Each and every day as our inspectors, observers, family members, co-workers and visitors observe what is happening inside of nursing homes, we realize and learn that the problem is throughout the system in both caring nursing homes and in the horror-house nursing homes.
There is one problem that is totally systematic throughout whether the nursing home is a good nursing home or bad nursing homes, in one area of practice these places are doing bad work and they are making patients more dependent rather than helping patients become more independent.
After all, when someone is in a nursing home for rehab purposes, they are usually there for short-term periods. Here is what happens when they arrive at some or most nursing homes:
- They are politely, yes politely, convinced to wear diapers for the sole convenience of the staff. Of course, the staff does not word it this way but that is the truth. They politely insinuate that if the person does not wear diapers that they might have accidents and deficate in their pants and on their sheets.
- They convince patients, politely convince them, at the same time telling patients that it is their choice, that wearing diapers makes sense in case they have an accident.
- What follows is that patients become dependent on the diapers and learn and are taught that is is way easier to poop in your pants than it is to have someone come to help you to the restroom.
- Patients are taught this because once the staff knows the patient is in diapers they do not rush to come to their aid. The staff attitude is "that person is in a diaper" and they ignore the patient and the patient deficates in the diaper.
How do diapers benefit the staff?
Here is how:
- It takes LESS time for staff to change diapers than it takes for staff to help someone out of bed and help that person to go to the restroom.
- If someone refuses to wear diapers, they make the patient wait and wait and wait longer for help to bathroom and that patient eventually realizes that it makes sense to wear a diaper because the staff will not come to his or her aid to bring him or her to the restroom in time and they will have accidents if they do not wear diapers.
- Staff does not have to lift patients up from the bed or have their weight while holding them in the bathroom.
IT is all around convenience for staff to have patients wear diapers.
Note that not all patients medically need diapers. Only some patients medically need diapers and those patients should wear diapers.
But when staff consistently convinces patients to wear diapers for the staff convenience then the staff is doing a disservice to patients all over the world.
Kindly leave your comments here. Thank you. We look forward to hearing from you about this topic.
We are happy to hear from you regarding your own experiences in nursing homes and rehab centers. Whether you are a patient, resident, staff or visitor, we welcome you to communicate with us.
