No Vicks allowed

[Aarons Air]

So my dad who is 93 and living in assisted living, contracted pneumonia. The nurse practitioner of the center prescribed a 10 day anti biotic prescription. Wanting to help, i remembered a remedy my mother used as a boy. She would heat a dish towel in the oven, coat my chest with vicks, and put the warm dish towel under my t shirt, to melt in the vicks. I wanted to replicate this, as it always worked well. I bought a heating pad, vicks, and halls cough drops. I took them to the assisted living center, where i learned the vicks & cough drops would not be given to my father, without a doctor's order. The " doctor" in this case, being a nurse practitioner, who is only in the center one day a week. Just thought i'd share this experience, as a heads up as to what to expect, to anyone who may find themselves in a similar situation. Frankly it leaves me disgusted.

 

[1967coronet]

It was great of you to try to help. Mabey it will work out and he will get to use the supplies.

They would have really been POd at me.
Several years ago we used to sneak in vodka and chew to one of my grandpas old buddies. Lol.
Long time before today's rules.

 

[Darter6]

I watched my mom die a slow miserable death in assisted living for 2 years and passed at 98. No one should live that way.
It is inhuman.Other than taking him home, you just have to accept the alternative.

EDIT,Not saying that the staff and home are a problem.They do a great job.It's just sad to see someone sitting with no quality of life left.

 

[Ironbuilt]

It was great of you to try to help. Mabey it will work out and he will get to use the supplies.

They would have really been POd at me.
Several years ago we used to sneak in vodka and chew to one of my grandpas old buddies. Lol.
Long time before today's rules.

He was probably the happiest old man in the facility. Why live, if you can't live happy?!?

 

[Ironbuilt]

I watched my mom die a slow miserable death in assisted living for 2 years and passed at 98. No one should live that way.
It is inhuman.Other than taking him home, you just have to accept the alternative.

Sorry for her suffering. I believe in assisted suicide in cases such as that. I certainly hope that someone puts me out of my misery if I ever get to that point.

 

[1967coronet]

He was probably the happiest old man in the facility. Why live, if you can't live happy?!?

He was always glad to see us.lol
Once you start though there is no stopping.
I was lucky to have one of my brothers helping.

 

[gkent]

You want to prescribe a remedy, go get your medical license. She let's you do the Vicks thing next thing you know people are dancing around waving dead chickens and chanting. I'm on the nurse's side !!

 

[Ironbuilt]

You want to prescribe a remedy, go get your medical license. She let's you do the Vicks thing next thing you know people are dancing around waving dead chickens and chanting. I'm on the nurse's side !!

A home remedy for soothing relief is different than a medical treatment.

 

[moparedtn]

They should have let you bring those in to your dad.
He's your dad, after all - and Vick's has been known for many decades now.
At the worst, it would have had no affect at all.

Further, who's the customer here? That's YOUR dad, not theirs...

I don't have many stories to relay of my own family members being in facilities like that -
with everyone pretty much gone, that never became an issue (and of course, I won't be
around long enough for it to become one for my own wife, either)...
but I have been in most of them (dozens, in fact) in this region dozens of times over the
years as part of my gig and it absolutely breaks my heart.
I wind up sitting with residents often, simply because they want someone, anyone,
to visit with and talk to.
I hope it helps them - it tears me up, every damn time.

 

[Ironbuilt]

They should have let you bring those in to your dad.
He's your dad, after all - and Vick's has been known for many decades now.
At the worst, it would have had no affect at all.

Further, who's the customer here? That's YOUR dad, not theirs...

I don't have many stories to relay of my own family members being in facilities like that -
with everyone pretty much gone, that never became an issue (and of course, I won't be
around long enough for it to become one for my own wife, either)...
but I have been in most of them (dozens, in fact) in this region dozens of times over the
years as part of my gig and it absolutely breaks my heart.
I wind up sitting with residents often, simply because they want someone, anyone,
to visit with and talk to.
I hope it helps them - it tears me up, every damn time.

Who are you kidding Ed, you have kicked the Grim Reapers *** enough times that you're going to live forever.

 

[moparedtn]

Who are you kidding Ed, you have kicked the Grim Reapers *** enough times that you're going to live forever.

Me and the cockroaches, surviving nuclear winter eh?
No my friend, although I've managed to luck out a few times, there has been permanent damage
and that's fine, too - small price to pay for bonus time above dirt.

 

[#41]

My Dad too is in assisted living and they take very good care of him. I hate that he has to be there, but it is best for him physically. I also don't like they they seem overly cautious about everything, but understand the why part of it. I rationed that they really are are good people there and they care a great deal, but such are the limits of our society of liability. Hope this helps.

I always thought that we all mostly just got old and died, but statistically, roughly half of us will go into long term care. Considering how they keep coming up with ways to keep us barely breathing longer and longer, that statistic will probably get higher. Personally, I plan to take up smoking, drinking and carousing again in about 15 to 20 years.

 

[Hilljack68]

Personally, I plan to take up smoking, drinking and carousing again in about 15 to 20 years.

I was going to take up carousing, but my wife told me it may cause lead-poisoning.

 

[1967coronet]

I was going to take up carousing, but my wife told me it may cause lead-poisoning.

View attachment 1054730

Did you see the size of that diamond ?

 

[Slap Stick]

Yeah but her grip is all wrong. She needs some training.

 

[Triplegreen500]

You want to prescribe a remedy, go get your medical license.

It's an over-the-counter product, no licensing is required. If the patient could go get them himself, I'm sure he would.

The nurse was wrong. If you're happy with the care otherwise, you just kinda have to choke it down...but they should still allow OTC stuff, especially since it's a widely-available OTC external-application product. It's not like you're brewing something up in your basement from old animal parts, for them to take internally!

My father was in assisted living at the end as well. Anything OTC or otherwise-legal, we were allowed to provide for him if he asked, or if mom thought it best (he was 10 years her senior and she is still playing tennis weekly, walking/riding her bicycle daily, and singing in church choir and community chorus). Anything prescription, was all very interacive. They made recommendations and asked us what we thought about things before they simply started treatments.

 

[Slap Stick]

Are we talking about assisted living, where residents basically live in a hotel like building where cooking and cleaning can be done for them if they like or about a skilled care nursing home?