Smoking

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Any of your facilities smoke free? We will be pretty soon. I'm not a smoker and am a little glad that we will be cutting down on all the breaks, but on the other side....that means no smoking for residents. Isn't that thier home?? How does/ would the state look at this?

We have 450 apartments where there are many people who, believe me, would not be safe smokers! They set smoke detectors off constantly just with their unsafe cooking practices! :) We are a community that promotes health, and are a faith based community. We are not willing to risk burning the place down. I am not providing staff to "smoke" people. When you do that, it's never a convenient time, never often enough, etc. ~ been there and done that! We did have a resident who came to us end stage COPD, smoker from the minute she was here. She was on hospice, O2, not expected to make it. Now it is a year later and she is smoke free, O2 free, alert and oriented, off of hospice and enjoying her life here. We had another resident from a nearby facility who was temporarily placed with us and he was a smoker. I did turn my head when staff took him out to smoke. He had stated he wanted to stop, we got him a patch, but the urge was great. We assisted him with finding placement in a smoking facility.

Again, our job is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all of the residents in our community. No one is forcing them to choose to live here! It reminds me of a friend who moved to a real upscale development. You were not allowed to hang out laundry there. She knew that from the beginning and yet she rallied and shouted and carried on about the fact she could not hang wash outside!?:rolleyes:

We have 450 apartments where there are many people who, believe me, would not be safe smokers! They set smoke detectors off constantly just with their unsafe cooking practices! :) We are a community that promotes health, and are a faith based community. We are not willing to risk burning the place down. I am not providing staff to "smoke" people. When you do that, it's never a convenient time, never often enough, etc. ~ been there and done that! We did have a resident who came to us end stage COPD, smoker from the minute she was here. She was on hospice, O2, not expected to make it. Now it is a year later and she is smoke free, O2 free, alert and oriented, off of hospice and enjoying her life here. We had another resident from a nearby facility who was temporarily placed with us and he was a smoker. I did turn my head when staff took him out to smoke. He had stated he wanted to stop, we got him a patch, but the urge was great. We assisted him with finding placement in a smoking facility.

Again, our job is to provide a safe and healthy environment for all of the residents in our community. No one is forcing them to choose to live here! It reminds me of a friend who moved to a real upscale development. You were not allowed to hang out laundry there. She knew that from the beginning and yet she rallied and shouted and carried on about the fact she could not hang wash outside!?:rolleyes:

One facility had a resident who was alert and oriented and smoking all of the time outside where the designated smoking area was. Now he is suing the place because he stayed out so long smoking that he got a sunburn on his hands. I have also seen confused residents pick up and eat and pocket cigarette buts. Do not think Health care workers are under any obligation to assist residents to smoke because doing so they will expose themselves to second hand smoke. Guess they could get a family member or hire someone to take them off grounds to smoke.:)

Any of your facilities smoke free? We will be pretty soon. I'm not a smoker and am a little glad that we will be cutting down on all the breaks, but on the other side....that means no smoking for residents. Isn't that thier home?? How does/ would the state look at this?

One facility had a resident who was alert and oriented and smoking all of the time outside where the designated smoking area was. Now he is suing the place because he stayed out so long smoking that he got a sunburn on his hands. I have also seen confused residents pick up and eat and pocket cigarette buts. Do not think Health care workers are under any obligation to assist residents to smoke because doing so they will expose themselves to second hand smoke. Guess they could get a family member or hire someone to take them off grounds to smoke.:)

Any of your facilities smoke free? We will be pretty soon. I'm not a smoker and am a little glad that we will be cutting down on all the breaks, but on the other side....that means no smoking for residents. Isn't that thier home?? How does/ would the state look at this?

The facility where I work has recently admitted many younger residents who smoke. We have to assign a staff member to take them to smoke. We have assigned times posted, but it is never enough. They will drive you crazy all day long about going to smoke. Anyone who does not smoke does not have to be a designated smoke chaperon. It is a pain, but for some of the residents this is the only thing they have left.

The facility where I work has recently admitted many younger residents who smoke. We have to assign a staff member to take them to smoke. We have assigned times posted, but it is never enough. They will drive you crazy all day long about going to smoke. Anyone who does not smoke does not have to be a designated smoke chaperon. It is a pain, but for some of the residents this is the only thing they have left.

Specializes in Geriatrics, DD, Peri-op.
It is a pain, but for some of the residents this is the only thing they have left.

Exactly. I can understand safety issues. No one is refuting that. But, if they are safe then why are we going to take their last pleasure in life?

What happens when ALL homes go smoke free? Then they won't have a choice, will they?

Specializes in Geriatrics, DD, Peri-op.
It is a pain, but for some of the residents this is the only thing they have left.

Exactly. I can understand safety issues. No one is refuting that. But, if they are safe then why are we going to take their last pleasure in life?

What happens when ALL homes go smoke free? Then they won't have a choice, will they?

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Our LTC went smoke free but later was told that they had to provide a properly ventilated area indoors for the residents to use when the weather is inclement.It is their home...Determining their ability to smoke independently seems to be up to the social worker,DON and administrator...They frequently re-evaluate each smoker and we have several that have to be chaperoned and have never had trouble finding someone to do this chore...

Specializes in LTC,Hospice/palliative care,acute care.

Our LTC went smoke free but later was told that they had to provide a properly ventilated area indoors for the residents to use when the weather is inclement.It is their home...Determining their ability to smoke independently seems to be up to the social worker,DON and administrator...They frequently re-evaluate each smoker and we have several that have to be chaperoned and have never had trouble finding someone to do this chore...

If the state is now going to decide if I can smoke in my home or not I can only pray that I get hit by a train and squashed the day before I am forced to go into one of those "homes?"

If the state is now going to decide if I can smoke in my home or not I can only pray that I get hit by a train and squashed the day before I am forced to go into one of those "homes?"

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