Retirement homes must be reformed

Retirement homes must be reformed. The treatment of the elderly in many of these homes is the main problem with the system. It may seem as if it is the best choice for older men and women to have assisted living, but nobody ever knows what really goes on in some homes, largely due to the fact that the elderly’s relatives rarely(or never) visit them.

Some relatives do not want to take care of their aging family members so they send them into nursing homes without thinking twice of their feelings; they may just see it as getting rid of a burden from their consciences. Once the elderly are admitted into some nursing homes, they soon encounter the injustices. The elderly are forced to eat their processed food and take drugs (they’ll tell you it’s their medicine), and are treated harshly.

The workers provide the elderly with eat small portions of uncooked food according to bgdailynews.com. Often, the food can be very bland and unhealthy, since the homes want to save money by feeding them fast-food like chicken nuggets. The superficial food they provide is not good for the elderly; they need to eat more wholesome foods. According to kellythekitchenkop.com, they provide artificial sugars that carries loads of preservatives. Many foods in some retirement homes are manufactured with chemicals and additives. Nonetheless, the elderly resort to consuming this fake food, as they have no other choice.

Additionally, the workers force them to take their “medicine.” There are numerous reports of nursing homes giving the elderly drugs that are unnecessary. According to a recent 2017 CNN report, many facilities only care about the money they make from the drugs provided, completely ignoring the fact that medication needs to be prescribed. Just because a money-seeking doctor gives the drugs does not mean they are necessary for the patient.

The workers at some nursing homes also benefit because they have to do less work. By overmedicating the elderly to make them tired and drowsy, they do not need to tend to them because they are often unconscious. It’s no surprise that when a visitor enters many a nursing home, the atmosphere is very depressing and miserable. Many individuals in those homes are practically lifeless! It is obvious that the elderly are older so they may be less active than when they were younger, but the drugs they receive play a major role in their exhaustion.

A staff member does not provide the same type of care than a loving family member. To many workers, it is just a task they must complete to receive their paychecks at the end of the week. They can be very mean and cold to the elderly.

Now, it is important to make very clear that not all retirement homes are unjust, but a substantial number of these homes are in fact unfair. Nonetheless, for all these reasons and more hidden behind the scenes, it is clear that many retirement homes need reform.

As DeMatha students, it is crucial to be informed and aware about this situation. Many people’s grandparents are currently living in retirement homes, so they may not realize what can be happening. Again, not all nursing homes are scandalous; nevertheless, it is important to know what some homes are doing.