The challenge of change in long-term care

When people reach advanced senior citizen status, they’ve been through many changes, perhaps from airplanes to space shuttles, wall phones to cell phones, typewriters to computers. People who have lived through all those big changes have made big adjustments. Of course, not everyone adjusts the same way. Some dig in their heels, others open their arms.

When Jack became a resident of an assisted living facility, he was relieved to have daily help with personal care he couldn’t manage by himself. Living in a facility wasn’t his first choice, but the other alternative was bleak.

Kathryn became a resident about the same time as Jack. She spent her waking hours in the past, regretting the loss of her youth and freedom. She became angry and depressed and refused to spend time out of her room.

When older people go into long term care facilities, it’s a necessary change, but not always a welcome one. Some make the adjustment with relative ease, others have a hard time. Each resident has a struggle with identity.

Every resident in a facility is unique, with personal habits, preferences, desires, hopes and feelings…just like the rest of us. The difference is, the residents are no longer living a life filled with personal choices and possibilities.

Everyone living in a facility is alike in that they gave up their independence, something valued dearly. So there they are now, dependent on others for their care, their mobility, their food, their activity, even their contact with others.

There are good facilities that try to do their best, but many facilities are short-handed, one of the most frequent complaints of residents and families alike. The care givers work hard but they’re always on the run, not able to spend precious time with each person.

Some residents have friends and family to keep them connected to the outer world. Jack’s friend takes him out to eat at his favorite restaurant, and his daughter sits with him for hours rummaging through photo albums. But many residents, like Kathryn, have no visitors, no one to reminisce with, no one to hold their hands, no one to listen to their stories, no one to connect them to the outer world.

So who is to advocate for the residents when things go wrong? And things do go wrong. Here’s where ombudsmen come in. We regularly visit the facilities to observe the environment and talk with residents. We investigate complaints from residents and families. We’re problem-solvers concerned with level of care, dignity and respect, activities, quality of food, cleanliness, and anything that affects the residents’ well-being.

If being a volunteer ombudsman is something that interests you, the next training is Oct. 13 through Nov. 25, one day a week, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Your participation can change someone’s life for the better, and yours too. For information, contact Jan Noyes, Volunteer Ombudsman Coordinator at the Area Agency on Aging, 667-3179 ext. 243 or jnoyes@aaani.org.