Re: March 1 Jeremy Meyer column.
Jeremy Meyer describes the details of a tragic event that occurred in a Lakewood assisted-living facility, resulting in the death of one of the residents. The column alludes to some of the complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease, and the difficult decisions that family members must make in finding care for their loved ones.
Both the choice of care location and the provision of care become much more complex when dementia is a factor. The details surrounding the events of last weekend were heart-wrenching, and I offer my condolences to everyone involved.
But it is unfortunate that the writer made some misrepresentations, which need to be clarified. For instance, he insinuates that nursing homes are somehow “demoralizing” places to live. Colorado nursing homes have long embraced patient-centered living in home-like environments. This means that each resident is encouraged to take an active role in determining the nature of his care, and the environment in which he lives. Colorado nursing homes are in the top tier nationally when it comes to providing high-quality care. To suggest that these are demoralizing conditions is an insult to the more than 15,000 Coloradans who work in nursing homes, and the elderly and disabled citizens whom they care for.
I understand that regulations in assisted-living communities may not be as stringent as the writer would like them to be. However, the vast majority of professionally operated assisted-living communities have operating standards that far exceed any state requirements. Most have higher standards for administrator education and experience, registered nurses on staff to meet resident needs, and self-imposed staff-to-resident ratios.
The importance of safety and quality in senior care environments cannot be understated.
I hope Coloradans understand that today’s nursing homes and assisted-living communities reflect a much more positive reality than some would lead you to believe.
Doug Farmer is president and CEO of the Colorado Health Care Association.
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