowed. I have always wondered if those people would still have pushed for that rule if their mother was the one allowed to fall? I wonder if they realize that falling results in broken hips and death?

So to answer the question how do we keep seniors safe in facilities from abuse and neglect? The answer is visit often and when you find poor care, find a better facility and move your loved one. Spend your money supporting the businesses that are caring for seniors the right way. Maybe then the bad companies will fix their problems or simply go out of business.

On those visits check that your loved one is being cared for. Check their skin for sores. Pay attention to whether they are clean. Is there room clean? Is there food from yesterday on their shirt? Come at mealtimes and see what kind of food is being served. Most importantly visit at sporadic times and days.

The problems in the senior living industry is why I founded Abiding Joy Senior Care Home. Our continued goal is to treat every resident with compassion, making sure they are comfortable, and lovingly cared for in a joyful family setting. Contact Karen at 682-231-2449.