please see attached file

Boateng 5

Flora Boateng-Sampong

UGMC

Gero 320

A Better Life

1. What are your general reactions to this chapter?

Not only was I hopeful, but I was also optimistic and confident that his methods worked positively and augured well with the elderly wellbeing. I was happy reading that the introduction of pets gave the nursing home more life, and older adults were able to get off psychotropic drugs, the mortality rate reduced, and the halved number of prescriptions. Generally, the chapters reading left me feeling optimistic for the elderly.

2. What were the conditions Dr. Thomas hoped to change when he became director of the nursing home?

Dr. Thomas hoped to change the ‘Three Plagues’ that existed in nursing homes – helplessness, loneliness, and boredom. His new eldercare approach was to replace worry and boredom with spontaneity, bring companions to eliminate loneliness, and given them an opportunity to care for another being to help with the helplessness at Chase Memorial Nursing Home.

3. How did his experiment alleviate these conditions?

His experiment brought life to the elderly inhabitants. With a lot of pets in the nursing home, gardens, and children, the results were extraordinary. The number of prescriptions reduced by half, with a significant number in the use of psychotropic drugs. Also, mortality rates fell by 15%. As it was the starting point of the Eden Alternative, such Green House Projects have come up with 150 Green Houses built in 25 states since 2000. Conditions were further improved by these small and communal spaces with a physical environment by the preservation of quality of life for the elderly, making them self-sufficient as well as offering them their privacy and dignity.

4. Describe the experiment and the reactions of residents and staff.

While at the beginning it seemed unachievable, given the number of cats on the two floors and the number of birds, the experiment de-institutionalized mediocre nursing homes by giving the inhabitants a purpose. By having the pets and a physical garden where the elderly could tend to nature or pet a pet was dedication enough to a cause beyond themselves. The staff, however, adjusted to the fact that it gave them life tending to these small things, and it provided the loyalty the elderly need to give meaning to their life and death. The residents were happy with the experiment, given that Lou Sanders knew that the Green House was the place for him immediately he arrived.

5. What does the usual approach to nursing homes suggest about societal attitudes towards the elderly?

The usual approach to nursing homes suggests that society take the elderly to be a burden even when all they need is the right conditions to feel involved, entertained, and self-sufficient. Though some cannot afford the time, resources, or finance to be with an aging parent, they still put them in nursing homes even though these people do not ask for a lot. As they grow older, their source of income dwindles and are soon not able to look after themselves (Gozalo, Pedro, et al., 1829). Their families or children, on the other hand, are committed to their new families or work obligations, leaving the elderly at home by themselves. While eldercare insurance exists, medical insurances at times do not cover the entire costs and many people are forced to dig deeper into their pockets to pay for services. Medicare will also pay up until the individual is feeling better than they were before an injury or incident and then stop despite the 100 days not being over (Gozalo, Pedro, et al., 1830).

6. What basic human needs did Dr. Thomas meet with his “experiment”?

The basic needs met included those as shelter and food. Notwithstanding, the experiment proved that interactions are as meaningful as giving their end-life meaning. Also, that the inhabitants could get privacy and the dignity they craved, I could say they were basic needs met.

7. Since his approach proved successful, how do you explain why it has not been universally adopted?

I think the approach has not been universally accepted, given the risk factors involved. While these furry friends carry diseases, transmitting these to an older person can cause more harm than the initial good intended. Some of the illnesses are fatal, and the amount of hygiene needed is demanding, and care has to be taken on soiled bedding, disposal of animal waste, and the need for vaccination. Slip and fall injuries could cause severe damage to an already frail body, and this could be a reason why the approach has not been universally accepted. Also, there is a fear of bite injuries even from the friendliest of pets. It can be risky to an older person as it might cause the spread of disease.

Works Cited

Gozalo, Pedro, et al. "Changes in Medicare costs with the growth of hospice care in nursing homes." New England Journal of Medicine 372.19 (2015): 1823-1831.

Friedmann, Erika, et al. "Evaluation of a pet-assisted living intervention for improving functional status in assisted living residents with mild to moderate cognitive impairment: a pilot study." American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease & Other Dementias® 30.3 (2015): 276-289.

Berry, Alessandra, et al. "Developing effective animal‐assisted intervention programs involving visiting dogs for institutionalized geriatric patients: a pilot study." Psychogeriatrics 12.3 (2017): 143-150.