Death Camps
Nils and Amy Lofgren seem to be really good people. Nils, of course, is an unbelievable guitar player and an underrated singer and songwriter. He’s a guitarist in the E-Street Band and in Crazy Horse, Neil Young’s band.
On social media they have a presence with Amy leading the way. I say they seem to be good people because they interact and when we were visiting Arizona, Amy actually recommended some good restaurants.
Lately, Amy’s Twitter feed has been a little sad because her Mom, who was in a nursing home in New Jersey, actually escaped and then was diagnosed positive for the coronavirus.
That’s their business and it’s very sad. They decided to make it heard because raising awareness about the dismal treatment of the elderly is important.
Because it’s a horrible problem.
Nils was quoted in the story that hit the news on Friday as saying:
“They looked us in the eyes and assured us that they would take care of our loved one.”
Placing a parent in a nursing home is a traumatic thing. It’s not an easy decision. There’s a lot of fear involved because you are trusting the care of a loved one to total strangers.
I’ve been inside a nursing home to check on a loved one just one time. We went to visit my Grandma. Jake was 4.
“This place stinks,” he said, on the way in.
We visited with Grandma.
“She didn’t even know who the hell we are,” Jake said, on the way out.
It was a wildly depressing afternoon.
During Grandma’s stay my Mom actually received a call from the director of the place.
“We have some troubling news,” the director said.
She told my Mom a story about another resident who got a lot handsy with my poor Grandma.
My wife also worked in a facility for a very short time, and she knows a lot of other nurses who have done time in some of the homes around here.
The facilities are clearly understaffed.
Some are not properly cleaned.
When an illness starts it spreads quickly.
This virus was always a true danger to such a place.
To the most vulnerable of all people.
People who are still loved. Men and women don’t entrust their parents to such a facility because they’re done with them.
On the contrary, they are trying to find a perfect spot for their Mom and Dad.
The residents shouldn’t be able to escape.
They shouldn’t get lost or be left to their own devices as they wander unfamiliar streets.
They shouldn’t be left in bed or drugged or dismissed.
Think of the amount of money those places charge...
...it’s not cheap.
I’m thinking that the virus is going to bring it to the forefront. How we treat the most vulnerable of our citizens tells us a lot of what sort of country we are...
...it’s a test...
I’m scared to find out what sort a grade we’ll get.
D-minus sounds about right.
On social media they have a presence with Amy leading the way. I say they seem to be good people because they interact and when we were visiting Arizona, Amy actually recommended some good restaurants.
Lately, Amy’s Twitter feed has been a little sad because her Mom, who was in a nursing home in New Jersey, actually escaped and then was diagnosed positive for the coronavirus.
That’s their business and it’s very sad. They decided to make it heard because raising awareness about the dismal treatment of the elderly is important.
Because it’s a horrible problem.
Nils was quoted in the story that hit the news on Friday as saying:
“They looked us in the eyes and assured us that they would take care of our loved one.”
Placing a parent in a nursing home is a traumatic thing. It’s not an easy decision. There’s a lot of fear involved because you are trusting the care of a loved one to total strangers.
I’ve been inside a nursing home to check on a loved one just one time. We went to visit my Grandma. Jake was 4.
“This place stinks,” he said, on the way in.
We visited with Grandma.
“She didn’t even know who the hell we are,” Jake said, on the way out.
It was a wildly depressing afternoon.
During Grandma’s stay my Mom actually received a call from the director of the place.
“We have some troubling news,” the director said.
She told my Mom a story about another resident who got a lot handsy with my poor Grandma.
My wife also worked in a facility for a very short time, and she knows a lot of other nurses who have done time in some of the homes around here.
The facilities are clearly understaffed.
Some are not properly cleaned.
When an illness starts it spreads quickly.
This virus was always a true danger to such a place.
To the most vulnerable of all people.
People who are still loved. Men and women don’t entrust their parents to such a facility because they’re done with them.
On the contrary, they are trying to find a perfect spot for their Mom and Dad.
The residents shouldn’t be able to escape.
They shouldn’t get lost or be left to their own devices as they wander unfamiliar streets.
They shouldn’t be left in bed or drugged or dismissed.
Think of the amount of money those places charge...
...it’s not cheap.
I’m thinking that the virus is going to bring it to the forefront. How we treat the most vulnerable of our citizens tells us a lot of what sort of country we are...
...it’s a test...
I’m scared to find out what sort a grade we’ll get.
D-minus sounds about right.
Comments
I am sorry I didn't have your e-mail, so I thought this was the best way to contact you. My name is Tammy and I work at The Gow School. Our school year ended yesterday and on Tuesday at 9:00 am we are having an end of the year faculty and staff video meeting on Microsoft Teams. I was asked to present the award to one of our staff members. Would you be willing to say a few words after I present the award? Please e-mail me and if you are available I can give you more details. I think the awards will be presented in the first few minutes of the meeting.
Thanks,
Tammy Kosnikowski
tkosnikowski@gow.org