To Reporter Michael Berens of the Seattle Times: 
"Michael,
From the calls I've received about your article today - you're ruffling a few feathers and waking people up. That's a good thing - Most people don't pay any attention to Long Term Care issues until they are in a crisis - and then it's an emergency and they don't always make great decisions. Looks like those providers who abused or neglected clients got shut down, as they should.

I'm looking forward to the next 2 installments of your article... I hope you'll be
honest and fair.  How about showcasing some excellent homes? 
I can take you around to several fabulous AFH examples - where the system works beautifully for both care providers AND residents.  But then ... I suppose that articles about excellent care don't get as much attention as reports of abuse, do they? 

Adult Family Homes are wonderful businesses - when run properly. 
There's PLENTY of AFH regulations - have you not read them? 

The State didn't want to take the time or money to create the 48 Hour Training Curriculums - they just mandated 12 topics and 48 Hours.  Result - the 48 Hour Trainers and trainings are not all equally as good  - I agree. However, instead of throwing stones, I recommend you register for and attend John Wright's 48 Hour AFH Administrator Training - he uses the QNC curriculum. You'll see some excellence in action there. 

PLUS... there's Fundamentals of Caregiving, Nurse Delegation Training, Mental Health and Dementia Trainings, CPR, 1st Aid, and continuing education to keep us on our toes. We also have great pharmacies that support us in learning medications, delegating nurses, and home health companies that help us in oversight, etc, etc, etc...

I am in agreement about placement agencies - I believe they should be regulated. Don't forget - Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes have their problems and agendas too. Burnout is a continual challenge for caregivers - in any Long Term Care facility.  

People CAN make good money owning/operating an AFH - IF they do it properly.  Not all potential residents are appropriate for AFH living. Many people prefer an AFH to a NH if given the option. And it's true - some AFH providers take on residents they are not prepared to care for properly... and they don't realize it. 

What's on my site and in my training is not hype - it's truth.  I know it and I live it. Just don't take it out of context.  And a good caregiver is worthy of their pay.... as is a good reporter. 

Following up...
Jo Lyn Cornelsen RN
www.qualitynurseconsultants.com
 


Comments

John Wright
02/08/2010 12:46pm

"Good morning Jo Lyn!
I was reading further and the Internet to the entire series
is located here: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/seniorsforsale/

Choose the installment you want to see in the left column, and
then select the first bullet in the right column “Read More” to read
that series’ installment.

The headline of the series is a fallacy. AFH owners aren’t promoting
sales of residents – Sound Realty Advisors is. Under the guise of the
sensational headline, which reveals something about the reporter’s
character, he drops some morsels of truth about some honest tragedies.

However, it is difficult to find the truth when it is eclipsed by sleight of
hand, egregious overstatements, and outright omissions of counter
balancing facts.

For example, the reporter says that “thousands of vulnerable adults
have been exploited by profiteers…” This sounds like a statement right
out of a “talking points booklet” from some nursing home association
which is feeling the economic pinch.

The last time I visited a nursing home I found my loved one sitting in a
pool of urine for hours because the staffing ratio was 1 caregiver
to 15 patients – and the nurse said my loved one wouldn’t urinate
when she was told to. We removed our loved one from the nursing
home industry!

“It should scare people,” said Gary Weeks, director of the Washington
Health Care Authority, which represents nursing homes.

Yes it should – not adult family homes Mr. Weeks, but the truth
behind the curtain. Reminds me of the Wizard of Oz only there’s
no heart for the tin man in this version."

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