"Tough to Swallow" ~ Alberta Seniors

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by longsuffering

There is nothing that Wildrose refuses to politicise is there?

Oh come on now! What a stupid statement.

[Kybosh]

I can't really speak to the quality of food, but the cost of living in one of these facilities is crazy high. The provincially run buildings are based on a % of your monthly income and the private ones seem to be something like $4000-5000/month for a modest place. Talk about eating into your lifetime savings (which I assume many people want to give to their loved ones through inheritance) in the final years of your life.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by longsuffering

There is nothing that Wildrose refuses to politicise is there?

The treatment of vulnerable people in government-operated facilities is out of bounds?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by fotze

Those costs are terrifying. Surely there is away to do this for less.

Thats what your kids are for. The entire idea is to be a burden on them in the prime of their lives just as they are a burden on you in the prime of yours.

And people hoping to save their money so their kids can inherit it? Hahahahaha! The last cheque I ever write is going to bounce!

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by fotze

Those costs are terrifying. Surely there is away to do this for less.

It doesn't cost 4 or 5 grand a month to live in a government facility. It's not even half that.

You can spend that, if you can afford it, but you don't have to.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

I can't really speak to the quality of food, but the cost of living in one of these facilities is crazy high. The provincially run buildings are based on a % of your monthly income and the private ones seem to be something like $4000-5000/month for a modest place. Talk about eating into your lifetime savings (which I assume many people want to give to their loved ones through inheritance) in the final years of your life.

The costs associated with 24/7/365 nursing care, physicians, medications, OT, PT, RT (Rec and Resp often) as well as the other costs associated with a long term care facility such as environmental services and general overhead are very high. There aren't many people - actually I have never met any people - who are striking it rich in long term care.

I don't think anyone should expect an inheritance by the way, it would be nice to get I think most would agree with that but people should be self-sufficient (with exceptions of course) and at the same time people should attempt to maximize their enjoyment of their last years and not be concerned with giving their kids or cats money.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

It doesn't cost 4 or 5 grand a month to live in a government facility. It's not even half that.

You can spend that, if you can afford it, but you don't have to.

Yep, it's a % (which I can't remember) so nobody pays the same amount. It is sometimes not possible to move into a government facility to save money if your monthly income (ie. pension) is too high.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats what your kids are for. The entire idea is to be a burden on them in the prime of their lives just as they are a burden on you in the prime of yours.

And people hoping to save their money so their kids can inherit it? Hahahahaha! The last cheque I ever write is going to bounce!

Actually I do think that having children take their elderly parents into their home when possible is significantly better cost and care wise. There are programs which are set up in which a taxi or a handibus will pick seniors up from their residences (I guess their kid's residence in my argument) and drop them off for the day to get exercise and socialize with people their own age. If someone is concerned with getting an inheritance it is the least that they could do in my opinion.

Regarding the video though, that fat CBC guy with his facial expressions at eating something he didn't like may not be the best person to create some sympathy for the cause it just made it look stupid for those times.

[pylon]

I think the question that really needs to be asked is, how many sides of ranch does the government provide?

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats what your kids are for. The entire idea is to be a burden on them in the prime of their lives just as they are a burden on you in the prime of yours.

And people hoping to save their money so their kids can inherit it? Hahahahaha! The last cheque I ever write is going to bounce!

Thats the problem with North American society and its attitudes toward the old. The old are seen as a burden on society, not a valuble contributing member.

They are a problem which we as a society try to solve or eliminate as cost effectively as possible.

If they weren't smart enough to save for their retirement years... they're just sol... or maybe they were smart enough, but they just didn't have good enough jobs to save enough for those years while paying the family bills and raising their children. Not society's or even their children's problem. They're getting 3 meals a day and a place to sleep at night with a roof over their head. What the hell more do they want? After all, they'll probably be dead soon anyways... why waste the money on them giving them tasty food?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Locke

Thats what your kids are for. The entire idea is to be a burden on them in the prime of their lives just as they are a burden on you in the prime of yours.

And people hoping to save their money so their kids can inherit it? Hahahahaha! The last cheque I ever write is going to bounce!

I'm doing that right now with my elderly mother. I want to make sure she never ends up in facility and has to deal with substandard food and such. It's a very depressing enviroment to live in.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

The costs associated with 24/7/365 nursing care, physicians, medications, OT, PT, RT (Rec and Resp often) as well as the other costs associated with a long term care facility such as environmental services and general overhead are very high. There aren't many people - actually I have never met any people - who are striking it rich in long term care.

I don't think anyone should expect an inheritance by the way, it would be nice to get I think most would agree with that but people should be self-sufficient (with exceptions of course) and at the same time people should attempt to maximize their enjoyment of their last years and not be concerned with giving their kids or cats money.

I know that there are many costs associated with the running of these facilities, and truthfully I don't know what the profit margins would be for these operations.

Also, don't misunderstand me. I'm not talking about anyone expecting an inheritance, that is selfish. I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who has willfully allotted money to loved ones by their own volition.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Thats the problem with North American society and its attitudes toward the old. The old are seen as a burden on society, not a valuble contributing member.

They are a problem which we as a society try to solve or eliminate as cost effectively as possible.

Completely agree. People are so quick to toss Grandma or Grandpa in a home once they become an inconvenience. It's much easier to visit one a week to keep the guilt from becoming unbearable. I really respect other cultures for the fact they care for their elderly at home no matter how difficult it becomes.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

I know that there are many costs associated with the running of these facilities, and truthfully I don't know what the profit margins would be for these operations.

Also, don't misunderstand me. I'm not talking about anyone expecting an inheritance, that is selfish. I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who has willfully allotted money to loved ones by their own volition.

The vast majority of them are private for profit facilities. I don't know what the profit margins are but they do ask the govt from time to time to increase the fees they are allowed to charge seniors.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Thats the problem with North American society and its attitudes toward the old. The old are seen as a burden on society, not a valuble contributing member.

They are a problem which we as a society try to solve or eliminate as cost effectively as possible.

If they weren't smart enough to save for their retirement years... they're just sol... or maybe they were smart enough, but they just didn't have good enough jobs to save enough for those years while paying the family bills and raising their children. Not society's or even their children's problem. They're getting 3 meals a day and a place to sleep at night with a roof over their head. What the hell more do they want? After all, they'll probably be dead soon anyways... why waste the money on them giving them tasty food?

Are you serious? They are a burden on society. So are kids. So are the sick and disabled. Again, thats a fact of life. However these are burdens that society willingly takes on in order to gain from their benefits which is to keep our parents around and happy among other things.

And they arent really contributing members of society anymore. Thats the point, they've made their contributions, the sad part is that this is supposed to be their reward for their contributions.

Ignoring the fact that they're a burden doesnt accomplish anything, just accept it and move along. Whats more important to focus on is how to make their retired experience more rewarding and focus on the fact that they shouldnt be taken advantage of.

[Zevo]

Some fresh fruits and vegetables wouldn't be that costly.

All they get is processed food. In the long run, poor nutrition will be costlier to the health care system.

The way we treat the elderly is sometimes very sad. Surely there are better places to make cuts than this.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by pylon

Bottom line is this, for a province that is oozing money out of the ground, this is unacceptable.

What seems to be acceptable is giving AHS executives huge bonuses for not meeting heath care targets. Maybe we should be feeding them the slop they call food in seniors facilities.

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

Originally Posted by fotze

You say that because your parents aren't super annoying yet.

As soon as someone has a parent with mid-late stage dementia then you are right the best place for the is to be in a long term care facility which is secured for their own safety. Up until that point and if someone is of sound mind and body, relative to their age of course, then I do think that having them at home is an optimal solution.

[GGG]

It sounds like the food quality is very similar to University Residence food. If it is then it is adequate.

I think that giving homes the options to develop there own higher quality food alternatives would be helpful as good employees should be able to do better than the generic provincial plan.

I am a big supporter of the government providing a minimum levelmof service to ensure human dignity. If you want more than that you are responsible for it yourself.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Zevo

Some fresh fruits and vegetables wouldn't be that costly.

All they get is processed food. In the long run, poor nutrition will be costlier to the health care system.

The way we treat the elderly is sometimes very sad. Surely there are better places to make cuts than this.

Susan Slade, a licensed practical nurse and AUPE member, contradicts Health Minister Fred Horne’s assertion that the food is nutritionally sound.

“You’re boiling stuff and taking the vitamins and minerals out of it. You’re pre-packaging roast beef for 70 days. How can there be any nutrition left in that?” she asks.

Slade says staff have seen an increase in residents with urinary tract infections and slow wound healing since the meals were introduced as part of a 21-day rotating menu plan in December 2009.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/...#ixzz1xQFLUFUX