My husband and I were in to visit my MIL today and an aide told us that state was in a couple of days ago and saw the artwork of the residents on the unit(my MIL is on a dementia unit)that were hung on the wall in the activity/dining area and state said they had to come down, because the artwork was age inappropriate because it and was damaging to the residents dignity basically. The residents who could still understand were upset because they liked seeing what they made up on the way and the families were upset also.
The artwork is the only thing some of these residents even enjoy! Some of these things were pieces of different material on paper, collage types and some were drawings of different holidays, special events, etc. I feel bad for the residents, because when we have gone in, we have pointed them out and get a conversation going about the colors, ideas, etc. and some have worked really hard on these projects! What gives?
Can you follow up with someone in admin? Is it possible the aide does not know the full results of the report the facility got from the inspector? Something sounds fishy. Is it possible a snotty shift manager doesn't like it for some reason and is using the inspection to "clean up" anything he/she doesn't like?
Tempting to collect signatures from residents & family stating "the art stays" and send it to your legislator. I would be furious with the state for dictating this. Maybe propose that all state inspectors have their homes/offices stripped of all arts and crafts. They should lead by example.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
I don't know LTC rules as I don't work in one, so forgive my naiveté - but I don't understand why they would care other than a safety issue - do the inspectors get into subject matter and deem it "childish" therefore unaccepatable? Wouldn't that fall under a psycho-social umbrella -- besides who are they to say what is childish or not - if you think about it Picasso's stuff could be called childish and Jackson Pollock just splattered paint all over the place. (I do not mean that seriously art history friends)
Really, if you get a good agent you could make a fortune for these people! Some of thier artwork is way better than what you see in stores and auction houses today! Like the $600,000 sculpture of a Fairy riding on a Toad that was bought to place in front of some gov't building recently!
If you happen to catch the celebrity apprentice last night most of the celebrities were painting some pretty childish painting for their art gallery and they managed to raise 1.5million for charity.
I think most untrained adults still paint at a child like level. We dont suddenly get better at art without a lot of practice.
But on the positive side, that must be a dang good facility if all the state had to ding them on was the question of dignity and age appropriate artwork
Yep...care plan it, but how? I guess you can have a care plan on the people that did the art work.. but I would fight it first off with the state. I'd like to see the exact reg that it is referencing. How can making a place seem more like a home and show casing someone's talent/ hard work be un dignified?
I've always had a theory that it is a big mistake to give too much authority to lower level government employees. They can't keep themselves from taking it out and playing with it.
I agree with the person who said it was probably a manager using state to get her wishes. I wouln't believe it until I saw it written in the final report. If it really is from State, I think it is a violation of States authority. The common areas of a facility is supposed to be the resident's home. Who has the right to say which artwork you would like to put in your home? I could understand it, if it was profane, but I am guessing it's not.
I also say the Apprentice last night, and agree that a lot of the art was childish. However, art isn't mean to grow your intellect, but to center you and bring you to a better time and place. Who are we to tell someone that their beautiful souls who created these pictures are not quite up to par. Art gives us a peek into the hidden beauty inside of each of us. How dare State demean people for exposing their indiviuality and sweet personhood. Shame on State, or Management. Maybe it's because they don't have a soul, that they don't understand basic humanity.
CeilingCat, ASN, RN
209 Posts
Can you follow up with someone in admin? Is it possible the aide does not know the full results of the report the facility got from the inspector? Something sounds fishy. Is it possible a snotty shift manager doesn't like it for some reason and is using the inspection to "clean up" anything he/she doesn't like?