Hw#33 - Comments

Raven,

I agree, "we begin to classify them as their illness, rather than the person fighting the illness." This was your best line because in a reading from class it talks about the several ways not only to the sick but anyone who is stigmatized. The treatment of the elderly was also new to me, had no idea how harsh it can be in these institutions, facing death in a strange place that is not your home. I believe could have talked about other nightmarish social practices you found in this unit but besides that I enjoyed reading your post:)

Leah,

Your reaction after watching Sicko was similar to mine, I too was shocked to find negative differences between our healthcare insurance to the one in Europe or Canada. This was a line I felt myself nodding my head to, " One of the most nightmarish about our social practices is that we as people take in so many medications and put so much chemicals in our body." It is seen as normal to just pop a pill when feel a bit of pain like a headache but if you look closely at it's side effects it may cure one of you ailments while causing an even worse symptom; I find this weird. Why would we do this to our bodies? I agree that for serious illness's like AIDS medication is necessary but for a headache? I agree with you Leah after this unit, I too want to take the natural medicine instead like a tea or just some sleep. Good Job!

Hw #32

The most nightmarish practice in our culture I found was the fact that insurance companies can choose not to accept you due to a prior ailment; at first this seems so insignificant. But imagine one day waking up to find out you have a serious condition like cancer, heart disease, meningitis, etc and a healthcare insurance will not provide a single payment for this. And for many the cost is too high for the income they receive, so many fall in debt or just die. I hope this doesn’t happen to me or wouldn’t wish this on any one else. And from watching Sicko the only way to avoid this is…. Move to Europe!

Another nightmarish practice in our culture I believe is being sent to a nursing home to be taken care of by a stranger instead of a loved one from the many of who I gave much care and time to, to just be sent away to an institution. I’d rather just wither away in my home surrounded by people I love and familiarity and comfort I get from my home.

I address death more acceptingly after having this unit. Now when I’m in a certain situation (Before I was indecisive and not much of a risk taker), I say to myself, “ I only live once, might as well.” Something else I address differently is the approach I have with certain people in my life about death, some I know now I can sit down and talk to about this for a good time while others I know can cry and get emotional.

DSP of illness and dying connects to the DSP of food because both have atrocities that we see as normal but if you look more closely is actually weird. For example most eat meat and see it normal but if look closer it is not normal or healthy to eat chickens that lived in their own shit. Same in illness and dying sending the old to a nursing home is seen as what is best but again if you look more closely it isn’t exactly what’s best for them.

Hw 31

Leah,

I like that you create an image in readers mind, of what smells there are, what the feel is and what it looks like; the nursing home. The aspect of not having one certain stranger(nurse) taking care of you but several, is just another reason on why not send your elderly or go there yourself.

When you questioned the nurses on their patients many didn't know how to answer because they only spent a few hours with them, rotating with several patients. Question after seeing all this would you go to nursing home? Or how would you feel if your kids sent you here?

Raven,

I enjoyed your blog and elevator speech because having this disease affected a family member of yours so it gave you more perspective on this illness. My family fortunately has not but I have several family members who are affected by high blood pressure so felt a connection while reading your blog. The diet the people who are diagnosed with diabetes the way you describe seems exhausting and stressful. Does it make for a shorter life span? Can it leave for other complications? well good job!

Jessica R.

Your elevator speech was unexpected minute you started it caught my attention and I felt like I was there in that very emergency room. Not only did you have a handout to know more about this surgery and complication, but a melodramatic speech. Question; why did you choose this certain topic? Besides that great job!

Jay,

Your blog post at first I thought would be too general of a topic but you were able to capture this connection between technology and illness specifically on AIDS. And how technology has affected those diagnosed this illness. You not only had evidence from internet but personally went to visit a clinic to get more perspective on this. You could have had more evidence but in general good job!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For ME:

"The truth of what occurs with old folks behind closed doors." is a sad and lonely one, and I feel like more people should be like Beth and take care of their loved onesin their last moments. I would never want my sons, daughters or wife or whomever to just abandon me and send me away when I'm old. I've heard stories of people who put thier parent's in "homes." Just because it's an inconvience to them. I think this is selfish and sick.

The percentage of people being abused is alarming but I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually much higher, due to the fact that most of the people in homes are sick and can't come foward. Imagine if no one had caught the laundry worker raping the Alzheimer's patient no one would have known.

I believe institutions for elderly people should be more supervised and have rules upheld. I wouldn't want to have to sleep with one eye opened in one of those places. Not that it would matter as they are sure to overpower me regardless.

Thhis project is good because it is an eye opener especially for people considering sending some one there or are on their way there themselves. If they are then, "Good Luck."

Jorge (Older Mentor) - Older brother

My favorite line was, "You may think because of the name of this institution refers to "home" in it's title, you will be treated like you would in your own home." It's because in reality you are never as safe as you are in your won home. For example, if you go to the doctor and they check you up for a cold, they will tell you to take some meds. While at home, you can just rest up and have soup. It is just not the same and not as good for one.

Eduardo (Younger Mentor) - Younger brother

Hw # 30 - behind closed doors

Amber, Larche and I decided to do a group project, and at first it started it off with just going to a nursing home and talking to the residents there. But after a few phone calls and attempts, we changed our topic to show the truth of what occurs with old folks behind closed doors. You may think because the name of this institution refers to "home" in its title you will be treated like you would in your own home. But often times abuse and neglect can take place in these nursing homes and even when it doesn't one still would rather be in their own home. This connects to our unit because it presents the aspect of isolation and mistreatment that happens due to one's illness or near death.

When Beth came in she talked about how she decided to let her husband die in the comfort of their home, where she herself could watch over him and his needs instead of a stranger. Because to her the idea of hiring a nurse seemed absurd. For some it is easy to do this, to just leave our jobs for awhile and dedicate our entire time to the sick or dying loved one. Can even achieve this with a little help as well, Beth mentioned how when she took to nursing her husband, the rest of her family took care of everything else like the laundry. But for some our only choice can be send them to nursing home either us not being able to afford to take care of them ourselves or because we find our job or occupancies more important. So these elders are sent off to nursing home, where they are taken care of by a complete strangers. This is when abuse and neglect can transpire.

"Reports show nursing home abuse statistics that 30% of the facilities are cited for instances of abuse. Still, even more alarming is the nursing home abuse statistics showing that the majority of all nursing home abuse instances are never even reported. The nursing home abuse statistics include severe instances of abuse ranging from death to malnutrition and dehydration, inadequate medical care, and many other serious injuries and conditions." This quote I took from my first resource, it show the types of abuse that happens and how this percentage is not accurate because it is only percentage of cases that have been reported.

My second and fourth source shows different articles of an instances that abuse and/or neglect have occured in a nursing home. One case was in 2008, " a suit was recently filed against a nursing home in Texas after a resident was allegedly raped by one of the home’s employees. After a laundry worker was caught raping an Alzheimer’s patient at the Village Creek Nursing Home in Fort Worth, the victim’s family filed a suit against the facility."

My third source talk about how statistics, one was " It is estimated that for every one case of elder abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self neglect reported to authorities, about five more go unreported. (National Elder Abuse Incidence Study. 1998. Washington, DC: National Center on Elder Abuse at American Public Human Services Association.)"

My fifth source provides a percentage of times each type of abuse or neglect has happened.

Current Nursing Homes Abuse and Negligence Statistics

Nursing homes abuse takes many forms. The most common include:

• Neglect: 58.5%

• Physical abuse:15.7%

• Financial exploitation: 12.3%

• Emotional abuse: 7.3%

• Sexual abuse: 0.4%

My last source is a chart of abuse and neglect that occured in the year 1998

"According to the National Elder Abuse Incidence Study of 1998, neglect was the most commonly reported type of abuse, followed in order by emotional abuse, financial exploitation, physical abuse, and abandonment."

All these sources show evidence that abuse and neglect to elderly does happen but unfortunately not reported. So it is hidden truth just like death. And after reading all this why would someone want to go to a nursing home. Well like I mentioned before they have no choice because our society isolates them, we send them away in homes where they are not seen and forgotten.

1) http://www.nursing-home-abuse-resource.com/care_center/nursing_home_statistics.html

2) http://www.nursing-home-abuse-resource.com/nursing_home_abuse/news.html

3) http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/pdf/publication/FinalStatistics050331.pdf

4) http://www.elderly-abuse.com/wordpress/category/studies-statistics/

5) http://www.yourlawyer.com/topics/overview/nursing_home_abuse_statistics

6)http://www.ocfs.state. ny.us/main/psa/abuse_stat.html

Hw # 29

When facing a terminal illness, many emotions are thrown around in the situation as well as the fact of learning one is ill. As Beth described for her husband were feelings of denial, how could he of all people be unwell. In My brother, the main character didn’t know whether or not she loved him but she did feel sorrow for man she never got to know. (162) In Stigma, the feelings others have towards the sick or dying changes because the people who knew you as “normal” healthy person have hard time accepting you ill and dying and the new people you meet just see you as another person who is simply faulted. (35)

Illness and death can be the part of life one feels the most isolated, when one becomes sick immediately sent to hospital to be either cured or comforted for what is to come. Usually this time spent here may have family come by time to time, but unfortunately the world doesn’t just stop for you when become ill so find yourself lying in a hospital bed staring at wall in front of you. Must also face fact that we all get old which most of the time means having to go to a “home” but it is weird that we call them homes when it indeed is not our home. It is a place where one sends the old so no longer have to care for them our self. In Stigma they talk about this feeling of isolation that one has when ill because we are no longer “normal” person so we are isolated out of this group of people (5)

Paying for medical care in the US can be a hardship because it is not available for everyone. Michael Moore shows this in Sicko of how one must meet certain requirements to be able to have insurance of how a costly it can be if don’t have insurance or when insurance doesn’t want to provide it for you. Historically healthcare insurance wasn't always about being a business but on Feb 18, 1971 Nixon and Edgar make it so we get less and less medical care while insurance companies gain more and more money.

Hw # 28

Leah,

The line i enjoyed reading was, " She still the happy grandma that she was when i was child and i'm glad she is still there." Because it shows something we all do we remember the person in their prime not when their frail and lying on the couch, we'd rather remember when the person was healthy. Also found myself nodding my head to this, " No matter what is going on, you should make sure you have time for those love ones especially the sick and dying ones like she did with her husband." Something many people can resonate with because we don't make this priority instead our school or job, technology distract us and not every stop to smell the roses. To just stop for a minute and just spend time and will be better way to spend your time to its full.

Raven,

The line that resonated with me on the ill was, " It may also be embarrassing because as you get older you may want your independence and being dependent on people does not make you feel very self-sufficient." When I see people who are ill like my sister in law's father who always wants to do things by himself but unfortunately recently had a stroke so during that time he had to lean on others and for him and for many other people is embarassing and even undignififing. A line that made me feel ashamed of myself and I'm sure it does for many is that, " Instead of complaining about things and wondering why this has happened to her, she doesn’t let this illness become her." because we (healthy people) complain for littlest issues and like raven's person who is ill doesn't complain when she has serious health problems.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For Michelle,
The lines "So their view on life is different than a healthy person’s because they just wish they were normal healthy person and instead worry how long will I live? then about what to wear to a party", i thought that it was very insightful comparing healthy people and people who have been sick all their live just trying to make it by in life. I also like how you compared your friend's sickness to how your mother said that you should "I should be thankful to God for being born a healthy baby unlike some other unlucky kids" my mom says the same thing to me all the time. The ending sentence i thought was clever and good cut-off. :) - Leah (CLASSMATE)

For Michelle,
I liked how you mentioned an actual account of your friend being sick and it was sweet that you brought her some chicken soup. I also liked how you talked about the fact that we separate ourselves from sick people, I guess its because we don’t want to be tied down with the very sickness they have. So we isolate the sick and hope they get better. It was also interesting that you mentioned that there are things in our lives we take advantage of, there are people with worse situations than us. I agree because no matter how bad our situation may be there is always someone who has much less than the things we were blessed with. I also agree that we should begin to think about the things that are most important in our lives, not materialistic things but those things that matter the most. I really enjoyed reading this account of your friend who was suffering from a fever. - Raven (CLASSMATE)

For Michelle,

My favorite line was, " I should be thankful to God for being born a healthy baby unlike some other unlucky kids." Its true, so many people are not born healthy kids. In reality most people don't realize how lucky they are because there is always someone worse than you. - Younger Mentor (baby brother)

Hw # 27

I chose to visit my friend who had gotten a fever. Since I met her at ten years old she was always getting sick with a cold due to her having immune deficiency. So I went over with homemade chicken soup to give her company. She seemed exhausted, very pale, and down. And the main reason she literally (and not literally) was blue because she missed a party we had thrown on New Years Eve. None of her friends had come over to visit but I, and I believe society makes it this way. Society separates us into groups in this case, the sick v.s. the healthy. Being and staying healthy is the goal for everyone especially see this with the New Year’s resolutions like losing weight or eating healthier.

I recall my mom always telling me when I was a child that I should be thankful to God for being born a healthy baby unlike some other unlucky kids. And when the baby isn’t born healthy but instead with an illness, it can be painful for the child because like my friend they miss a lot of important or just fun events in life. So their view on life is different than a healthy person’s because they just wish they were normal healthy person and instead worry how long will I live? then about what to wear to a party. It’s definitely eye opening for one to see how bad other people have it then one does, making our issues little seem infantile against for example a man with cancer.

Watching a family member being sick is hard, you do anything to help him get better in the case of my friend’s family and in the book I read My Brother. I asked her whether she thought about death and she said “ No, but it happens to everyone,” shrugging her shoulders. She appeared nonchalant about this topic who for many is tiring, but then she starting sobbing and then finally outright crying and I automatically believed that she was after all was afraid of death. But instead she said, “ I don’t want to see my parents… go.” Not crying about her death but of the death or her parents. And talking to other friends they likewise say it is not their own death they are worried about but of their loved one’s. In the book My Brother when her brother died she felt sad because his life had been miserable but most of all for him being of her “blood.” And in the end with my delicious soup and conversation she looked cheered up and could’t look forward to going back to school... something again the average kid would not be too happy about.