January 19, 2011
Çortlanb (Obseruer
Page 7
Nursing Homes
Growing
numbers
present host of
challenges
(AP) - Adam Martin doesn't
fit in here. No one else in this
nursing home wears Air Jordans.
No one else has stacks of music
videos by 2Pac and Jay-Z. No
one else is just 26.
It's no longer unusual to find a
nursing home resident who is
decades younger than his neigh­
bor: About one in seven people
now living in such facilities in the
U.S. is under 65. But the grow­
ing phenomenon presents a host
of challenges for nursing homes,
while patients like Martin face
staggering isolation.
“It’s just a depressing place to
live,” Martin says. “I’m stuck
here. You don’t have no privacy
at all. People die around you all
the time. It starts to really get
depressing because all you’re Quadriplegic Adam Martin works with physical therapist Wes
seeing is negative, negative, Bower at a Sarasota, Fla., rehabilitation center. About one in
negative.”
seven people now living in nursing homes in the U.S. are under
65.
(AP photo)
The num b er o f under-65
nursing hom e residents has fered traum atic injuries. Still,
eventually ended up in his cur­
risen about 22 percent in the the overall percentage of nurs­
rent residence, the Sarasota
past 8 years to about 203,000, ing hom e resid en ts 30 and
Health and Rehabilitation Cen­
according to an analysis o f sta­ younger is less than 1 percent.
ter in Sarasota, Fla. There are
tistics from the C enters for
Martin was left a quadriplegic other residents who are well short
M edicare and M edicaid S er­ when he was accidentally shot
of retirement age, but he is the
vices. That number has climbed in the neck last year by his step­
youngest.
as mental health facilities close brother. He spent weeks hospi­
As Martin maneuvers his mo­
and m edical advances keep talized before being released to
torized wheelchair through the
people alive after they've suf- a different nursing home and
hallway, most of those he passes
have white hair and wrinkled about living with someone with
skin.
d e m e n tia or b ein g se rv e d
Advocates who help young creamed spinach. Many nursing
patients find alternatives to nurs­ homes try to house younger resi­
ing homes say people are often dents together, though in many
surprised to learn there are so cases their small numbers make
many in the facilities. About 15 that difficult.
percent of nursing home resi­
For young people who find
dents are under 65.
themselves newly disabled, the
Federal law requires states to psychological and social needs
provide alternatives to institu­ are often even more challenging
tional care when possible, though than their physical demands. That
its implementation varies from presents a challenge for nursing
place to place. Navigating the homes that are used to serving
system can require a knowledge­ people near the ends of their
able advocate and, sometimes, lives.
litigation.
Still, many younger residents
Not all younger nursing home sink into depression because of
residents are there for good. their physical limitations, their
Some nursing homes are seeing loneliness and their nursing home
an increase in patients who come surroundings.
to recover there instead of in a
Martin fears that may be true
hospital, because it is cheaper for him. He used to look forward
for their insurance company.
to joining the Army and earning
Like Martin, many younger a college degree in science or
residents have suffered a trau­ engineering. Now he sim ply
matic injury. Others have neuro­ looks forward to visits from his
muscular diseases such as mul­ friend Paul Tuttle, who on this
tiple sclerosis, or have suffered day brings him nachos he feeds
a stroke.
him along with sips of water.
The same generational ten­
“If I’m not here, he’s got no
sions that exist outside nursing one his age to talk to about foot­
homes are inside them as well, ball or anything,” Tuttle says,
and are sometimes exacerbated wiping M artin’s face.
by the often close confines.
Propped in his wheelchair,
O lder resid en ts com plain Martin says: “It makes you feel
about loud music and visitors, old. Il that's all you're around,
younger resid en ts com plain that's what you become.”
Planning for Aging in Place
Seminar looks
at home options
We all love our vintage homes
and their charming features such
as p o rc h e s, s ta ir step a p ­
proaches, multiple stories, and
staircases to the upper floors
and basements. But as our houses
age, so do we.
As anyone who has had a
mobility-limiting accident, such
as a broken leg know s, we
quickly find how challenging it is
to navigate into and around our
houses.
Sometimes we think we need
to move and that’s not necessar­
ily the case. “Aging in place” is
a growing field of house modifi­
cations that can be made to let us
co m fo rta b ly rem ain in o u r
houses.
A seminar that explores op­
tions for solving mobility limita­
tions will be held Saturday, Jan.
29 from 10 a.m. to noon at the
Architectural Heritage Center,
701 S.E. Grand Ave.
The focus is to learn about
what modifications are available
and how we might plan them
without damaging the historic
features of our houses. There
are good options - including
ramps, stair transport systems,
bathroom and kitchen improve­
ments, and more.
Two presenters who are cer­
tified aging in place specialists
with the Neil Kelly Company
will cover lots of options avail­
able and highlight some case
projects they have completed
that maintain architectural char­
acter.
Pre-registration is strongly sug­
gested by going to the website
VisitAHC.org or calling 503-
231-7264. Tickets are $18.
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