assistedlivingconcerns

The Future
What’s easier than predicting the future? In 1963, during my first trip to California, I learned the it had just passed the population of New York, my home. Both states had populations of approximately 18,000,000 people back then. Today, 45 years later, the population of California has doubled to over 36 million and growing, while the population of New York has been static, inching up to 19 million. Meanwhile, the world’s population increased from 3.2 billion in 1963 to 6.7 billion today. With a fixed amount of arable land, increasing the production of food will require greater use of fertilizers and pesticides, with little opportunity to allow some land to lie fallow to regain its nutrients. The increase in use of chemicals to raise food results in the further degradation of the world’s water supply. The emergence of the rapid increase in world residents has led to an increase in the rate of starvation. It is estimated that one billion people are at the risk of starving, while millions are actually starving to death each year and the number is growing. A single massive crop failure could plunge the world into chaos with the reality that exists today. Enigmatically, here in the US we use the production of corn to make ethanol rather than to use it to feed the hungry of the world. Also, we use grains to feed animals for meat. The Vegetarian Society claims it takes 15 to 20 pounds of grain to produce one pound of meat, claiming that meat-eaters are a main cause of hunger today. I find that claim a bit questionable since cows produce milk, which is used to make cheese and yogurt, while grain-fed chickens lay eggs. Unfortunately, religion and ignorance go hand and hand to prevent people from employing birth control to slow the growth of the world’s population. In underdeveloped countries the birth rate is over 6 births per family, while in countries that are industrialized, the rate is between 1 and 2 births per family. When the individual lacks a healthy diet, meaning a lack of essential nutrients, malnutrition leads to infectious diseases, TB and more, eventually causing many millions of deaths annually, especially among newborns. Even more basic is the need to adopt safe a drinking water supply, provide adequate sanitation services, teach good hygiene practices and promote safe food handling. Even in the industrial countries, the simple act of washing one’s hands is a relatively newly recognized good health practice. Clean water, proper sanitation facilities and modern plumbing are considered one of the main reasons people are living longer. In our country we take these developments for granted, but in the undeveloped nations, such necessities are unknown. In my day, outhouses were common and towns and cities across the land dumped raw sewage into the rivers and lakes. TV sitcoms displayed the town water commissioner as a buffoon. Every citizen must stay vigilant to make sure that government keep the water, air and food supply free from contaniments and keep washing your hands and those fruits and veggies.

Life at our senior center is forever without a dull moment. Recently, at a tai chi class one of the more contentious residents who insists on participating while not able too, was less than solicitous when I brought his walker to him after the class had finished. Inadvertently, his jacket slipped off the walker on to the floor. Replacing it, I carefully guided the walker into position at which point he got upset and announced that he was going to kick my ass. Of course, his threat was most obscure at best, which I took as a joke, but realizing he was serious, I whispered in his ear that if he did that he would find himself out on the street. This facility is made up of gracious, civilized residents who expect to be treated with dignity. They have clearly demonstrated that over their lifetime they have mastered the art of community. The conduct of our testy subject seems beyond the pale. At another time, while eating dinner, he was informed that his relatives were waiting with the dogs in the waiting room. He demanded that they come to his table, which was not possible since animals are banned from the dining room. Upon being told of that, he shouted, “Let them wait.” Why do some people go out of their way to be so obnoxious? Another resident has taken it upon himself to mentor this man, which bodes as a hopeless task. It is said that the wheel that squeaks gets the grease. Here, if you squeak too much you get the grease that slides you out the door. Some people age poorly while others grow with good manners in tact. While the vast percentage the residents here are good neighbors, a few are anti-social, but not troublemakers. Overall, a better crowd would be hard to find. It would be nice if the residents had something to say about who gets to join the community, but we are at the mercy of corporate America, which exercises total control over resident population. The formula for admission is a secret, but seems to be based mainly on ability to pay the exorbitant rates that are charged. We are classified as an assisted living facility, but many of the new admissions border on candidacy for nursing homes. It’s one thing to be admitted as an independent and eventually morph into a wheelchair, but to be admitted in a wheelchair is quite another matter. The attitude of corporate America is: “If you don’t like it here, you can move out.” We have a resident council that has the power to meet and discuss the concerns of the residents, but has little clout to implement suggestions or changes. Basically, the council is tolerated, or taken for granted by management. About the only changes the company has consented to make, deal with insurance concerns regarding safety. Being that the residents are a fragile, compliant lot, the chance of any change in the relationship between the work of the council and the response from our landlord are slim, indeed.