Care Homes or Careless Homes? A Slightly Cheeky Commentary
Ah, the age-old question: what do you call a place where people live quietly, some would say peacefully, and some… well, let’s just say they might be taking an extended nap? A nursing home? Or should we just call it a ‘lying down place’? Because according to the revelations in Dagbladet, it seems this place has all the oversight of a hamster in a pet store—plenty of cages, but no one checking on the little furballs.
Kjellaug Enoksen, head honcho of the Norwegian Association for Old Age and Nursing Home Medicine, has raised a few eyebrows—and probably a few alarms—over the notion of a “care home.” She claims it’s more of a misnomer rather than a suitable label, arguing that it gives residents a false sense of security. And frankly, if you can lie around for weeks only to be discovered when someone finally gets around to checking, it’s hard to argue against that! Even more shocking? People have genuinely been found dead for weeks in these so-called ‘care’ facilities! And here we thought ‘care’ would include some basic surveillance akin to a mildly interested dog watching its owner.”
Dead Without a Sound
Let’s add some context: we’ve got Jean Paul, aged 72, who suffered a stroke. He was found dead five weeks after his untimely departure from this mortal coil. Did I mention he lived in an Omsorg+ home? You know, the place with ’round-the-clock staffing’ – which apparently equals to no staffing if nobody noticed he was gone! And let’s not forget about Randi, a 74-year-old with Parkinson’s who managed to lie undiscovered for four whole months. Honestly, at that rate, she should’ve just rented out her room on Airbnb.
The Fine Line Between Homes and Haunted Houses
It raises an interesting point, doesn’t it? We’re calling these places “care homes” when, evidently, care is much like WiFi in the woods – nonexistent. There’s a belief among the medical crowd—including our own Kjellaug—that if you’re named a ‘care home,’ there should be at least *some* attentive oversight. I mean, if I’m visiting my grandma, a check-up every now and then isn’t too much to ask, is it? Or does that count as ‘too intrusive’ now?
Ah, the delightful paradox of bureaucracy at work, where a care home is categorized as a private home. It means that the residents must navigate the maze of home services like they’re in an escape room with no clues. Quite the adventure for anyone already a bit bedraggled by old age and health issues, wouldn’t you agree? It’s just like IKEA for the elderly—lots of promise with minimal support, and you leave wondering whether you should have brought a friend.
Words Mean Everything (Especially When They Don’t)
Now, Minister of Health Jan Christian Vestre has all the charm of a stone tablet when he states that simply changing the name won’t fix anything. Well then, if it’s not the name, I presume it’s just the excuse to keep shifting the issue under the rug, or maybe even under the dead folks in the corner? Oh, but don’t worry! He’s open to discussions and meetings, much like an enthusiastic networker in a Tinder bio. “Let’s chat—a little loose talk never harmed anyone, right?”
A Senior Circus Without a Ringmaster
The sad reality here is that today’s elderlies who are moving into care homes are, let’s face it, decidedly sicker. Oddvar Faltin, a lawyer and all-around elder advisory wonder, chimes in with the idea of standardized supervision. Imagine that! A call every now and again to check if anyone’s still breathing, maybe even adding a ‘how are you’ to the mix to spice things up.
So, can we get on board with a little accountability here? After all, it’s not a haunted house if we check the closets every now and then. Talking about spades and spades—let’s call a care home what it truly is when it lacks care; we could start a trend and call them ‘natural living facilities’ or ‘extreme solitary retreats.’ Who wouldn’t want to book a vacation in a place that starts with ‘care’ yet ends with lethargy?
Conclusion: A Well-Worn Path to Reform
In conclusion, it seems we are left with more questions than answers. Can we truly call these ‘care’ homes? Shouldn’t there be a threshold of care, much like a nightclub needs bouncers at the door? Because if they let in anyone who’s not properly supervised, I wouldn’t be surprised if the undead start running the place!
The take-home message here is: let’s hypotenuse some proper regulations around these ‘homes’ and stop giving residents a false sense of security while we’re at it. It’s high time these care homes start resembling their title more closely. After all, just because you can lie down and be forgotten doesn’t mean you should—unless, of course, you’re hoping to pull off the ultimate hide-and-seek.
– To label these facilities as nursing homes is utterly perplexing to me, especially when individuals can remain unmonitored for extended periods, sometimes lying deceased for weeks or even months without anyone noticing. It raises serious questions about the very nature and purpose of such establishments, remarks Kjellaug Enoksen, a prominent voice in this debate.
Enoksen, who leads the Norwegian Association for Old Age and Nursing Home Medicine, which operates as a specialist branch within the Medical Association, advocates for urgent reform in how these facilities are categorized and regulated.
In short
- Revelations from Dagbladet have exposed disturbing cases where residents were discovered dead in care homes after enduring prolonged periods without oversight.
- Kjellaug Enoksen from the Medical Association is advocating for substantial reforms, claiming that the term “care home” fosters a misleading sense of security.
- She emphasizes the troubling reality that these homes lack mandatory supervision and that many residents’ health conditions have deteriorated significantly while in care.
- Enoksen insists on the necessity for stringent quality standards to be established for care homes.
- Although the Minister of Health has expressed hesitance to change the terminology, he is open to engaging in discussions about the issues raised.
Enoksen is deeply disturbed by the findings disclosed by Dagbladet:
- Jean Paul, age 72, who suffered a stroke and was left with aphasia, lay lifeless for five weeks in an Omsorg+ facility located in the Grünerløkka district.
- Randi, a 74-year-old battling Parkinson’s disease and severe malnutrition, was found deceased after spending four months in a care home situated in the Alna district.
Both individuals tragically shared the experience of residing in municipal care homes, underscoring a systemic failure in oversight and care.
Following the unfortunate incident of Jean Paul, the Bydel Grünerløkka has announced that it has instituted alterations in its practices, while Bydel Alna has reported that an inspection by the State Administrator concluded that they acted appropriately.
A critical and troubling reality is that many individuals are unaware of the lack of guaranteed oversight in care homes.
Lay dead for five weeks
A care home is officially classified as a resident’s private dwelling, where individuals must apply for home services akin to other private residents.
There are no provisions binding care homes to provide standard care services, nor are there regulations mandating the supervision of residents.
Enoksen from the Medical Association expresses concern over this alarming gap in care.
Gives false security
– The label “care home” should imply some level of oversight. There has to be a system in place to check on residents’ well-being. In instances where individuals may fall seriously ill, they may not be able to seek help, Enoksen articulates.
With her extensive background as a specialist in internal medicine and infectious diseases, Enoksen points out that while nursing home regulations mandate the presence of medical staff to care for residents, there are no such obligations for care homes.
The terminology “care home” obscures the harsh truth and provides a misleading sense of safety, asserts Enoksen.
Randi died alone
The Medical Association has been vocal about the pressing need for clearer quality standards in care homes since 2012.
They have argued that all care homes should provide a distinct healthcare and support system, and that facilities failing to fulfill these criteria should be designated as senior apartments instead, as stated in their position papers.
– Stop calling it care homes
– It is fundamentally misleading to refer to these facilities as “care homes” when no supportive services are provided to the residents. When municipalities construct these facilities, there must be inherent quality requirements. If these do not exist, then a reevaluation of the term is essential, Enoksen argues passionately.
Recent data indicates that in 2023, there were 41,634 individuals residing in care homes, with 22,251 of those aged 67 and over, according to Statistics Norway.
Municipalities occasionally classify certain care homes as “Care Plus,” which are supposed to provide round-the-clock staffing.
However, there is still no overarching national framework that dictates the range of services or provisions for these facilities.
In the aftermath of Jean Paul’s unfortunate death, the district of Grünerløkka instituted new routines aimed at ensuring resident well-being.
Currently, all individuals residing in the district’s care homes are now presented with the option for individualized supervision agreements, according to Hanne Syse, the acting department director for Health and Coping in Grünerløkka.
Yet, it is crucial to note that this initiative is not consistent across the country.
– Cheap variant of a nursing home
Enoksen contends that municipalities strategically opt to invest in care homes as a cost-saving measure rather than constructing nursing homes, ultimately impacting resident care negatively.
– Omsorg Pluss represents a budget-friendly alternative to traditional nursing homes. Maintaining residents in nursing homes is considerably more expensive for municipalities than keeping them in Omsorg Pluss, adds Enoksen.
She further remarks on a trend indicating that those transitioning into nursing homes are, in fact, facing more severe health issues than ever before.
This shift implies that a greater number of individuals are requiring to remain at home or in care homes for extended durations, which Enoksen believes necessitates a reexamination of the care home standards by the authorities.
Will not change name
Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre (Ap) maintains that he will not change the “care home” designation, recognizing that the term alone does not equate to the provision of care.
– I don’t believe a mere change of terminology addresses the core issues, Vestre states emphatically to Dagbladet.
However, he remains open to exploring the scope of services offered to individuals in these facilities.
Vestre expresses a desire to meet with the Medical Association to gain insights into their perspectives. He believes it’s essential to consider whether enhancing outreach efforts is necessary, particularly in cases lacking a decisive plan for assistance, possibly indicating a need for broader preventive measures.
– More people with dementia
Oddvar Faltin, a legal adviser and elderly care advocate at Oslo’s Patient and User Ombudsman, vocalizes his criticism concerning the “care home” terminology. He emphasizes the importance of direct language in this dialogue:
– The level of care provided in a care home is minimal. True caring involves actively providing help, and here, that service is almost nonexistent, Faltin underscores.
He notes that residents must navigate the same application process to access services as other home residents.
Faltin raises concerns regarding the deteriorating conditions of those living in care homes:
– One recurring observation over recent years has been a clear trend towards residents experiencing a decline in their health status. Consequently, it raises important questions about how we should redefine the scope of what “care” should entail, taking into account the specific needs of these individuals.
Betrayed against Svein
Faltin observes a rising number of residents at Omsorg Plus facilities in Oslo who are now living with dementia.
He argues that it is now imperative to systematically incorporate institutionalized supervision in care homes, particularly in Care Plus facilities, to enhance resident safety and well-being.
Such measures could involve implementing regular check-ins with elderly residents, with the understanding that any participation would remain voluntary, contingent on their capacity to make informed decisions regarding their own care.
They Died Alone: All the Stories
– The need for ongoing assessment of these conditions rests with the municipalities, says Faltin.
He identifies a troubling issue regarding the strain on municipal health services, which seem under-resourced to adequately support the increasing number of elderly individuals living independently or in care facilities:
– Currently, as we shift to a model where more people reside at home or in care settings, the incoming residents into nursing homes are presenting with significantly greater health challenges. Shockingly, the home-based services have not been equipped adequately to deliver the necessary comprehensive and dignified care that these individuals require, asserts Faltin.
– I fear this won’t be the last instance where we hear about someone who has lain deceased for weeks or even months without being discovered. Moreover, the criteria for qualifying for placement in nursing homes have become excessively stringent, outpacing the capabilities of localities to adapt.
