Assisted Living Woes in Kentucky

I’ve been taking a few days to recover from something. Not sure what, but hope it’s not COVID. With half the staff being out with it though I wouldn’t be surprised. The coughing is beginning to get me down after two days of non stop coughing. Not my usual kind though. This one is dry and hacking. And it was all started a few months ago when the administrator kept coming to work while ill. Ultimately she was hospitalized and on a respirator with COVID. The staff members began wearing masks but we were still not informed about the danger she put us all in. Since she returned most of the day staff have been out with the disease as well. Not to mention the dozen or so residents, all hospitalized with COVID. Kentucky law actually does mandate that any health care worker with the virus, or any other communicable disease should self quarantine themselves until they are released by a doctor. Around here two weeks is the limit for time off for illness of any kind.

I have been reading over the original guide for COVID prevention by Kentucky Public Health services and apparently they are no longer valid. At least not here. One part says all common area surfaces are to be cleaned and disinfected daily. Give special attention to high-touch surfaces. When they can’t even keep the bathrooms clean how can we trust areas that are not so blatently obvious. And how do we find the one who, well not a pretty way to say it but here goes, the one who poops all over the toilet area, seat, floor, wall, and doesn’t flush ever. I have my own cleaning products and use them constantly to try to keep a sanitary area each time I have to clean hers up as well. Happy to say I’m not that disgusting, but I sure wish someone could find out who is and start some basic potty training with her. I’ve started photographing the area each time, but will spare you the photos. If anyone in charge would only return my call or come to meet me about this…..

My thanks to Vic Crain for the websites he supplied for trying to get in touch with someone in the Kentucky Public Health services, The Health and Human Services division, and the government site where grievances can be filed — maybe. I have attempted to subscribe as an advocate and a resident in one of the facilities but my application was refused. Only the professionals are invited to be part of the action. They have spoken with residents in some of the facilities over the years but from the looks of it nothing was done to address the concerns they uncovered. And yes, they did uncover several concerns during their interviews with residents.

There is more to come, but for now I am going to the store to get a bucket,, scrub brush and cleaning solution to attempt to get some of the ground in dirt out of the carpet in my room. It doesn’t look as if it has ever been cleaned and I’m tired of looking at it. Is it my job to do this? No! One of the reasons I moved to an assisted living building was to be free of mops, brooms and dust cloths. Another one was the freedom from cooking and doing dishes. Guess what? I’m not actually cooking now but am putting my own meals together. The “nutritious” meals we get three of each day kind of lose something in translation. The breakfast I backed away from in the dining room a couple of weeks ago consisted of one slice of bacon and a pop tart. Not exactly my idea of good nutrition.

Title (That’s what they asked for)

I’m not sure what this will be about if you want the truth. I thought about something like “When COVID hits home” but that has been covered so much it didn’t interest me enough. I will say however that my youngest son and his family are recovering from it now. My grandson got it from someone at work who came to work even though he “felt bad” that day. Typical in this area even though the hospital is overcrowded and the workers are over tired and overworked. I think I’m glad now that I am retired. I can only imagine what the folks at Hospice are going through right now.

My older son and his wife weren’t able to visit on Mother’s Day last year because they had the virus. Today they are still having some problems from it, but at least they are feeling better. Several people in this building have had it, some have died, and yet everyone is running around without masks and sitting at tables in the activities room in touching distance, chair by chair occupied with the people who have nothing better to do than mind everyone’s business but their own. They are quick to let you know that they don’t gossip though. Just ask any of them.

Okay, no more about that. I’m walking around the apartment using a walking boot now, usually with a walker but in the past couple of days I’m using two canes for short distances. That’s what I call progress. On the other hand the X-rays show a sewing needle is in my left foot. My best guess is that when I fell it went in because it wasn’t there before. Now I’m beginning to feel it working its way back out — fun feeling. I sure hope it pops out soon without having to have the doc working on it again. I’ve been through this process before and it wasn’t much fun.

Most of my time is spent sewing. Barbie is getting a lot of new clothes and I sometimes wish I could fit in them. It would require some serious shrinkage on my part, but it would be fun. Of course I would also have to lose several years as well since most of them are prom type dresses and it has been a long time since my prom days were over.

I got some wonderful news Friday. My granddaughter called to inform me that she is now engaged to her long time boyfriend. I am so happy for them I could bust wide open. She is so beautiful and I only wish they lived closer to me. She comes in occasionally, but with the virus still such a threat we are all trying to stay close to home. And Frankfort is so far away these days. That’s Frankfort, KY in case you are wondering.

That made me remember something my brother said one Sunday during his homily. He mentioned the fact that we grew up in Rome and how excited people would get when they heard that. But then he would explain that it was Rome, KY and the excitement would kinda die out. Kentucky has a lot of famous name towns, Oklahoma, Paris, London, but then we also have Turkey Trot, Pumpkin, and Friendly Village which is now the name of the area we grew up. And these places are all a short drive from here. I wonder if people were homesick for the places they left behind when they named Paris, Rome and London, but that’s one we may never know.

Time for me to get up and stretch my legs out again. I’ll also continue my search for my cable so I can charge the power chair. Might need it again one of these days. Then again, maybe there will be a miracle and I’ll have an energy spurt and be able to walk without any kind of aid again. Now that would be a real miracle for sure!

Just a few Barbie outfits.