Why the State People do not connect.

 ---Over the past years that I have been here the state controllers have come once a year. Their objective, they say, is to help the resident by being sure that his rights are not being violated. Every year I tell them that…from the way I see it, we have a real communication problem between the residents and the staff. Every year they tell me that they can’t do anything about that…but, are we being told that snacks are available between meals and are we asked if we want any?

---They have a way of focusing on things that are NOT the main focus of everyone. They are quick to listen to any gripes that the residents have. Many residents throw the workers ‘‘under-the-bus’’ left and right. In the residents defense…some of the state people have a divisive way of asking things so that this may happen.

---It seems to me that the state people are very unrealistic and are far more concerned with the letter of the law than the spirit. They show up armed with there rules and regulations, under the guise that this is all done for the protection of the resident. They point out code violations left and right with the belief that if everything was up to code it would benefit the resident.

---I don’t take issue with if they are right or wrong. I take issue with the mindset and ignorance under which they labor. They take their cues from other clueless agencies on what is right and/or wrong or better and/or worse for the resident. I would be very surprised if they sat down with a bunch of savvy residents and talked about nursing home living. It sounds very much like the questions they ask came out of meetings that had with everyone projecting what it must be like to live in a nursing home...BUT - DO NOT.

---That is the basic problem as I see it. A lot of irrelevant questions and focuses from people who don’t really understand about the day-to-day living and goings on in a nursing home. I think that the objective that they think they will achieve...from doing things the way they do things...does NOT, for the most part, promote a happier and better environment where people enjoy themselves living or working.