I met Donald back in early June while I was visiting a friend at the Silver Lining Nursing Home. He was just returning from a stay in the hospital after having surgery. The ambulance service brought Donald in on a stretcher and transferred him to his hospital bed. While this was going on the gentleman was almost dropped and I looked over because of the commotion; Donald did not have a stitch of clothes on. Where were his clothes? Nobody knew! The nursing home staff find a hospital gown to give to him until his clothes can be found. You see Donald does not have family or friends close by so he doesn't have eyes on the inside. This man is completely dependent on total strangers.
Donald had arrived between 2pm and 3pm in the afternoon. Supper (as they call it here in the south) is served around 5pm. His roommate was served supper, but none was brought for Donald. At 6pm I mentioned it to the CNA that he had not received any food. A tray was brought to him around 6:30. The tray of food was brought in, set on his bed side table, and left...this gentleman was so weak that he can not stay awake, let alone lift his arms to feed himself. The tray was retrieved untouched around 7pm. This (tray not brought, then brought and dropped off, and full tray picked back up) went on for the next two days at all meals. On the third day he was brought food with the rest of the residents, but he was still too weak to feed himself.
I started talking to him, "Donald you better eat so you will get your strength back. Please try to eat. You'll feel better if you eat." He would eat a bite or two and drink his milk. I did this every day for at least two weeks and every day he ate a little more and every day he became stronger. I am convinced that the sweet gentleman that I refer to as Donald would have dried up and blown away if the Silver Lining Nursing Home had continued their meal practices!
Does your loved one have eyes on the inside?
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