Thursday, November 3, 2011

Piece of advice when working a nursing home

Something that was always a source of annoyance when I worked nursing homes, was when staff would grab a resident's wheel chair.  They would grab the chair and think they had a right to move it aside if the chair was in their way.

Wheel chairs, to a person using one, is like an extension of themselves.  Grabbing a wheel chair is the same as grabbing you by the arm, or the same as me shoving you aside as I walk down a hallway.  Don't do it!

I've seen it happen way too many times and then seen the look of surprise on a staff person's face when the wheel chair bound resident got mad.  I'd be mad if you shoved me aside too.  

It may seem like a little thing to those of us not using a wheel chair, but it is not a small thing to a person in that chair.  Every nursing home should make staff people take turns spending a whole day having to use a wheel chair just to see what it's like.  Walk a mile in my shoes?  How about, spend a day in my chair?