[speaker001:] okay um I don't have any I guess definite views about elderly care um the first thing that comes to mind is kind of those horror movies that you see where elderly people are abused and things like that I think that's one thing that I would look at if I was
[speaker002:] uh-huh yeah
[speaker001:] putting my grandmother or my mother uh in some sort of home the first thing that I would look at would be their history
[speaker002:] right
[speaker001:] as far as any court cases that came out of there um the history of you know their doctors um their nurses and things like that
[speaker002:] yeah yeah I agree with you I um a group that I'm a part of goes once a month to a um they call it the Heritage House they call it the Heritage House it's it's a nursing home for elderly people and this particular one has people that are in pretty bad shape a lot of them have had
[speaker001:] uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker002:] um limbs amputated or um have serious illnesses you know that kind of thing and
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] um I watched the interesting thing was I watched this particular one change hands it started out just being a terrible place for the people and then a new company bought it
[speaker001:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker002:] and came in and remodeled the whole place hired new nurses and uh just really just redid it you know
[speaker001:] uh-huh I'm just out of curiosity what what kinds of things were they doing when they were considered a bad place
[speaker002:] well to me it was dirty for one thing uh when you would walk in the smell was just awful though you know the floors you could just
[speaker001:] huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker002:] if you're walking on them feel how filthy they were um there were a lot of people just kind of up and down the halls laying in their beds hollering and you know crying and
[speaker001:] uh oh my goodness
[speaker002:] of course I don't know how many of them were you know not in their right mind or how many were
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] you know yeah yeah I just really don't know but I feel like they were neglected and um
[speaker001:] in pain or something yeah uh-huh yeah that's what I was going to say it sounds like to just neglect all over neglect you know to clean up and
[speaker002:] right right right I don't really think anyone was being you know cruel or or trying to mistreat them or anything I just think they were just not doing anymore you know than they had to do and um just kind of letting everybody live
[speaker001:] right right
[speaker002:] in a not very good environment but this new company came in and they like I said they remodeled the place and it smells nice when you walk in and it looks nice and
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] they got like several new color TV's for the people and and redid the dining room where they made it you know a lot more interesting place for them to be they made a little patio area where they can go outside and
[speaker001:] huh uh-huh that's great
[speaker002:] yeah just you know small things that make it seem a lot more
[speaker001:] homely yeah
[speaker002:] yeah and it's like it's a lot more like an apartment place instead of just uh horrible
[speaker001:] I would I would personally hate to know that my mother or grandmother or anyone is in a home like that and my biggest fear would that they would be is that they would be lonely
[speaker002:] right
[speaker001:] and I would like to know that there are you know just a lot of activities like you said you know just putting a plant in a room you know Just makes just brightens and and and just makes them just a little more active television
[speaker002:] right right uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker001:] they can go outside and just to know that they're not you know laying in a room looking at gray walls you know that that would
[speaker002:] right right with nothing you know
[speaker001:] that that's what would just really kill me I'd like to know that you know they have friends there and they you know have little conversations and things I'd like to know there's a lot of interaction and
[speaker002:] yeah right right um
[speaker001:] maybe some kind of of activity little field trips or something I don't know how they would do that but
[speaker002:] right yeah well they uh this place that we visit it's really neat they have everyday they have schedules of groups that come in and
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] they will do bingo our group does a church service once a month and and then other groups come in and do the services you know other Sundays so that they have at least one service every Sunday and
[speaker001:] oh uh-huh wow
[speaker002:] so there are a lot of things there are places that have a lot of things for them to do but you really do have to kind of seek it out you know and
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] and make sure that it's not a place like this one was
[speaker001:] uh-huh I didn't realize that there were groups that go in like that that's really neat that's really neat
[speaker002:] yeah yeah yeah it is it's real nice and um I know our church does it and there are a lot of other churches and they are just like civic organizations that do
[speaker001:] right uh-huh
[speaker002:] and uh I have other friends it's kinds of neat they take animals over and let the people pet them like they also have a dog that maybe needs a home and they will wash it all up and
[speaker001:] oh uh-huh
[speaker002:] make sure it's a friendly animal you know and take it in and let just let the old elderly people pet the dogs
[speaker001:] uh-huh that is great for that that will be something you know they would look forward to if they knew you know that the puppy is coming on Wednesday
[speaker002:] yeah yeah yeah yeah
[speaker001:] you know that would be something to look for that's really neat that really is
[speaker002:] yeah yeah I thought that was a real unusual thing for someone to do so
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] yeah there's a lot that can be done it's just a matter of people not being lazy
[speaker001:] uh-huh right
[speaker002:] and you know doing the best they can again I don't know what I'd do if it was my own mother or grandmother you know uh that would be
[speaker001:] yeah putting putting any of my family in an elderly home to me would be a the very last resort you know it
[speaker002:] right yeah
[speaker001:] um and I know it's hard for a lot of families if you're trying to to work or trying to take care of your own family it's kind of hard to
[speaker002:] right
[speaker001:] to to because an elderly person sometimes can be totally dependent you know on you and I know that's hard sometimes and but it would really have to be a last resort because that would just I would feel so guilty
[speaker002:] uh-huh yeah yeah yeah yeah I would too
[speaker001:] just I don't know unless I knew that they were somewhere just really I mean just really great you know that they were really enjoying
[speaker002:] yeah right yeah yeah I know I know what you mean
[speaker001:] I don't know anyone personally that's in an elderly home
[speaker002:] yeah well I have interesting conversations with a lot of these people because um um many of them of course their minds are not good
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] and so a lot them have told me exactly the same story you know every time I visit them
[speaker001:] yeah yeah
[speaker002:] they'll tell me they'll reminisce about childhood and tell me something that they did and then the next time I go it's the same thing you know but
[speaker001:] uh-huh yeah
[speaker002:] just somebody to listen to them uh just seems to make them really feel good
[speaker001:] yeah uh-huh to nod their head and smile at them
[speaker002:] right I'll tell you the people I feel the sorriest for there's a guy at this particular one I go to that I think that he's really an intelligent person but he has cerebral palsy so bad that he just cannot communicate
[speaker001:] uh-huh uh-huh um
[speaker002:] and um he's blind and he has seizures you know I mean he's just like in a world of his own and yet he wants so much to be around people
[speaker001:] um right
[speaker002:] and if you come over to him if he can touch your hand he'll grab it and kiss it and oh he's always got a smile I mean he really tries to
[speaker001:] oh
[speaker002:] to brighten up your life oh it's just amazing um but he can't say anything he can just kind of make noises you know
[speaker001:] oh that's something that I mean if I had to work in an elderly home I don't think I could do it
[speaker002:] yeah
[speaker001:] like I I would really like to be a teacher
[speaker002:] yeah
[speaker001:] but I don't think I could do it because I'm very very emotional
[speaker002:] me too
[speaker001:] and the minute I mean the minute something happens I mean I cry on I mean you know Hallmark commercials but I'm just that's just the end of me
[speaker002:] yeah uh-huh I know I know
[speaker001:] and so I mean something real life I just I'm
[speaker002:] I know
[speaker001:] I uh interview a lot of children I'm an education reporter
[speaker002:] uh-huh
[speaker001:] and I always go you know everyday I'm doing an education things and
[speaker002:] uh-huh
[speaker001:] I meet these kids who are you know dropping out of school left and right and all the sudden they're in this program they're making straight A's they're going to graduate early
[speaker002:] um um
[speaker001:] and I'm just I just want to hug them and go you are just fantastic and you know I could just imagine you know working in a home like that
[speaker002:] yeah yeah oh yeah
[speaker001:] and those people they're so sweet and and so genuine
[speaker002:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker001:] you know and all they want is just for everything to be happy and you know
[speaker002:] yeah yeah
[speaker001:] and so that would probably just tear me apart I mean in a good way but you know
[speaker002:] oh it does yeah yeah yeah it is it's really hard and
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] but one of the neatest things I think though is we always take our kids I have a three year old and a six year old and they um
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] have gotten comfortable being around these people because they've always gone with us
[speaker001:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker002:] and the people love them and
[speaker001:] I'm sure
[speaker002:] they want the children you know to hug them or hold their hand and so far my kids will do it just real easily
[speaker001:] uh-huh uh-huh
[speaker002:] and I think it's because they've gone since they were real little and they've never been afraid but that's something to me children
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] you know need to people need to take groups of children because the kids just brighten up their lives they
[speaker001:] right yeah yeah
[speaker002:] as we walk through the the lobby they'll all say bring her here I want to see her I would love to hold her
[speaker001:] and children I mean usually a lot of elderly people like to they like to uh share their experiences with the younger children they'll be telling them all kinds of stories that they don't even know what they mean but
[speaker002:] uh-huh yeah that's true
[speaker001:] you know they feel like they've lived life so they need to share it and I'm sure I'll be like that too
[speaker002:] yeah yeah well me too
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] yeah it's quite an experience
[speaker001:] but that's great I didn't know there were such groups
[speaker002:] yeah yeah there are and and uh it really helps those people I think
[speaker001:] uh-huh
[speaker002:] but like you said I'd really have a lot of second thoughts before I put any of my own family members there
[speaker001:] yeah yeah
[speaker002:] it would be a last resort
[speaker001:] and I would hate it if anyone put me in one women
[speaker002:] oh I know I'm always afraid like oh no what if I lose my mind am I going to end up in a place like that
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] yeah
[speaker001:] somebody take care of me
[speaker002:] yeah that's right
[speaker001:] okay thus okay
[speaker002:] well
[speaker001:] okay well nice to talk to you
[speaker002:] yeah you too Tonya thanks for calling bye
[speaker001:] okay uh-huh bye-bye