Chiquita Smith, a retired staff member of the Women's Division, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, is frustrated that despite being expensive, nursing homes still do not render adequate care. And she wants our elected officials to know about it.

“The way nursing homes function is a sad situation,” Ms. Smith asserts. 

Overcrowded. Lack of communication. Unsatisfactory. These are only some of the ways Ms. Smith describes the current state of nursing homes in New York City. 

Many of her friends now have made their homes at nursing facilities and she makes it a priority to visit them. She refuses to allow visual blindness to get in the way of giving company to her friends. At these facilities, she often witnesses so-called “caretakers” isolating and neglecting seniors.

An even more abhorrent practice, Smith says, permits nursing home operators to profit from seniors’ pensions and Social Security payments while failing to provide the care the older persons deserve and paid to receive. Ms. Smith urges her friends and others to advocate for justice and humane treatment for seniors at nursing homes. 

The blame lies not only with the government and institutions, however. Ms. Smith steadfastly insists that seniors at nursing homes need to be cherished more. “The fact is that many people don’t care,” Ms. Smith says, stressing the callous attitudes of many people toward nursing homes and those who live there.

Some residents “do not have a soul come to see them,” Ms. Smith said, clearly disappointed in the culture of today’s nursing homes. Many seniors have no opportunity to interact with others and are left to stare at the walls or stay in bed.

Ms. Smith offers her sister as an example. Since distance prevents her from visiting her sister, who resides in a Philadelphia nursing home, she telephones her at least three times a day. Their brother is also in regular contact. 

“We have to be better,” Ms. Smith exclaimed. To facilitate a change, “people need to get out there, communicate, play board games, sing hymns,” anything to keep older persons from thinking they are detached from the independent life they once led. “People are not realizing that we could end up like [nursing home residents] some day,” Ms. Smith pointed out.

Church denominations and other religious denominations should also become more involved with nursing homes, Ms. Smith believes. If every church or other groups were to encourage people to visit nursing homes to visit with them and build on seniors’ interests, the residents will not feel as disconnected from their community and cultural roots. 

Smith mentioned that the elderly have great histories to share with the younger generation--what better way to learn it than from visiting these residents? Encouraging children to volunteer at nursing homes would help older persons feel more youthful while children gain an appreciation for the contributions of previous generations.

US citizens must ask themselves as baby boomers age rapidly, can we afford to delay nursing home and long-term care reform? Until that reform is realized, citizens must take it upon themselves to make nursing home life more bearable and humane.