I
remember one time walking (rolling, no pun attended) into a nursing
home. The odor took my breath away as I gasped for another breath.
The smell was of urine and I clearly could see some wet spots, when
I looked down the hall. When I was going down the hall, I had to
remove three wheelchairs, a mop bucket, and a gentleman in a
wheelchair sitting in the middle of the hall, which he could not
move himself. What was I doing there? I worked for a nonprofit
Center for Independent Living, which my job was to assist moving
people with a disability out of the nursing home. They had to be
between the ages of 18-59. Yes, many people with a disability are
in nursing homes, especially young adults.
The
nursing homes hated to see me come into their establishment. Do you
know why? I was trying to move people out that should not of been
there in the first place, so it would take money away from the
nursing homes. People with disabilities are put in nursing homes
for several reasons, such as: No family support, rehabilitation, or
get lost in the red tape. I have seen it all when it comes to why
people with a disability are in a nursing home,
Family support is one of the biggest reasons why people with a
disability are in the nursing home. Many families have legitimate
reasons why they put their family member in the nursing home.
Families may not know the resources certain states have available to
assist them in housing, equipment, personal assistance, and
medical. On the other hand, some families put their member of the
family in the nursing home for selfish reasons. They know about
the resources and I have heard some family members say, “I just do
not want to deal with him or her, this is where he or she belongs, I
do not have the time, he or she cannot live by him or herself.”
Well guess what; they are all wrong! Living independently does not
mean a person is just thrown into society to fend for him or
herself. People with disabilities living independently means they
can have adaptive equipment to assist them, a personal assistance to
help bathe, cook, and clean, and housing that is accessible.
Next
reason people with a disability are in the nursing home is because
of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation? What happen to Rehabilitation
Centers or Rehab? They are gone and why put someone in a rehab
center when the nursing home can do the same thing. That is the
problem; nursing homes cannot do the same thing. I have seen people
with a disability go into a nursing home, because of they had
surgery and rehabilitation centers will not take them. They are put
in the nursing home for a short period to rehabilitate, but they are
there for more than six months. It does not take six months to
strengthen a muscle or reinforce a bone. I have seen a gentleman in
the nursing home for over a year for a broken hip. Yet I have seen
a quadriplegic with a ventilator and cannot move any limbs live at
home and is enjoying his independence.
Another
reason people with a disability are in a nursing home is because of
all the red tape. They get lost in the shuffle. The doctors, whom
the person with a disability sees on a regular basis for a
particular reason, are in contract with the nursing home. I am not
saying that anybody gets kickbacks; no I would never say such a
thing, a person could figure that out on his or her own. Speaking
of kickbacks, the nursing home is a big business and they have their
own lobbyist.
The
Lobbyist for the nursing homes are enormous in size and our state
government or the United States Senators and Representatives will
not take them on, because they give too much money for campaigns and
endorsements. The nursing home is a business and a big business.
Nursing homes do have legitimate practice and can be of assistance
to people who want to be in there. Yes, some people want to be in
the nursing home.
Many
alternatives to the nursing home are in place if only the states
would utilize the alternatives. Illinois has been trying to pass
the legislature for years, Money Follows the Person. The Medicaid
monies allocated for paying the nursing home for the person can be
used to follow the person and be used to assist the person to live
outside of the nursing home. According to WSANA (West Suburban
Access News Association), “Texas' Money follows the person program
has operated since September, 2003. Since it began 10,711 have
opted to leave the nursing homes.” Illinois and other states have
been trying to lobby for the legislatures to pass the Money Follows
The Person and have been resisted by big lobbyist and the nursing
homes. In May of 2007, Illinois has allocated monies for the
program of Money follows the Person, which was long over due. As an
advocate for people with a disability, this initiative brings a
great hope and joy to my heart, so I can see more people with a
disability to live free and independent!
WSANA.
(2007). Texas Money Follows The Person. Retrieved on August
28, 2007 from http://www.wsana.org/id84.html.
Send feedback about this
article to Leslie
A. Johnson, BSW -
dadonwheels@ymail.com
