RESEPCT

That was a song growing up. It was very important that we pay respect to everyone. The holiday season is a hard season to live through in a nursing facility. This morning we have two people working on the floor. One came into my room and asked if she could use my microwave to make breakfast for a resident.

Since it is morning, you have people getting bathed and dressed. We wear a button around our necks and ring if we need help. You have people that want to go to the bathroom, get socks, or anything else but the aide may be bathing a resident or transporting the resident to another area. What is happening is that the resident is calling family members at home, and they are calling the office in this building and the office is calling the aide. The aide has to stop and go into the office to see what the problem is.

The person in the office has a yelling fit which is a waste of time. And now everyone is upset. The problem as I see it is that the person yelling should come out and do the task instead of sitting behind the desk yelling. There are tasks like getting socks pushing the resident to the dining room etc. Sadly, I experienced the yelling when I went to see where my new wheelchair was. The only person available for me to speak to was the Executive Director. She yelled at me like I was a bad 5-year-old. Telling me that I would not need a new wheelchair if I worked harder. Asking me where I thought I was going then telling me that my body was not strong enough to go.

When I left the office, nothing had been accomplished we had not talked about the wheelchair the only thing done was she let me know that I did not deserve a new chair. She let me know that she was a very important person in her eyes, and I was a little thing that deserved no respect. This is her method yelling at the aides because they must be respectful to the residents and yet her example is to yell at residents. I went to see the Resident Care Director on Monday December 12, and have yet to see her. It is very important that we communicate in a proper manner. When writing it is my hope that I come across with some gentle words. The sad part about all of this is that I am a Chaplain trained by ACPE and spent a year working as a Trauma Chaplain along with other positions.

For me I am very lucky I see and understand what is happening I have a huge intercessory group that I pray for. Folks I know this is a job to you but to us it is our life these are our friends and neighbors. Coming to work in an Assisted living facility in spike heels means you are coming to work in the wrong business. It is not about looks it is about residents we saw that this weekend when we had a patient die. You want glamor you are in the wrong business come out from behind the desk walk the halls and roll up your sleeves.