# Ask the person who lived in nursing homes for 4 years **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 6, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830 "2010-09-06T19:41:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/1 "2010-09-06T19:41:24Z")
I became seriously ill right around Xmass 2004, and didn’t move out until Spring 2009. Along the way, the 1st nursing home was closed by the state. BTW, most of that time was spent waiting for an appropriate placement. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/2 "2010-09-06T20:19:50Z")
Wow, were you in a young -peoples type unit or in with the general geriatric population? What was the staff-patient ratio there? Was the first place closed because of infractions or something else? (I’m a registered nurse and have mostly worked long term care type places, although I currently work in geriatric psychiatry and in two weeks start a completely different kind of job) ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/3 "2010-09-06T20:41:22Z")
I was young enough to be the grandson of most residents. ANd the 1st place was shut down for shoody quality of care. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/4 "2010-09-06T20:47:19Z")
What were you ill with? ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/5 "2010-09-06T20:52:19Z")
That is terrible. I really feel for you. I was an instructor once for a care-aide school, diploma mill whatever. I quit when I saw the facility where they did their practicum. I also made a few other phone calls that day. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/6 "2010-09-06T21:00:07Z")
How did you keep your sense of self while institutionalized? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/7 "2010-09-06T21:15:12Z")
Kitten, I had the bladder issue I mention in my intro. Keeping sense of self, well: At the 1st home, I participitated in board games/word games and outings to resturaunts. In the latter, going on outings (VERY touristy) with the organization that helped me move out. I also began writting, in vignette form, my “Just OK American Novel”. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/8 "2010-09-06T21:19:12Z")
I’m really sorry, **etv**. That sounds really hard. Were you able to connect with the people who lived with you in the nursing home? I know they were older but sometimes it’s good to listen to the elderly. They can have a lot to say and all that. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/9 "2010-09-06T21:27:51Z")
I ABSOLUTELY bonded w/several residents! I return once a week, to read them major historical events that occured on the date, and their horoscope. (they LOVE horosopes) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/10 "2010-09-06T21:40:26Z")
Aw. That’s really sweet. It sucks that you had to live in a nursing home, but it’s wonderful that you developed a bond with some people in the nursing homes that still lasts. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/11 "2010-09-07T11:09:56Z")
What do you wish the nursing staff could understand about life for residents and do better? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/12 "2010-09-07T11:18:10Z")
**Mona Lisa Simpson** took my question, so I’ll just add a +1. What can we do better? (Not there yet, but I’ll have my RN in 9 months…) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/13 "2010-09-07T11:35:08Z")
I wasn’t aware of this situation. I would like to apologise publicly, therefore, for taking the piss out of your OP [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=577317). ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-person-who-lived-in-nursing-homes-for-4-years/552830/14 "2010-09-07T13:27:15Z")
Did you suffer what you consider abuse or mistreatment, or did you see it happen to other patients?