I was recently reading an article on Nine MSN about the real need for nursing homes for young people with high care needs. This got me thinking: How many people have I looked afte
r in my time working in residential care that have not been elderly?
I have only looked after a handful of residents that were under the age of 60. Nevertheless, I have to agree with this article. I remember talking to senior management about this need only to be told that it was not profitable to set up a home for the young. I was told that the government does not fund young people that require high care thus the fees that would be charged to the family would be so high that no-one would even consider entering the home. But, the truth remains that there are young people that require high level care and they are forced to share an environment with elderly, demented residents. You can just imagine what this would do to their mental state. Many would become depressed, isolated and suffer major self esteem issues.
Just imagine if you were 30 years old, and you have been in an accident / had a CVA / suffer end stage MS. You would require high level care and the only place you can go to is the local nursing home, where the staff are only familiar to the needs of the elderly, so they treat you as if you were a demented elderly person. Your pride, dignity, whole sense of self is taken away from you because the government only provides you with one option of care (apart from home care, which is not always possible).
The young residents I have looked after were lucky in some ways. By entering our home, they had two young managers (both of us are in our early 30’s), and so too are the support staff. The mean age in our home is 38. We allowed them to remain in their rooms for most of the day, we ensured the family provided companions to sit with them throughout the day to keep them company. We allowed them to come out after all the elderly residents had gone to bed to do their activities, socialise or watch TV on the plasma, we took them to the RSL club up the road for a few drinks and get out like young people do. We reflected their needs as young people in their care plans and ensure the care was carried out, but how many other places do this?
So, why don’t we have nursing homes for young people? Why doesn’t the government recognise this need and provide the relevant funding? I think that the government needs to made aware of this issue, and it is problematic. There are more young people requiring high level care as people are suffering strokes younger and younger due to obesity and smoking related problems. People are getting dementia younger and younger that is related to substance abuse. I would love to work or manage a home for young people who require high care, as they too deserve a place where they can be cared for with respect, kindness and an understanding for their needs. The families deserve piece of mind knowing that they can place their wife, brother, sister, or husband in residential care and that they will not deteriorate due to depression or a lack of love for life.
What do you think? Is it worth starting to campaign for this cause? What do you think we can do? Let’s help these young people and show them that they too can have good quality of life.
Photo source (gettyimages.com)
What a good idea ! Yes…I do like this idea but I think this will only be a contingency in the city due to the logistics of numbers. Perhaps it would be easier on country/rural/regional folks if we could have a dedicated wing of an existing nursing home….a much better prospect than overextended stays in acute facilities….which happens everywhere, yes?
Fully agree that there should be specific sites for the young, where they can share sensible ideas, and where the majority of the residents don’t have dementia. Otherwise, the life becomes a living death to them.
With any luck, a whole plane-load of politicians kids on a school outing will crash in their plane, where all survive, but crippled. Then we’ll hear the demand for this care. Only then!
This not only an emotional topic, but a political one as well.
Young people residing in Nursing Homes, is often due to an acquired disability ( many types, but I’ll simply say disability )
In NSW, our State Govt. has a Department called Aging, Disability & Home Care ( DADHC ). This is the agency that should be asked to look after ALL young people currently residing in Aged Care Nursing Homes.
DADHC is funded well and truely beyong DoH, or any private provider for this class of resident.
It’s simply a matter of referral. It has to be done the right way, exactly according to the ‘rules’.
DADHC have Community Case Managers and a range of other support personal, to provide the personalised services to each and every client’s needs. They also have an extensive network of residential properties in which to house people.
Young people with various disabilities can be supported to live in a DADHC funded / supported house. DADHC supply everything required, including transport options; employment sponsorship/support, and all manner of aides, such as personal computers with individualised keyboard fittings / attachments to overcome the limitations of almost any disability.
Young people who are still living in Aged Care facilities need an advocate to push the ‘powers that be’ into getting DADHC onboard to provide better services and accommodation options.
regards,