Pros And Cons Of Living In A Nursing Home

When family members bring their loved one to live in a nursing home, they might be thinking things like, they’re going here to die, or I hope they don’t hate me for this. On the other hand, the resident may be thinking, Great, they’re leaving me here to die in this place. While that may be true, in most cases they will quickly learn that it is just the opposite. As a nursing staff member, I hear nursing homes commonly referred to as an end of life care facility. However, I believe it is more like an extender of life care facility, where the elderly can experience interactions. Instead of social isolation they have interactions with staff members and others like themselves.
First of all, before a resident comes to live at the nursing home they are usually living by themselves. They do not do much throughout their day. They might watch television, read the newspaper, sleep, or talk on the phone if an occasional relative were to call that particular day. For the most part, while living at home they are socially isolated from all interactions. Furthermore, when a person typically first moves to a nursing home, they tend to be quiet and reserved, because they have no idea what to expect. Then, slowly but surely, their true colors start to show. That is when you know they are starting to come out of their shell. One of my favorite types of residents are the gossipers. Their family may not know this, but once they have interaction with others, they begin to develop friendships. They figure out what they have in common, and they start to sit together at everything. They will talk for hours about their lives with the other residents. Eventually, that will lead to gossiping about the other residents that are not sitting with them. That is how they become a “gossiper”. It is a comical thing to watch, but if you look at it …show more content…
Joe moved to the nursing home after his Parkinson’s disease had gotten worse. It was hard for him to come to the nursing home after living by himself for so many years. However, his family knew it was in his best interest, due to his declining health. While Joe was living at home, he would sit in his recliner all day long, sleeping and watching television. Once he moved to the nursing home, he started going to meals and developed two friends that he always sits with and talks to. Joe started talking and interacting more and more with the staff, affectionately having nicknames for some of the staff: Pookie, JellyBean, SweetPea, SweetiePie, and Sunshine. He even tells his family members about the staff with a smile on his face. Once in a while, when Joe knows I am working he purposely puts on his call light. When I enter the room, he says to me, “Pookie, I want you to meet so and so”. The family member gets a smile on their face and then they know Joe is definitely extending his life in the nursing home rather than it coming to an end, just with the social interaction he receives.
In conclusion, the elderly do eventually pass on when it is their time, but living in a nursing home does extend their life. They are not socially isolated. The staff and other residents help them find things that give them the excitement to continue on. In fact, they have interaction with others, even if