Joe,

This is a first for me, and I will likely follow the same procedure by making a quick visit to the administrator. Seems like the logical thing to do.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

A main reason I don't play nursing homes or assisted living facilities is the sleaze factor. I'm a member and benefactor of a group called Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform and the data I have on "for profit" homes is shocking and disgusting.

I've been a primary caregiver for inlaws for over 15 years and have been dealing with these guys for about 10. You can't believe what I've seen.

I recently agreed to play an assisted living facility with the stipulation that the pay go to Bluegrass Animal Welfare League, another group I support that does free spay/neuters for the pets of those who can't afford it. the home came to me many times over the years and I decided to do it for BAWL.

No pay. Excuses about no funds, changing administration, etc.

I sued them for $150.00 and would do it again in a heartbeat. They paid when they got the legal notice. Thing is, when you dig just a little, most "for profit" places are like this.Statistics don't lie.

I simply can't be involved with the vast majority of these sleazebags! It's a national tragedy!


Russ

Russ,

You are absolutely right about the vast majority of these places, and new ones are springing up in our area every month. They take in huge sums of money for warehousing older people. My only gratification is that I can bring an hour of fun and entertainment to those, who through no fault of their own, managed to become old and infirmed. For the money spent on care, and I use that term loosely, for these individuals monthly, I could check into a great hotel in a Mexican resort hotel, have fantastic meals brought to me daily, have all my needs cared for, and have lots of money left over. The sad part is that I also see hundreds of wonderful people slowly going downhill and dying throughout the year.

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Gary, it's a good thing you and others are doing. I just prefer spending my time working toward getting legislation adopted to fix the problems. The issues are inadequate training, no required background checks, no minimum staffing level requirements, resulting in understaffing, use of narcotics excessively to minimize care requirements, physical and even sexual abuse and other inadequate care/management issues.

I think this is an example of the worst people can be...a real tragedy.

I play one job a week and donate the proceeds to the cause. Last year I contributed over $20,000 this way. Actually, I could do a lot more, since I have the client make the check out to the group, which makes the fee a qualified charity tax deduction.

That makes me feel good!

As we say here, "There are over 35,000 forgotten Kentuckians in abusive/dangerous situations", and hundreds of thousands across the country who desperately need our help. The situation is WORSE in other parts of the world.

That makes me feel very BAD!


Russ

Two things:
1. I'll be interested to see how Gary comes out after talking to the general manager. He/She may honor the agreement, in turn, over riding the AD. That, in itself, can be a problem for employee/employer relations. (Not Gary's problem...but one management has to consider.)

Or, the general manager may go the "delegation route" giving the AD complete control of the entertainment decisions. The best Gary could hope for in that case is collection of unpaid invoices. In either case, I agree with other posters here, litigation is not worth it, financially or stress-wise.

2. I have become somewhat disenchanted with the nursing homes. Over the last two years I have seen a lot of turnover in staff and management. When I first started playing them I was favorably impressed by quite of few of them. Little by little the atmosphere has changed and a lot of the staff that work directly with the residents can't speak English well enough to converse with someone who has all there faculties, much less impaired geriatrics. I am seeing more glazed looks on resident's faces as they wait to be told what to do next.

I am not close enough to the situation to have observed any abuse or special courtesies extended residents other than at the parties I have played...so can't comment on that.

Eddie