LTC big dogs at the top

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I live near a nursing home that has always had a reputation for having a lot of turn over with employees, and not the most eye appealing decor/environment. I had applied for a job there and also knew of a few people I had worked with in the past at another LTC facility who weren't particulary happy working there. A few days ago, I observed on my way home from work (I got a different job) a looooooong stretch limo with two businessmen, briefcases/bags hung from their shoulders, and a limo driver dressed the part, and another taking pictures of the facility. I guess one should expect those at the top to have such luxuries, after all it is corporate America. But, I just thought of all those employees who work their butts off and also the little old folks who in their final days, spend mega bucks on LTC and in this particular facility, the surroundings are rather drab and depressing. Perhaps this new owner of this LTC facility will make changes, but it sort of doesn't set right with me that there are suits/businessmen being escorted in limos while it would be only a drop in the bucket to make the facility eye appealing and a place the residents would be proud to invite family and guests. I'm just glad I didn't see this limo and driver thing while I was working in LTC.

Climbing down off my soap box now.

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Specializes in nursing home care.

I hear you girl. I work for a corportae nursing home chain and I'm quite sure the owner of the company is really living a life of all sorts of luxury neither the staff or residents could ever imagine. Do I think he cares about his staff or his residents - NO! He probably has so many managers working below him that he has no idea what goes on at ground level! I worked for a private nursing homes run by nuns before this and although some nuns get a bad name these were truly dedicated to their residents and staff. They cared. None of this 'we can't provide Mr X with a pressure mattress because he is borderline at risk of developing pressure sores and anyway it costs too much' - if I said someone needed a pressure mattress Sr X trusted me and bought one! I think it is down to us lowly staff to ensure we give good care, because our managers are rarely interested in anything but the dollars (except when they are threatened with a law suit!).

Keep up all the good work all you guys in LTC!

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This has become kind of my personal grudge!! I guess I believe in the free-enterprise system, but, somehow, making a profit off of old folks seems wrong somehow!

Especially when I see the personal care of those people declining in small ways. All the LTCF's in my area are either owned or run by corporations. It's not unusual to see employees paying for things themselves rather than fight with 'corporate'.

An example - our fax machine has been broken for weeks - the nurses fax a lot of paperwork to the doctors, and our pharmacy. It used to be the responsibility of the night nurse to fax certain things - now we can't - we have to leave it for the already over-burdened day nurse to use the fax in the administrators office.

I'll probably get in trouble, but I've decided that from now on I'll slide the stuff under her door, asking her to do it.

The other nite nurse stated that she had an extra fax machine at home, and she was getting so tired of not having our own that she was going to bring that one in - I told her absolutely not!!

Another home where my son and other family members work was taken over by a corporation - and they will no longer furnish HS snacks for the people - so the staff chip in ever so often and buy snacks for them.

Now, these are not dumpy, poor places! The one where I work has a great reputation - how, I don't know!!

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Another home where my son and other family members work was taken over by a corporation - and they will no longer furnish HS snacks for the people - so the staff chip in ever so often and buy snacks for them.

That's criminal!!! :nono: These people should be locked up!:madface: God bless the staff...they are truly angels of mercy!

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Tell me about it!! The LTC facility that I work for is also owned by one of the corporate "big dogs" and it's just appalling. I just went to a staff meeting the other day where all the directors got up and talked to us about Company X's philosophy and how their mission is to provide top-notch care for all of it's residents. They also talked about how much they care about their employees and how we are the "backbone" of the organization, how we should basically thank our lucky stars that we have jobs there. At one point, one of the head honchos made the comment about us taking sick time if we need it, because we get a certain number of sick days per year, and how lucky we are to have those sick days. One of the employees literally started laughing out loud when the head honcho said this... just a week ago, someone got fired for calling in sick to work with strep throat because they weren't able to provide a doctor's note (probably were too sick to get up and go to the dr that day!) and were fired on the spot. The corporate heads have NO idea what's really going on.... no clue at all. In reality, the employees are terrorized into coming into work EVEN IF they are sick and contagious. And the residents do NOT receive top notch care. "Marge" is a very slow eater and never has time to finish her breakfast, lunch, or dinner before "dining hours" are over- and her tray is ALWAYS taken from her with food practically hanging from her mouth. That's top notch care?---

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Specializes in geriatrics, pediatrics.

be careful what you generalize. I'm one of our top administration in a small not for profit home. Lst week some of my staff saw me getting in and out of a limo as I was taken to "jail "for Muscular dystrophy. and then had to recruit donations for bail. Some of my nurses make more than myself , DOn and administrator( also a nurse). Weekly I opurchase things for residents .60% of our population is medicaid , but they still like to have nice things or extra things. Not everyone at the top is evil or just out for money

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
I live near a nursing home that has always had a reputation for having a lot of turn over with employees, and not the most eye appealing decor/environment.
The vast majority of nursing homes, nicely decorated or not, have major problems with employee turnover and attrition.
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God willing, I do not want to get old and live in the United States. We are truly a pathetic nation.

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be careful what you generalize. I'm one of our top administration in a small not for profit home. Lst week some of my staff saw me getting in and out of a limo as I was taken to "jail "for Muscular dystrophy. and then had to recruit donations for bail. Some of my nurses make more than myself , DOn and administrator( also a nurse). Weekly I opurchase things for residents .60% of our population is medicaid , but they still like to have nice things or extra things. Not everyone at the top is evil or just out for money

You are a rare angel!! None of the homes in my area are 'not for profit'. I don't see anything that anyone has posted as a generalization - they come from personal observation.

The poster who talked about 'corporate' telling them how lucky they are sounds a whole lot like my facility. We had a meeting recently where we were told that 'they' were behind the nurses 100%! Yet when I informed my DON about the resident who is up all nite, going into other residents rooms - there are only two of us on at nite, and we can't keep an eye on her constantly - I was told to 'just deal with it'!

The home where my son worked, and they chipped in to buy snacks? They saw some communication about the CEO of the corporation getting a hugh raise - was that because they no longer furnish certain things? Like basic comforts?

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The home where my son worked, and they chipped in to buy snacks? They saw some communication about the CEO of the corporation getting a hugh raise - was that because they no longer furnish certain things? Like basic comforts?

Some do get incentive awards if they keep the budget down... nice big fat bonus checks! But to get them for not providing basic comfort needs???

:madface: eusa_silenced.gif :madface: eusa_silenced.gif :madface: eusa_silenced.gif I will silence myself before it's too late!

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Specializes in geriatrics, pediatrics.

don't give up. The elderly truly need all of us. WE become their family . In June we had to evauate our 110 bed facility due to flooding . SOme of the residents had family members show up and wanted to take them home and our residents would not go - because we knew how to take care of them. To those at the top who abuse the system or only appear to be in it for the money _ I say " what goes around comes around". Long term care is a specialty and we are the one who will be changing it in the future.

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Specializes in Medical Telemetry, LTC,AlF, Skilled care.

It really is ridiculous how some of the corporate nursing homes operate. I worked at one for about a year and the AM and HS snacks consisted of sour sugar free lemonade and graham crackers every single day. I'm sorry, but the meals the dietary department fixed there were so gross that I doubt bacteria would even try to digest it and yet the dietician couldn't figure out why so many of our residents refused meals and were losing weight... And don't even get me started on staffing issues 2-3 CNA's on 3pm-11pm for 60 total care and 1-2 nurses is simply appalling. Now I work in a hospital and LOVE it but I also do PRN at a private NH/ALF and it's a lot nicer and the residents seem pretty happy.

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