VJH is in the news again, and it's not good

[imahoser]

$800 out of their own pocket for education? Join the club.

[grammafreddy]

So what's the solution for a senior on a low fixed income pension if they can't do it themselves and have no friends or family who will do it for them?

[Roadster]

So what's the solution for a senior on a low fixed income pension if they can't do it themselves and have no friends or family who will do it for them?

There are nurses trained to do it, not always cheap tho. One drug store in mission I believe has a person who does it at the store and in homes, I saw an advert recently. Also foot Drs will, probably 40 bucks for them and by referral for foot issues.

My grandmother used to go to a clinic that ran once every couple of weeks at a seniors home, they did the home as well as drop ins for a cheaper rate this way ( in Alberta) I am sure there would be something similar here.

[superbee]

If the Senior is a Veteran, often the VA will cover the cost of foot care. One has to check with the VA for coverage.

I wonder if a Doctor orders foot care for a non-Veteran Senior, would BC Medical pay for it?

Do Seniors qualify for extra things at no cost after a certain age? More frequent eye checks for free, for example?

[Roadster]

I think BC medical helps with it, not positive tho but as with many specialist now there is a twenty or forty dollar "out of pocket" charge

[Queen K]

Foot care nurses who go door to door cost.

Yup. About $800 out of their own pocket, just to take the course.

PW, in no way was I suggesting that their services should be free to the user. I'm saying from the point of view from the elderly who are already say, paying $2,400/month or more, their incomes and capital are taking a huge beating and adding more costs to their healthcare seems insurmountable to them. So they let things "go" for too long, like toe nail appointments. And think about it, it is psychologically devastating for many that they no longer can "bend" to do it themselves. Yet another loss added to a long list of losses most of us don't even want to know about.

[Queen K]

So what's the solution for a senior on a low fixed income pension if they can't do it themselves and have no friends or family who will do it for them?

No idea, but alcoholics in Vancouver are being given free pre-measured "medical doses", crack addicts are getting free bongs and addicts have safe injection sites. Maybe something can be worked out for seniors with toenail issues.

[Phoenix Within]

PW, in no way was I suggesting that their services should be free to the user.

No, I get that. Just saying what the course cost is. Since your average nurse in acute care typically won't be able to perform it (as hospital policy), even in an acute care setting a podiatrist referral is needed (with fees) or someone from the outside can some in and do it (who has the course). It not typically something every nurse would or will have since it's not in their day to day scope, most won't have a need to pay the extra money for the course.

[superbee]

Good post, Queen K. It may seem a small thing, an unimportant thing to some, but often it is the small things at first that escalate into something big. A deceased Vernon aunt worked in Dellview for years, before the care homes were built all over town. I wonder who cared for feet at Dellview? Maybe the same workers who bathed the residents? Maybe it was not a big deal who did the job back then? Of course there were not so many Diabetics back then either. Long ago, if you were in the hospital, who trimmed your toenails? An RN? It seemed for a long time the RN's did everything.

[juz516]

Good: I have to commend the doctor and nurses in ER on Friday, Dec 30, for the quick responses and aid given to my Dad. They were phenomenal, quick, honest, kind and caring. He was transferred to ICU that night where, again, the care from the nurses and doctors was exemplary. When he passed New Years Eve, they were compassionate, kind and understanding and we could not have asked for more under the circumstances.
BAD: Dad was brought in to ER the week before with the same symptoms....was placed in the Minor Trauma area, which is uncomfortable, to say the least. He was admitted after a lengthy stay in both a "chair/bed" and a wheelchair, then taken up to the medical ward which, by the way, looked like a storage unit. That was a Thursday. The nurse assigned was impossible to talk to, no answers for anything....the bathroom in the room was filthy and when the doctor came in ( a fill in for Dad's doctor over Xmas, I guess) he asked ME why he was admitted in the first place. It was written no where in his charts and he was discharged that day.
I do believe that things happen the way they are supposed to to some extent, but it really makes you wonder when things happen like that. In a lot of cases in this health care system, the elderly are more or less "written off", I believe.
I think that the "tower" is a waste....although I do admit that the ICU is quiet, clean and staffed with knowledgeable doctors and nurses. Again, kudos to them!

[Phoenix Within]

The nurse assigned was impossible to talk to, no answers for anything...

Because quite often, that person honestly doesn't know, or legally can't tell you.

In a lot of cases in this health care system, the elderly are more or less "written off", I believe.

If you had any idea the amount of time, money, and resources that goes into caring for the elderly, you would not believe that. If anything, with the Baby Boomer population now entering retirement age, it's going to get worse.

[juz516]

No answers is no reason to be obnoxious and rude.
As far as the other, when our Mom was 70, they told her "what do you expect, you are 70 and your body is giving up", so if you hit "retirement age" then you should not receive the same care as someone 40???? Give me a break. This health care system AND society could learn something from some so called "third world countries".
I sincerely hope you feel the same way when you hit that age! It is scarey to think of what this province/country will become in the future.

[Queen K]

Where I work I see elderly people with appt. for every specialist under the sun. Chemo treatments, etc., you name it. There is a great deal of money being spent on healthcare for seniors.

[juz516]

Well, we just finished 30 days of radiation with our Dad. His general health was not monitored other than his weight...and we lost him New Years Eve, 2 days after finishing the treatment. The communication between techs, nurses and doctor was virtually non existent.....so yes, they do do the necessary things providing the families are willing to do the leg work and push. Dad donated monthly to the cancer society, and who do you think built the tower at VJH? Yet the Cancer society still canvases older people to bequeath their estates to them on a regular basis. These people worked and/or served for this country and now we complain about health care costs for them??? My sister also works in a "home"....and the stories are pretty sad.

[Fritzthecat]

A couple of cases I did have experience with:
One was a person who had rather severe dementia. This person was still walking and at first, didn't seem too bad. In the evening at at night, this person became very agitated, violent, abusive and would walk through the hallways, naked, searching through other peoples underwear drawers. They hallucinated and would tell fantastic stories to the family which believed this to be the gospel. The family was in total denial. The family actually had the Dr's remove the diagnosis from their file of severe dementia. The family wasn't happy when they asked what had been going on and I told them what had been going on. They also dictated to us how to use the medications we had and what they'd allow. None of them were trained medical staff. The result was 1) we were always at fault and were accused of being "horrible people" who were all "liars." 2) Due to the family and their denial, this person was denied a quality of life. Guess who got the blame? The Dr's and nurses.

Another case was a person who was almost 100. They were literally skin and bones, on tube feed, urinary catheter and a bag taped to their rectum to collect the chronically oozing feces. Their back was a giant pressure ulcer with bone exposed. The family would not allow this person to be labeled palliative and receive proper end of life care and comfort measures. Their attitude was "This person is almost 100 and never been sick a day in their life! Look what you've done to them!" They were, expecting a full recovery and last I heard were launching a lawsuit. The said the Dr's and nurses were rude, incompetent and uncaring. They were in denial too.

I can say quite often the family doesn't want to accept what is happening and needs somebody to blame.