Let’s fantasize that by the time you aging baby boomers have to go to a nursing home that instead of listening to elevator music, rock & roll will blare and if you don’t like the food, you’ll be rioting in the hall or having a peaceful protest to make things better to your collective liking.
The reality – probably not so much unless age based bias against the elderly in nursing homes dissipates in the next decade or so. Old mean habits are hard to break.
What translates to age based bias against the elderly in nursing homes?
Think of the doctor or administrator who speaks to the adult child and not to your parent when asking a question. Think of the nurse who feigns apathy to your parent when they become disoriented or irritable.
Perhaps your parent is hard of hearing and a staff member moved or misplaced the hearing aid and has no immediate intention of finding it.
Perhaps your parent needs a feeding tube and nobody is paying attention as to how much or how little nutrition your parent receives and walks out of the room when the choking begins.
Perhaps your parent is hot or cold and is ignored for hours on end because nobody cares and nobody thinks their lack of caring matters because your parent is old and is going to die soon anyway.
Age based bias against the elderly in nursing homes is heartbreaking and it’s also abuse. While kids are being bullied on the playground and at school – some things never change. Now your parent is bullied at the nursing home. What are you doing about it?
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