there lacks a sense of compassion
Over the weekend i was working short of staff, as per usual on the weekend on a wing of the home that is quite heavy. As in there are quite a few residents who are bed-ridden or need to go to bed right away as they can not tolerate being up in their chairs for long periods of time. The day was crazy as there were only 2 of us working with the LPN handing out the meds. There are 25 residents on each wing. The wing I was on had only women. Nothing overly special about that but they can be terribly fussy at bedtime.
Except for Thelma. Thelma, i'm sure, is in her late eighties or early nineties, It's hard to tell now. She came in a couple of months ago full of spit and vinegar. She was fiesty and had her mind. She had lived all of her life on her own and for a large part of it in a very big house. Just Thelma and her beloved cat.
At one point in her life, I'm not sure when, she had a caregiver come into her house to help her with her daily living. This "care"giver after sometime, i don't know how long, decided to put Thelma into the home. At first it was in the relief room where people can put their loved ones to be cared for for a short period of time while they take a break or perhaps a vacation. The time for relief care is normally one month.
That in it's self is no problem. The problem I have even though there is nothing i can do about it was how Thelma's caregiver put her in the home. They had packed some suitcases, told Thelma they were taking her to dinner then proceeded to drop her off at the home. No discussion, no agreement, no time of when to pick her back up.
Now Thelma is a permenant resident there. She was informed that her house has been sold and the cat is gone.
Thelma has given up. She refuses food and only can be convinced to have a few swallows of water. The look in her face is of infinite sadness and defeat. Her shame at having to be changed like a baby is heartbreaking. She is quiet and does not even want to get up. She spends the day staring out of her window and waiting to die.
I can not help her. I can not spend anytime with her because i have 24 other residents that need care. I wonder if she will still be alive when i go back to work.
Except for Thelma. Thelma, i'm sure, is in her late eighties or early nineties, It's hard to tell now. She came in a couple of months ago full of spit and vinegar. She was fiesty and had her mind. She had lived all of her life on her own and for a large part of it in a very big house. Just Thelma and her beloved cat.
At one point in her life, I'm not sure when, she had a caregiver come into her house to help her with her daily living. This "care"giver after sometime, i don't know how long, decided to put Thelma into the home. At first it was in the relief room where people can put their loved ones to be cared for for a short period of time while they take a break or perhaps a vacation. The time for relief care is normally one month.
That in it's self is no problem. The problem I have even though there is nothing i can do about it was how Thelma's caregiver put her in the home. They had packed some suitcases, told Thelma they were taking her to dinner then proceeded to drop her off at the home. No discussion, no agreement, no time of when to pick her back up.
Now Thelma is a permenant resident there. She was informed that her house has been sold and the cat is gone.
Thelma has given up. She refuses food and only can be convinced to have a few swallows of water. The look in her face is of infinite sadness and defeat. Her shame at having to be changed like a baby is heartbreaking. She is quiet and does not even want to get up. She spends the day staring out of her window and waiting to die.
I can not help her. I can not spend anytime with her because i have 24 other residents that need care. I wonder if she will still be alive when i go back to work.