Visiting in the NURSING HOME.

[JustDucky]

Kelli, it's funny when you say you strip and shower as soon as you get home...whenever I came home, I literally stripped going up my stairs (my kids were little at the time), shoes stayed near the door. When I worked in the ICU, same thing....big bad cooties there too, but I didn't get as sick there as when I when I worked nursing homes because the nurses and docs were more careful about washing hands and such. Also, all of the patients had their own rooms, so no germ swapping between others unless people were careless. Definitely wear the mask. Hugs, jenn <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[JennifersHope]

I do the same thing.. STrip and shower.. My shoes stay in the garage.. never come in the house...and my clothes come right off as soon as I get home.... I then jump in the tub or the shower....

From what I have seen, nursing homes are way worse then a regular hospital as far as germs go..... Most of the staff in a nursing home are assistive staff and not trained professionals.

Assistive staff can be some of the most amazing and loving people in the world but they are not trained well ( for the most part) for infection control.

They are very overworked in a nursing home and often don't take the time because they are always rushing and behind to use proper precautions...

Also, Amy is right about the hospital aqquired infections being much more difficult to treat, we actually have a protocal to treat patients that are from nursing homes for pneumonia, they automatically get a much stronger antibiotic then the average non hospital non nursing home aqquired infection.

I think if you want to see your grandmother .. go fot it... you are an adult and you know how to use precautions.... I would just make sure you don't give in to the emotional side and break boundries..

For me personally, I have a real hard time not doing that.., My emotions almost always override my common sense..

 

[JennifersHope]

I do the same thing.. STrip and shower.. My shoes stay in the garage.. never come in the house...and my clothes come right off as soon as I get home.... I then jump in the tub or the shower....

From what I have seen, nursing homes are way worse then a regular hospital as far as germs go..... Most of the staff in a nursing home are assistive staff and not trained professionals.

Assistive staff can be some of the most amazing and loving people in the world but they are not trained well ( for the most part) for infection control.

They are very overworked in a nursing home and often don't take the time because they are always rushing and behind to use proper precautions...

Also, Amy is right about the hospital aqquired infections being much more difficult to treat, we actually have a protocal to treat patients that are from nursing homes for pneumonia, they automatically get a much stronger antibiotic then the average non hospital non nursing home aqquired infection.

I think if you want to see your grandmother .. go fot it... you are an adult and you know how to use precautions.... I would just make sure you don't give in to the emotional side and break boundries..

For me personally, I have a real hard time not doing that.., My emotions almost always override my common sense..

 

[JennifersHope]

I do the same thing.. STrip and shower.. My shoes stay in the garage.. never come in the house...and my clothes come right off as soon as I get home.... I then jump in the tub or the shower....

From what I have seen, nursing homes are way worse then a regular hospital as far as germs go..... Most of the staff in a nursing home are assistive staff and not trained professionals.

Assistive staff can be some of the most amazing and loving people in the world but they are not trained well ( for the most part) for infection control.

They are very overworked in a nursing home and often don't take the time because they are always rushing and behind to use proper precautions...

Also, Amy is right about the hospital aqquired infections being much more difficult to treat, we actually have a protocal to treat patients that are from nursing homes for pneumonia, they automatically get a much stronger antibiotic then the average non hospital non nursing home aqquired infection.

I think if you want to see your grandmother .. go fot it... you are an adult and you know how to use precautions.... I would just make sure you don't give in to the emotional side and break boundries..

For me personally, I have a real hard time not doing that.., My emotions almost always override my common sense..

 

[sue35]

I volunteered at a nursing home in college and the benefits outweighed any time I got sick from it. They were all just so happy to see me and talk. I think it really depends on how close you are with her. If you are close then go see her, take percautions, and try to see the benefits of visiting her.

 

[sue35]

I volunteered at a nursing home in college and the benefits outweighed any time I got sick from it. They were all just so happy to see me and talk. I think it really depends on how close you are with her. If you are close then go see her, take percautions, and try to see the benefits of visiting her.

 

[sue35]

I volunteered at a nursing home in college and the benefits outweighed any time I got sick from it. They were all just so happy to see me and talk. I think it really depends on how close you are with her. If you are close then go see her, take percautions, and try to see the benefits of visiting her.

 

[sue35]

Ok I totally thought that Kelli and Jennifer meant that anytime they go out anywhere they come home and strip and shower and I was amazed! But now reading it I realize that it is just for the nursing home which makes much more sense<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I was thinking about how many showers that would be!

 

[sue35]

Ok I totally thought that Kelli and Jennifer meant that anytime they go out anywhere they come home and strip and shower and I was amazed! But now reading it I realize that it is just for the nursing home which makes much more sense<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I was thinking about how many showers that would be!

 

[sue35]

Ok I totally thought that Kelli and Jennifer meant that anytime they go out anywhere they come home and strip and shower and I was amazed! But now reading it I realize that it is just for the nursing home which makes much more sense<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I was thinking about how many showers that would be!

 

[NoExcuses]

One of thing to think about - infection control isn't just about you.

It's about these poor, defenseless elderly people who can catch YOUR bugs. If you have PA, you are exposing them to PA. If you have MRSA, you are exposing them to your MRSA.

So wearing a mask is a great idea - that way you won't get your bugs on your hands when you cough - and your droplets from you mouth/nose won't land on any surfaces. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[NoExcuses]

One of thing to think about - infection control isn't just about you.

It's about these poor, defenseless elderly people who can catch YOUR bugs. If you have PA, you are exposing them to PA. If you have MRSA, you are exposing them to your MRSA.

So wearing a mask is a great idea - that way you won't get your bugs on your hands when you cough - and your droplets from you mouth/nose won't land on any surfaces. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[NoExcuses]

One of thing to think about - infection control isn't just about you.

It's about these poor, defenseless elderly people who can catch YOUR bugs. If you have PA, you are exposing them to PA. If you have MRSA, you are exposing them to your MRSA.

So wearing a mask is a great idea - that way you won't get your bugs on your hands when you cough - and your droplets from you mouth/nose won't land on any surfaces. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Kelli]

Sue that is hilarious!!!! It's only when I go to the nursing home or hospital that I come home and strip. And I'm not talking sexy stipping, it's just kick the shoes off at the door and make a b-line for the shower. That was funny though, I couldn't imagine taking a shower everytime I went somewhere! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

I volunteer for a Rape Crisis program and I go into hospitals to be with sexual assault victims and I do the same thing when I get home. And I carry a lot of that emotional 'stuff' with me. So having 20 mins in the hot shower really helped before I could come out and face others. I just needed that buffer time between helping rape victims and dealing with my life again.

~Kelli
29 f CF

 

[Kelli]

Sue that is hilarious!!!! It's only when I go to the nursing home or hospital that I come home and strip. And I'm not talking sexy stipping, it's just kick the shoes off at the door and make a b-line for the shower. That was funny though, I couldn't imagine taking a shower everytime I went somewhere! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

I volunteer for a Rape Crisis program and I go into hospitals to be with sexual assault victims and I do the same thing when I get home. And I carry a lot of that emotional 'stuff' with me. So having 20 mins in the hot shower really helped before I could come out and face others. I just needed that buffer time between helping rape victims and dealing with my life again.

~Kelli
29 f CF

 

[Kelli]

Sue that is hilarious!!!! It's only when I go to the nursing home or hospital that I come home and strip. And I'm not talking sexy stipping, it's just kick the shoes off at the door and make a b-line for the shower. That was funny though, I couldn't imagine taking a shower everytime I went somewhere! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

I volunteer for a Rape Crisis program and I go into hospitals to be with sexual assault victims and I do the same thing when I get home. And I carry a lot of that emotional 'stuff' with me. So having 20 mins in the hot shower really helped before I could come out and face others. I just needed that buffer time between helping rape victims and dealing with my life again.

~Kelli
29 f CF

 

[ladybug]

Amy makes a good point. I once went into the ICU to visit a dying relative who had contracted P.A. and was coughing and having a really hard time with it... They told me to wear a mask for HER benefit since I told them I also carried P.A. from CF. They seemed far more concerned about her getting worse than me, since I could go home and wash my clothes, wash my hands, etc.... It was weird being told I wasn't in as much danger as someone else, and having to wear a mask more for another person's protection.

Like most have mentioned, just use common sense. Mask, hand washing, washing clothes when you get home, etc... I've never really thought of nursing homes as being that bad, but I guess I'd never given much thought to it until now! So, I totally agree... many many older people have some serious bugs that either they know they have, or they don't even know! So, it is very wise to use precautions. But, in the same respect, I know you don't want to treat grandma and her room like a sterile area, so I'm sure emotionally you don't want to distance yourself. I think you're safe if you use the common sense practices already mentioned.

 

[ladybug]

Amy makes a good point. I once went into the ICU to visit a dying relative who had contracted P.A. and was coughing and having a really hard time with it... They told me to wear a mask for HER benefit since I told them I also carried P.A. from CF. They seemed far more concerned about her getting worse than me, since I could go home and wash my clothes, wash my hands, etc.... It was weird being told I wasn't in as much danger as someone else, and having to wear a mask more for another person's protection.

Like most have mentioned, just use common sense. Mask, hand washing, washing clothes when you get home, etc... I've never really thought of nursing homes as being that bad, but I guess I'd never given much thought to it until now! So, I totally agree... many many older people have some serious bugs that either they know they have, or they don't even know! So, it is very wise to use precautions. But, in the same respect, I know you don't want to treat grandma and her room like a sterile area, so I'm sure emotionally you don't want to distance yourself. I think you're safe if you use the common sense practices already mentioned.

 

[ladybug]

Amy makes a good point. I once went into the ICU to visit a dying relative who had contracted P.A. and was coughing and having a really hard time with it... They told me to wear a mask for HER benefit since I told them I also carried P.A. from CF. They seemed far more concerned about her getting worse than me, since I could go home and wash my clothes, wash my hands, etc.... It was weird being told I wasn't in as much danger as someone else, and having to wear a mask more for another person's protection.

Like most have mentioned, just use common sense. Mask, hand washing, washing clothes when you get home, etc... I've never really thought of nursing homes as being that bad, but I guess I'd never given much thought to it until now! So, I totally agree... many many older people have some serious bugs that either they know they have, or they don't even know! So, it is very wise to use precautions. But, in the same respect, I know you don't want to treat grandma and her room like a sterile area, so I'm sure emotionally you don't want to distance yourself. I think you're safe if you use the common sense practices already mentioned.

 

[2perfectboys]

When my Grandmother was in a nursing home, I use to take my boys to see her a couple times a month. All the residents loved seeing kids and it made my Grandmother's day, even though she was 98 yrs old and suffering from dymensia......my son never acquired anything from these visits. But ask me if I would do it today, I would say a big NO. The longer he remains infection free the more I am cautious about it.

A couple of years ago his class was taking a field trip to the downtown homeless soup kitchen to help serve. I wrote a note and told them he did not have permission to go. They called me about why he could not be a part of such a "learning experience". I think they thought I was a heartless person and could care less for poor people. That's not entirely true, even though I am a conservative. I told them besides from the risk he was at from walking in a high crime rate neighborhood, I did not want him exposed to all these people that had who knows what type of germs. They said, "well he won't be touching them" Hello, TB is airborne.......I think this is one of the first and best decision I ever made for him and his CF.