At a nursing home a group of seniors were sitting around talking about all their ailments. When don't they?
"My arms have gotten so weak I can hardly lift this cup to drink," said one.
"Yes, I know," said another. "My cataracts are so bad I can't even see my drink where is it."
"I couldn't even sign my checks for rent today. They are taking an arm and a leg from me, and my hands are so crippled," volunteered a third.
"What? Speak up! What? I can't hear you! said a fourth.
"I can't turn my head because of the arthritis in my neck," said a fifth, to which several nodded weakly in agreement.
"My blood pressure pills make me so dizzy I can hardly walk or do anything!" exclaimed another.
"I forget where I am, and where I'm going," said an elderly gent.
"I guess that's the price we pay for getting old," winced an old man as he slowly shook his head.
The others nodded in agreement.
"Well, count your blessings," said one woman cheerfully, "thank goodness we can all still drive." SCARY!!
I just look at them all and just want to laugh. The conversations that go on during meal time just kills me.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
X-RATED
Working as a CNA is not always an easy job. When I went through my CNA class to learn how to be a CNA, it did not prepare me for the reality of the job. There are plenty of good sides to the CNA job but you probably won't here that much about the down side. I'm here to spill it for you. These are a few of the things that I really don't enjoy about being a CNA.
Suck CNA Job #1: Residents Die
It's a fact of life. Everyone dies. But when someone dies who you have taken care of for awhile, it hurts. When they on your shift, it sucks even harder. Sometimes you find them after they die and sometimes you have the trauma of watching them die. Some die horrific deaths while others go in their sleep. There are so many stories I can tell you about dying. And having to clean them up after dying is one of the hardest jobs I have ever had to endure.
Suck CNA Job #2: #2. No really. Poop sucks. It's a fact of life. Everyone dies. But when someone dies who you have taken care of for awhile, it hurts. When they on your shift, it sucks even harder. Sometimes you find them after they die and sometimes you have the trauma of watching them die. Some die horrific deaths while others go in their sleep. There are so many stories I can tell you about dying. And having to clean them up after dying is one of the hardest jobs I have ever had to endure.
If you've never seen a river of liquid poop running off a bed and pooling on the floor, you aren't missing much. Poop stinks and having to clean it up just sucks. Especially when the residents play in it and finger paint with it. The most interesting poop experience was when I rolled one man over to wipe him and fart poop spray all over the wall. It was so nasty! It's like just don't breath. Then who is the one who needs CPR. Poop isn't always the same either. I've seen sticky poop that never seems to come off and sticks to everything. I've also seen poop come out of people's butt that was the size of a bowling ball. I'm not kidding. I swore that the woman gave birth. The smell sucks too. I've smelled poop that could have killed small animals, smelled poop that made me gag, smelled poop that smelled like something died and then there is the interesting poop. It smelled sweet and fruity like someone had placed a bowl of oranges in the room. If all poop smelled like that, wiping butts wouldn't suck so bad.
Suck CNA Job #3: Falls
Sometimes a resident falls. We dread this! Not only do we get in trouble if it's preventable, but we have to check them over to make sure they aren't hurt, call a nurse and check their vital signs every 15 minutes. The suck factor for knowing they fell and that they hurt is up there more than anything. Comforting them is an okay job but doing it because they fell sucks and makes the whole day suck. I usually worry about them for days. And they don't let you forget about it either.
Sometimes a resident falls. We dread this! Not only do we get in trouble if it's preventable, but we have to check them over to make sure they aren't hurt, call a nurse and check their vital signs every 15 minutes. The suck factor for knowing they fell and that they hurt is up there more than anything. Comforting them is an okay job but doing it because they fell sucks and makes the whole day suck. I usually worry about them for days. And they don't let you forget about it either.
Suck CNA Job #4: Getting Beat Up
People have this idea of frail little grandma sitting in her wheelchair, completely helpless. Let me tell you, frail little grandma can punch, hit, gouge and kick like a boxer. It sucks trying to care for someone who thinks you're the devil and is trying to kill you. We still love them, but man does it suck. My name tag ripped from my shirt, been kicked everywhere, punched, scratched, bit, spit on and beaten with everything in the room, including walkers. If you haven't had the pleasure of running for your life from someone with a walker, I have a few people to introduce you to.
People have this idea of frail little grandma sitting in her wheelchair, completely helpless. Let me tell you, frail little grandma can punch, hit, gouge and kick like a boxer. It sucks trying to care for someone who thinks you're the devil and is trying to kill you. We still love them, but man does it suck. My name tag ripped from my shirt, been kicked everywhere, punched, scratched, bit, spit on and beaten with everything in the room, including walkers. If you haven't had the pleasure of running for your life from someone with a walker, I have a few people to introduce you to.
Suck CNA Job #5: Horny old Men
Yea, yea, yea... I'm cute and look like I'm 25. But it sucks when I have to take care of men (or ever a women) who feel the need almost grope every body part I have. It sucks having to explain to them that it's not okay. It's inappropriate contact. It especially sucks when I am telling someone this who has the mentality of a 3 year old and won't remember what I said in about 5 minutes. I hate being stared at and knowing exactly what they are thinking. X-RATED...UHH! Seeing genitals like that...you get the picture. It just sucks.
Yea, yea, yea... I'm cute and look like I'm 25. But it sucks when I have to take care of men (or ever a women) who feel the need almost grope every body part I have. It sucks having to explain to them that it's not okay. It's inappropriate contact. It especially sucks when I am telling someone this who has the mentality of a 3 year old and won't remember what I said in about 5 minutes. I hate being stared at and knowing exactly what they are thinking. X-RATED...UHH! Seeing genitals like that...you get the picture. It just sucks.
Don't get me wrong, overall I love my job as a CNA. But there are things that make the job suck. I just go home, cry, vent and come back the next day hoping it will suck less than the day before. And usually it does. Just laugh about it!
Friday, March 29, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Falling in love with old people...their movies that is!
Senior Living...10 great movies that remind me of old folks
Grumpy Old Men
Driving Miss Daisy
The Note Book
A Grandpa For Christmas
Fried Green Tomatoes
Calendar Girls
Anne Of Green Gables
As Good As It Gets
Grandma's Boy
Back to The Future
What do you think? Add anymore if you would like :)
Grumpy Old Men
Driving Miss Daisy
The Note Book
A Grandpa For Christmas
Fried Green Tomatoes
Calendar Girls
Anne Of Green Gables
As Good As It Gets
Grandma's Boy
Back to The Future
What do you think? Add anymore if you would like :)
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Our residents favorite shows!!
Has anyone else noticed that the elderly get pretty repetitive in the activities they do or movies and TV shows they watch... similar to how little kids get obsessed with one movie and watch it over and over again?? Well, I wanted to write this post as a tribute to all of our residents favorite TV shows and movies!!
101: This resident is obsessed with 'murder mystery' type shows such as NCIS, even the novels she reads are usually darker stuff.
101: This resident is obsessed with 'murder mystery' type shows such as NCIS, even the novels she reads are usually darker stuff.
103: This resident is obsessed with making it back to her room in time after dinner to catch the 5 o'clock news... I never watch the news but she LOVES the news!! She also always watches a John Wayne movie every Saturday!
106: She watches the same few movies over and over, such as: Fiddler on the Roof, Gone With the Wind, but by far her favorite is Mrs. Doubtfire! I always seem to walk in on the part where Robin Williams sticks his face in the pie and peeks over the fridge and says, "hello!!" Haha :)
109: This resident always has her television blaring so loud!! She loves America's Funniest Home Videos and Who Wants to be a Millionaire. After those TV shows are over, I find that she loves her a good Sandra Bullock movie.
110 & 114: These two ladies are obsessed with the movie 'The Other Side of Heaven', they both watch it all the time!!!
A gift for you!
This will just be a short blog post, the other day I was working and talking to AN right after shift change and then 114 came in and handed me a small squarish shaped item wrapped in a napkin and tied with a yellow ribbon. She just came in the nurses station and tossed it to me... so then I opened it to see what was mysteriously wrapped inside and it was an empty jam container with an empty butter container stuffed inside of it! AN and I just burst out laughing and couldn't stop for awhile... it was hilarious!
-CT
-CT
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