Narrative Essay
Rebeccah Delsignore
English 103
September 19, 2011
Narrative Essay
Most people rely on the security and care of others to provide for their loved ones when they put them in a nursing home. What they don’t realize is how much neglect goes on to the people they care most about. Residents are at risk of being abused by their caretakers but they are also at risk of being restrained, which may lead to a form of abuse. At Southwestern Nursing Home I have witnessed forms of neglect and abuse. Nursing homes are meant to be a place for security for the elderly to be cared for in their golden years, and it has become an unpleasant experience for senior citizens being subjected to acts of abuse and neglect. I always put myself in someone else’s shoes and think “what if that was me?”. How would you like to be told when you can eat, when you can go to bed, when you can’t go to bed, and you can’t leave without a family member? People take too much for granted and don’t realize just how good it is to have even that little bit of control in your life. The smell of a nursing home is torture in itself. The second you open those doors you instantly get hit in the face with the smell of bodily fluids. From my experience as a CNA trainee I have witnessed abuse, neglect and filthy service. My first experience of abuse was with a fellow CNA trainee, we were changing someone’s depends and she refused to do a better job at cleaning them. This obviously upset me and I took care of it myself. It’s no surprise that she didn’t complete the program and isn’t a cna. I’ve seen a similar experience like this one. I don’t believe it was intentional, once I pointed out what was forgotten to be done they did it. My second and third experiences are also similar. Both residents being involved had to go to the bathroom so they had stated. One resident was told to go in their depends. I believe depends should only be used for accidents and emergencies, if the
English 103
September 19, 2011
Narrative Essay
Most people rely on the security and care of others to provide for their loved ones when they put them in a nursing home. What they don’t realize is how much neglect goes on to the people they care most about. Residents are at risk of being abused by their caretakers but they are also at risk of being restrained, which may lead to a form of abuse. At Southwestern Nursing Home I have witnessed forms of neglect and abuse. Nursing homes are meant to be a place for security for the elderly to be cared for in their golden years, and it has become an unpleasant experience for senior citizens being subjected to acts of abuse and neglect. I always put myself in someone else’s shoes and think “what if that was me?”. How would you like to be told when you can eat, when you can go to bed, when you can’t go to bed, and you can’t leave without a family member? People take too much for granted and don’t realize just how good it is to have even that little bit of control in your life. The smell of a nursing home is torture in itself. The second you open those doors you instantly get hit in the face with the smell of bodily fluids. From my experience as a CNA trainee I have witnessed abuse, neglect and filthy service. My first experience of abuse was with a fellow CNA trainee, we were changing someone’s depends and she refused to do a better job at cleaning them. This obviously upset me and I took care of it myself. It’s no surprise that she didn’t complete the program and isn’t a cna. I’ve seen a similar experience like this one. I don’t believe it was intentional, once I pointed out what was forgotten to be done they did it. My second and third experiences are also similar. Both residents being involved had to go to the bathroom so they had stated. One resident was told to go in their depends. I believe depends should only be used for accidents and emergencies, if the