The latest installment of "As The Assisted Living Facility Turns"
It was a Wednesday aftenoon in a suburb of Los Angeles. I was working the afternoon watch as President of the Resident's Council at an assisted living facility. I have no partner and I'm not assigned to any detective division. Nor do I carry a badge. But the boss here is the Facility Director. And while my name isn't Friday, tomorrow is Friday.
Ah, those Dragnet re-runs. I digress though. On Wednesday we had the monthly meeting of the Resident's Council and the turnout was light. The Activities Director was there though and he'd asked to speak to the residents to open the meeting. The President thought he would only take two or three minutes, but he actually spent more than 15 discussing things with the residents. He solicited their suggestions about new activities that he might plan. He let everyone know that there would be entertainment on a regular basis. Then the suggestions started flying:
Trips - which become a massive undertaking because of wheelchairs, walkers and the limited space in the van that is easily used for these trips.
A fashion show - which could be done allowing all of the women who wanted to show off their fashions to parade up and down in front of the others who might be interested. But trying to bring in someone to put on a fashion show seems problematic.
There were a few of the usual complaints about the food. One resident complained that the facility's driver rushes her whenever he takes her on a shopping trip. The residents can have the driver take them to the market, the drugstore, Target or the 99 Cent store on Thursday mornings. The President took this issue to the Facility Director after the meeting and she promised to discuss it with the driver.
Then the President raised the issues he'd been asked to raise by the Director:
Don't try to serve your own popcorn from the machine. Ask the receptionist to get you a bag. If anyone else is seen putting their hands into the machine, it may go away.
Don't use the new pillows on the new furniture as seat cushions, or to lay down on the sofas or to sit on the floor.
Keep the place clean. There were reports of someone spitting on the hard floors.
Don't take an uncapped drink out of the dining room. If residents continue to do this, the rule requiring drinks to be consumed in the dining room will return.
Residents who want to come in and visit with others during meals can do so unless the person they are visiting with doesn't want them there. Anyone else who objects to that person's presence needs to mind their own business. The President does not look forward to trying to explain this to the one resident who has the biggest problem with residents visiting with other residents while he is eating.
Ah, those Dragnet re-runs. I digress though. On Wednesday we had the monthly meeting of the Resident's Council and the turnout was light. The Activities Director was there though and he'd asked to speak to the residents to open the meeting. The President thought he would only take two or three minutes, but he actually spent more than 15 discussing things with the residents. He solicited their suggestions about new activities that he might plan. He let everyone know that there would be entertainment on a regular basis. Then the suggestions started flying:
Trips - which become a massive undertaking because of wheelchairs, walkers and the limited space in the van that is easily used for these trips.
A fashion show - which could be done allowing all of the women who wanted to show off their fashions to parade up and down in front of the others who might be interested. But trying to bring in someone to put on a fashion show seems problematic.
There were a few of the usual complaints about the food. One resident complained that the facility's driver rushes her whenever he takes her on a shopping trip. The residents can have the driver take them to the market, the drugstore, Target or the 99 Cent store on Thursday mornings. The President took this issue to the Facility Director after the meeting and she promised to discuss it with the driver.
Then the President raised the issues he'd been asked to raise by the Director:
Don't try to serve your own popcorn from the machine. Ask the receptionist to get you a bag. If anyone else is seen putting their hands into the machine, it may go away.
Don't use the new pillows on the new furniture as seat cushions, or to lay down on the sofas or to sit on the floor.
Keep the place clean. There were reports of someone spitting on the hard floors.
Don't take an uncapped drink out of the dining room. If residents continue to do this, the rule requiring drinks to be consumed in the dining room will return.
Residents who want to come in and visit with others during meals can do so unless the person they are visiting with doesn't want them there. Anyone else who objects to that person's presence needs to mind their own business. The President does not look forward to trying to explain this to the one resident who has the biggest problem with residents visiting with other residents while he is eating.
posted by me at 5:51 AM
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