Detroit Hospice Volunteer Book Review By Dr. Naomi Long Madgett: Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes

Book Reviewer: Dr. Naomi Long Madgett - Teacher, Editor, Publisher, and Poet Laureate of Detroit, MI
Book: Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes
Author: Frances Shani Parker, www.francesshaniparker.com


Before I read this non-fiction book, I knew very little about hospice care. I thought a hospice was an establishment where patients with only a short time to live went to die. They were kept as comfortable as possible in pleasant surroundings where family members could spend unlimited time with them. I knew several people who were released from the hospital to hospice care at home during their last days. But I was not aware of any other hospice situations. My knowledge of hospice care has increased greatly.

This book is divided into two sections. The first is titled "Everybody’s Story, Ready for the Telling" and consists of nine chapters. The second section, "Footsteps to Caregiving, Death, and the Future of Hospice," consists of seven chapters. Each chapter ends with a related, well-crafted, original poem by the author.

In the first section, readers are introduced to true stories involving a series of unique individuals. They motivate Ms. Parker, a public school principal, to become a certified hospice volunteer and interact with her during her years of service in Detroit nursing homes. She brings these individuals vividly to life, like characters in a good novel, and makes readers feel that they are present during every situation. Topics such as nursing homes, dementia, pain management, and death are covered in an easily understood manner.

Hospice care, I learned, focuses on a holistic approach to caregiving and supports the dying and their families through high-quality patient care physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually. The volunteer provides companionship, assistance with normal tasks, and advocacy for patients. Ms. Parker realizes that, although her specific assignments target hospice patients, her compassion extends to other patients. Interesting references to her upbringing in New Orleans, Louisiana enhance her storytelling. She is a dedicated volunteer with a deep understanding of human nature and an intuitive sense of what to do to make death as peaceful and satisfying as possible.

The second part of the book shares information that caregivers can use before, during, and after a loved one dies. Various death rituals and bereavement supports are mentioned. This guidance is helpful to all readers, even those who are young and in excellent health.

Improvements needed in hospice and nursing homes in general are examined. Recommendations include better implementation of the hospice philosophy, upgrading of nursing home conditions and procedures, and the elimination of racial and ethnic healthcare disparities. A significant and original comparison is made between schools and nursing homes. The similarities are remarkable in terms of patients’ and students’ needs, employees’ duties and accountability, and methods that promote success. Service-learning partnerships between schools and nursing homes are encouraged.

The final chapter, "Baby Boomer Haven," consists of an imaginary tour guide escorting readers through a wonderful nursing home. The environment and procedures described during the tour are based on best practices of nursing homes that actually exist today. These practices are lacking in many nursing homes in America. This tour provides a very appropriate conclusion to a fascinating book. A bibliography, resources, and an index follow.

Reading this book was extremely enlightening. Not like any other book I have ever read, it is so interesting and well written that I could hardly put it down. While maintaining universal appeal, perspectives of people of color are emphasized. I highly recommend this book for every individual who has ever experienced the illness and death of a loved one or who ever will. That includes everyone.

© Naomi Long Madgett, Ph.D.

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Becoming Dead Right (Scary Hospice Volunteer Book Review)

Many people avoid talking, writing, or even reading about the end of life. This reluctance to face death is reflected in this review of Becoming Dead Right by a reader who thinks death is her enemy: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/scary-hospice-volunteer-book-review-frances-shani-parker?trk=mp-reader-card

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More Praise for Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes from Roger Woodruff, Director of Palliative Care, International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia

"A school principal and hospice volunteer, Frances Shani Parker relates her experiences with dying people in nursing homes. The second part of the book is about what we as individuals and as a society must do to improve things for those who are dying. I particularly enjoyed the guided tour, conducted from a wheelchair, of Baby Boomer Haven."

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Book Endorsements:

Dr. Peter Lichtenberg - Director, Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI
Alice Hedt - Director, National Citizens Coalition for Nursing Home Reform
Karyne Jones - President, National Caucus and Center on Black Aged
Dr. Naomi Long Madgett - Editor, Publisher, and Poet Laureate of Detroit, Michigan
Dr. James C. Kielsmeir - President, National Youth Leadership Council
Nelda Brown - Executive Director, National Service-Learning Partnership at the Academy for Educational Development

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Frances Shani Parker, Author

Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hurricane Katrina: Nursing Home Evacuation Lessons Learned

It’s been two years since Hurricane Katrina and broken levees caused catastrophic flooding in Louisiana. Most nursing homes did not evacuate residents. Those too ill to sustain the tragedy died as hours of waiting to be rescued turned into days and nights of horror. Nursing home administrative directors plan for future emergency disasters by learning from these experiences.

This 2007 research study, which included Louisiana nursing homes in parishes affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, reports these results in the “Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.” The design included twenty in-depth telephone interviews followed by a focus group conducted in New Orleans, my hometown.

Nine of 20 nursing homes evacuated before the hurricanes, and 11 sheltered in place. Six additional nursing homes evacuated following the storms. The most common perceived consequences related to the evacuation process were resident morbidity or mortality (6 of 15), transportation issues (5 of 15), and staffing deficiencies (3 of 15). Common findings among the nursing homes that sheltered in place included supply shortages (8 of 11), facility damage (5 of 11), and staffing issues (4 of 11).

These were the conclusions, which centered around four general themes:

1) Directors felt abandoned by the state and federal emergency response apparatus during and after the hurricanes. They continue to feel that nursing homes are not a priority.

2) There is substantial physical and technical difficulty in evacuating frail nursing home residents.

3) Staff retention remains a critical problem, regardless of the evacuation decision.

4) There are key "lessons learned" that can be incorporated into future disaster planning.

You can listen to information at NPR.org.
regarding the negligent homicide trial of owners of St. Rita Nursing Home where 35 elderly residents drowned.

Frances Shani Parker
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Alzheimer's Disease: African American and Hispanic Survey Results

“The older I get, the less I remember.

She’s getting old and forgetful.

His mind goes blank since he turned seventy.

Do you hear comments like this a lot from senior citizens? I do. Many people equate old age with loss of memory. But a recent scientific survey concluded that almost 70% of African Americans and Hispanic families who have relatives with Alzheimer's disease dismiss their symptoms as part of aging, compared with about half of non-Hispanic whites.

This research information resulted from a survey released by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The telephone survey included 655 adults. Another conclusion of the survey is that African Americans and Hispanics were less likely than non-Hispanic whites to place relatives with Alzheimer's disease in nursing homes or assisted living facilities and more likely to rely on support groups. I know these choices are often based on cultural reasons. No doubt, hospice placement also would have ranked low if it had been surveyed.

These survey results indicate the need for more information outreach about Alzheimer’s disease, particularly among communities of color. The results partially explain why African Americans and Hispanics are often diagnosed late. More corrective measures should take place to prevent further racial-ethnic health disparities regarding Alzheimer’s disease.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hospice CNA/Nursing Assistant Story: “Little White Box” Video (5:13mins.)

Sometimes a nursing home patient needs someone to solve a special problem. The urgency becomes especially important when the patient is in hospice care, and death is imminent. “Little White Box” is a video story from “The Life and Times of Roger Dean Kiser.” A hospice volunteer, I was reminded of a hospice story in my own life when I read this story. In my story, I helped to locate a missing key for a beautiful music box owned by a patient who had never heard the box play before.

In “Little White Box,” Mrs. Mathers, a dying patient, keeps saying, “Before I die, my little white box, please.” But no one knows exactly what she means. To her rescue comes a caring and determined CNA/nursing assistant who successfully solves the mystery. With Celine Dion’s breathtaking singing in the background, this story will grab the handle of your heart and make you smile. Click here and enjoy "Little White Box."

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hospice Spirit Sightings (Video: 3:47 mins.)

Sightings of spirits are not unusual for hospice patients. I have had several patients tell me about spirits coming to see them. Patients also spoke about visiting the spirit world, often referring to the place they visited as heaven. Discussions about these visits created opportunities for patients to express emotions openly about death, while reflecting on life. They enjoyed describing their visitors and their trips. Their detailed conversations explained to me, not only whom they saw, but also the scenery and what the spirits were wearing. Pets were included in these descriptions.

(Below is an excerpt from my book Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes. )

“What did you do today?” I asked Rose after feeding her.

“Me? I’ve been spending time with my people. I enjoyed myself a lot.”

“Hey, that’s great. Did your relatives drive in from Chicago?”

“No, I went to heaven. It’s the nicest place, all clean and bright with beautiful scenery everywhere. I saw my family and plenty of my friends. They all wore long white gowns.”

“Wow! I guess that’s a place you’ll want to visit again.”

“Oh, I’ll definitely be going back. I’m planning to go stay there when I die. I’ll see if I can help you get in, too.”

“Thanks. I would really appreciate that.”

Some say these spirit sightings are chemical reactions in the brain or simply imaginary. Many say they are angels, while others say they are ghosts. What do you think about this mysterious phenomenon of spirit sightings? The following video addresses visions of Steve Jobs. He is widely recognized as a pioneer of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.

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Frances Shani Parker, Author

Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.

Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Service-Learning Intergenerational Partnerships: Schools and Nursing Homes (Students' Research Link Included)

Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes includes a chapter on service-learning intergenerational partnerships between schools and nursing homes.

What if I’m a student who needs mentoring, diverse experiences, and opportunities to share my skills with others? What if I’m a nursing home resident wishing I had some visitors, thinking I can still make positive contributions, looking forward to interacting with young people? If this sounds like a match between an itch and a scratch, you’ll understand why service-learning is so important.

Service-learning is a teaching and learning approach that connects learning with meeting community needs. It’s not the same as community service, although that’s another good service practice. Service-learning evolves from learning objectives in a school or community group setting. For example, after students learn how to write letters, service-learning would include writing letters to community people who would benefit from receiving their letters. Of course, service recipients might show their appreciation by writing students letters in response. The exchange is usually win-win.

Nursing homes are ideal places for students to visit and share what they are learning in school. Residents provide welcome audiences for students eager to perform their skits, songs, and poetry. Students can display and explain class projects and interview residents in supportive environments. Afterwards, they can mingle with residents and let the magic of intergenerational communication work to everyone’s mutual benefit. 

Because teachers prepare students well before their nursing home visits, students know what to expect. If a resident falls asleep or cries, students understand why that’s okay. The word "dementia" can be added to their vocabulary with relevance and meaning. They are open to the experience of being with the elderly and the challenged. They take pride in the roles they play in enriching lives. After they return to school, students reflect on how the nursing home visit affected them, what they learned, and ways to share that information with others.

You can view our fourth graders' ageism research at the link below. This resulted from their partnership with nursing home residents: 

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/intergenerational-service-learning-student-nursing-home-parker?trk=mp-author-card

Note: Winner of the National Service-Learning Partnership Trailblazer Award, Frances Shani Parker, an eldercare consultant, hospice volunteer, blogger, and former schoolwide service-learning principal, has been instrumental in implementing service-learning in school districts across the country. 

Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Elderly Brain Health: It's Never Too Late to Exercise.

Do you really lose it if you don’t use it? Is it no pain, no healthy brain? That depends on the people you ask. Before you start asking, however, keep in mind the DNA factor that we all have when it comes to heredity. Aside from that, we can do a lot ourselves to keep from losing our capacities to stay sharp mentally and possibly keep dementia at bay. An important key is to start exercising our brains early when we are young, in preparation for when we get old. But it’s never too late to start.

Speaking of brain exercise, here’s one submitted by Javan at Braingle: Brain Teasers, Puzzles, Riddles, Trivia, and Games. Answers are at the end of this post:

Find out what the animals are! For example, "to run away or escape" would be a "flea.”

1. Hair-control foam
2. Very exposed
3. Telling falsities
4. A lamenting cry
5. A dull person
6. A precious or loved one
7. First, you get a parking ticket, and then you get this.
8. These make up a chain.

A study by Advanced Cognitive Training for Independence and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), which included about 3,000 volunteers, concluded that after 18 instructional hours of varied thinking skills, participants were still better at those skills five years later. Learning to do new and challenging activities during old age has its benefits.

Even better is coming to old age with a history of being mentally active, with brain power in reserve. Good nutrition and physical exercise will enhance chances of success even more. One study showed that physical exercise by seniors increases brain power. Start crunching and doing that brain cardio. You can listen to more about maintaining a healthy brain in old age at the NPR.org Web site.

Okay, here are the animal answers:

1.Moose (Mousse)
2. Bear (Bare)
3. Lion (Lyin')
4. Whale (Wail)
5. Boar (Bore)
6. Deer (Dear)
7. Toad (Towed)
8. Lynx (Links)

Whether you have them all right or not, your brain is healthier for trying. Congratulations!


Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hospice in Prison: Inmate Volunteers (Video 4:17 mins.)

Hospice volunteering continues to evolve and diversify. In previous posts, I have explored hospice volunteers for pets and hospice volunteer medical students. How about prison inmates as hospice volunteers? It’s a great solution, particularly for an aging prison population. If a terminally ill patient is in prison, attentive caregiving can be especially beneficial when given by familiar faces of those who have also experienced the prison system.

A partnership between the McDougall-Walker Correctional Institution and Hospice and Palliative Care of Connecticut trains inmates who volunteer for hospice service. Participants learn how to implement the hospice philosophy by using supportive strategies with fellow inmates who are dying. Inmates who volunteer realize that they may die in prison one day and would want quality end-of-life care for themselves.

Tone, the first terminally ill inmate to benefit from the hospice volunteer program speaks favorably about the activities he shares with his volunteer. He appreciates not having to feel isolated at such a critical time in his life. If he is still alive after he has served his sentence, he will continue in hospice care outside the prison system with a new volunteer.

At a more recent blog post, you can read about and view a video showcasing hospice volunteer inmates at the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Culture Change in Nursing Homes: Sexual Orientation (LGBT)

A supporter of culture change in nursing homes, Barry Berman, the executive director of the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home Foundation, says his organization sees a need for skilled-nursing services and care targeting the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) market. The building of what will probably be the first skilled-nursing home LGBT facility in America will address that concern.

Due to misunderstandings or intolerance by others, elders of the LGBT community are sometimes made to feel uncomfortable about their sexual orientations and lifestyles. In some nursing home environments, they may be criticized or ostracized for doing what heterosexuals consider normal for themselves during everyday living. This includes such practices as spending time with their partners, reading LGBT materials, and freely sharing personal opinions.

The Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home Foundation will begin construction next year on a $26 million nursing home complex, which will have specialized units for the elderly with specific diseases and needs. Targeted health areas include Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS), blindness, and multiple sclerosis. One ten-bedroom unit will be used by elderly LGBT residents. The LGBT unit, which should open in 2009, will be called the Elsie Frank House, named after a famous openly gay political leader and the late mother of U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton). You can read this “Boston Herald” news article for more information about this specialized implementation of culture change in nursing homes.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Cemetery Technology: After Death – What would Grandma say?

Remember the good old days when you went to the cemetery with relatives to clean Grandma’s grave and leave flowers? Nowadays, this visitation takes on a whole new meaning. With all the pictures and symbols etched into stone, some granite headstones look more like scrapbooks. After all, a cemetery is about remembering. Now, there’s the Memory Medallion, a memory chip embedded into Grandma’s headstone, plaque, or monument, so you can see her picture while she tells you about her life and dishes out some old-school advice. In addition to this, hyperlinks can give you access to more information, photographs, videos, etc. that can be viewed on your hand-held computer or laptop.

Don’t feel like walking around graves? Go to a drive-by cemetery with low, tilted monuments that you can read while passing through. No need to get out of the car when you can look out the window. Don’t even worry about the time of day. Grandma’s tombstone glows in the dark.

Prefer not leaving home at all? Try one of several Web cemeteries like the World Wide Cemetery on the Internet. Grandma can rest in peace there with over 30 million other people keeping her company. Some cemeteries include pets. After entering through the virtual gate entrance, you can add family photos, sounds, hyperlinks to other sites, and your personalized memorial text. Did I mention you can leave flowers and a donation? Just give the okay. Checks and credit cards are respectfully accepted.

Finally, do you just want to connect with Grandma and not deal with cemeteries at all? No problem. Grandma can write plenty of e-mails addressed to you before she dies and arrange to have them delivered to you periodically after her death. It’s just another way to reach out and touch.

Death really hasn’t changed much. But our approaches to memorializing it have. Some say all this technology trivializes death and takes away from the spirituality. Others say it customizes their true feelings and the spirit of the deceased. My, my, what would your grandma say about all this?

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hospice Care and Advance Directives

Advance directives are important legal documents that can be completed long before a patient is ill. The healthcare power of attorney, also known as the durable power of attorney for healthcare, designates the healthcare proxy, who is the person assigned to make medical decisions for the patient when the patient is no longer able to do so. The living will states the patient’s wishes regarding the administration of end-of-life medical treatment when the patient cannot state them.

Advance directives are available at hospitals, physicians’ offices, legal offices, state health departments, and on the Internet. All states do not have the same forms. People can register completed forms at the U.S. Living Will Registry, which makes their requests available to hospitals and healthcare providers across the country 24 hours a day.

In a national research study on advance directives, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that of the 1,587 who died in nursing homes, hospitals, and at home, 70.8% had Advance Directives. Hospice patients were more likely to have them. Patients with Advance Directives were less likely to use a feeding tube or respirator during the last month of life. Among other conclusions, the study determined that Advance Directives were associated with greater use of hospice and fewer concerns with physician communication and information about what to expect.

The Five Wishes document is unique among all other living will and health agent forms because it looks to all of a person's needs: medical, personal, emotional and spiritual. This document helps people express how they want to be treated if they are seriously ill and unable to speak for themselves. Click here for more information on the Five Wishes document.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Elderly Hurricane Katrina Evacuee (Video 1:27 mins.)

What happens when you’re ninety-two years old and a Hurricane Katrina evacuee? For many of the elderly, the hardships of evacuating and relocating have been overwhelming. The loss of family, friends, possessions, and a way of life, along with chronic insecurity about the future, have taken a serious toll on them physically, mentally, and emotionally. While not listed in the official hurricane death count, it’s common knowledge that significant numbers of the elderly who have died during the two years after the hurricane were victims whose deaths were escalated by hurricane related causes.

Many of the elderly have survived with battered spirits and bodies. One elderly man’s story is told in this video titled “St. Bernard Project Rebuilding New Orleans Post-Katrina.”

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse

What causes a staff person in a nursing home to neglect or abuse a patient? There could be several reasons. But there is still no excuse for neglect or abuse. I once saw a patient slap a nurse aide so hard, I thought she would fall to the floor. To the nurse aide’s credit, she stopped, took a deep breath, and walked away. Another nurse aide took over. The patient, who had dementia, probably didn’t remember the incident later. I bring up this case to illustrate the kind of stress under which many staff members operate. Working in some nursing homes is not an easy job, especially when staff shortages and increased workloads are often the norm. But stress is not the only reason for neglect and abuse.

All staff members need ongoing training in patient care, as well as ongoing strategies for coping with the kinds of problems that are inherent to their positions. I know nursing home staff members who love their jobs and genuinely care about their patients’ well being. But working in a nursing home requires a special kind of person. Employees who have demonstrated an inability or unwillingness to perform their duties correctly should be held accountable and not allowed to continue working. The same goes for nursing homes that continue to get cited for violations.

Nursing home abuse includes behaviors such as residents being verbally degraded and physically punched, slapped, and even kicked by staff. Sexual abuse has also been reported. Nursing home residents are very vulnerable and sometimes cannot or will not report abuses. That’s why it is so important for caregivers and others to be to be watchful, protective advocates for patients, particularly those with dementia. They should look for signs of abuse, ask patients and other staff members questions, and vary the times of frequent visits.

Most of all, patient advocates should follow through until they get satisfactory results when abuse or neglect takes place. This can be accomplished by reporting what happened to appropriate authorities such as the nursing home administration, the state ombudsman, and the state health department that investigates complaints. Private legal action can be taken against the nursing home. Staff should be aware that certain forms of patient abuse are felonies that will result in prison time.

For more information, contact the Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Resource Center.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Dementia and Jewish Holocaust Survivors (Audio)

Dementia refers to a group of conditions that gradually destroy brain cells and lead to mental decline. Many conditions can cause dementia, but Alzheimer’s (Ahlz-high-merz) disease is the leading cause. Most people who have the disease are over sixty-five, with eighty being the average age of diagnosis. There is no cure for patients with dementia, and they need complete care eventually.

Survivors of the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were killed, experience special challenges with dementia. At eighty-two years old, Fred Festinger is one of sixty-five Holocaust survivors at the Los Angeles Jewish Home for the Aging. He can still recall being brought to a Nazi concentration camp at the age of sixteen. His main goal in life then was to reach the age of twenty. Two months after he turned twenty, he was liberated.

Like numerous survivors, Fred’s liberation was only a physical one. Because many of the survivors’ trauma was never treated through therapy or medication, they still suffer with flashbacks and nightmares. Dementia has resulted in even less control for them over anxiety symptoms caused by blurred realties of the past and present. You can listen to more about Fred’s life in this podcast at the NPR Web site.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Elderly Healthcare Almost Two Years After Hurricane Katrina (Audio)

This is an update on healthcare of the elderly and others in New Orleans, my hometown, almost two years after Hurricane Katrina. What New Orleans needs most in the area of healthcare is a workforce. There is a severe shortage in medical doctors. In one Mid-City neighborhood, five doctors remain of the 120 practicing there before the hurricane.

While the general population is still far below previous numbers, it is much higher than the number of healthcare workers available. The few remaining hospitals are overcrowded. Large numbers of medical records were destroyed in the floods. Before the hurricane, 2,269 beds existed for acute care patients in Orleans Parish. Only 635 remain today. Many chronic mental patients who need hospital care have few services available. Besides depression, patients are suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. The suicide rate has tripled.

New walk-in patients often show up with no medical records, no memory of prescriptions they had been taking, and no insurance. A significant number are elderly and on Medicaid. Chronic coughing, related to particles inhaled during cleanup and home renovation, is common. Treating patients is a stressful challenge to doctors, many whose own homes and private practices were destroyed.

As an incentive to increase the number of healthcare professionals, Louisiana is slated to receive a federal grant of $15 million dollars to provide up to $110,000 in payments to primary care doctors and other healthcare workers who move to New Orleans or surrounding areas. The government has a record of being extremely slow in disbursing financial aid in New Orleans.

Dr. Robert Travis Kenny, one of the five remaining Mid-City doctors, states, "I question why people with medical problems would return. Until you have enough hospital beds and the system gets up and running, it's a dangerous place to live for unhealthy people." Unfortunately, many unhealthy, elderly people have no other choice.

Most of the above information about healthcare in New Orleans came from an April 30, 2007 “Los Angeles Times” news article titled “A Post-Katrina Doctor Drought” by Ann M. Simmons.

You can listen to a more detailed account about the treatment of mental health patients in New Orleans at this June 11, 2007 interview titled “New Orleans Mental Health Crisis” at NPR.com

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Nursing Home Technology: Wii Video Game (Video 58 secs.)

During the past year, something unexpected has enhanced the culture change in some senior citizen communities. That phenomenon is the playing of Wii (pronounced “we”), a Nintendo video game that leads the nation in sales. Why unexpected? Most of the players have never used a video game before.

This popular cross-generational game is played with a handheld remote control (cutely called a “Wiimote”) that is mounted to the wrist and includes a motion sensor. Players press buttons and move to translate their actions onto a television screen. As complicated as that sounds, the game is very user friendly. Unlike most video and computer games, Wii involves a pleasing combination of mental and physical exercise, along with positive social interaction. There are several digital versions such as bowling, tennis, golf, and baseball. The best way to understand how Wii works is to watch people play. Click here to see a
Wii bowling game in progress.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog