I had already been doing quite a bit of communications work in the aged care sector, getting my head around living Longer Living Better, My Aged Care website, Consumer directed care and so on.
When it became necessary to find some respite care for my elderly and frail father because his carer, my mother, needed to go to hospital, I was keen to see what the process was like from the carers and aged person’s point of view.
Deciding to drop in on the most convenient nursing home to me I headed off that afternoon to get some information.
I lined up at the empty reception desk behind someone else who was waiting. After a while I asked, if they knew she was there? “No, I thought someone would be out here by now”, she responded.
So, I rang the bell on the desk and soon after, someone called out, “won’t be a minute”.
A few minutes later, a young woman came to the desk and explained that Mary would be in as soon as she finished her morning tea break. She was a nice, friendly young woman who reeked of cigarette smoke.
A little while later, Mary arrived, also reeking of cigarettes.
I explained that I was seeking respite for my father and was met with a blank stare. “Can you tell me what’s involved I asked?
With the expression and passion of a garden snail, she gave me what little information she was willing to give away. It was like pulling teeth.
With great patience I asked for more information. No top secrets, nothing personal, just cost and availability of space.
A nurse then took me on a short tour of the quite lovely premises. I left feeling that my dad would like the rooms and the beautiful views and as he would only be there a short time, he may not have the misfortune of meeting Ms. Cold Heart.
A week or so later, my father visited and said that he was happy to stay there for the time my mother was in hospital.
So, what did I think?
That, for at least some of the staff, cigarettes ranked higher than customer service or customer comfort – in a human services industry for vulnerable people – friendliness, kindness and compassion which I would expect to rank high were not in any great evidence. I was looking for a temporary solution, for many leaving a parent in a nursing home is a traumatic and difficult process. I feel for anyone who is upset and met with the sort of attitude that I received.
No need to have worried, my mother rang to tell me she had found a better alternative. House Sitters, Pet Sitters, Dependant Sitters.
And yes, you can be there is a blog in that.
