Advocacy For Those “Held Hostage”

David Goud of Louisville, Kentucky, knows exactly what goes on in nursing homes since he has worked in the industry. We applaud Goud for standing up to the well-financed nursing home lobby with the following letter he wrote  to THE COURIER-JOURNAL, the daily newspaper in Louisville back in 2008.  David Groud wrote:

“I applaud Bernie Vonderheide (of Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform) for his advocacy for the residents held hostage in most nursing homes. I have had the misfortune to witness first hand the neglect and abuse that the elderly of our city endure on a daily basis.

Having worked in two nursing homes in Louisville, I can say that not only is there not enough nursing staff available to meet basic needs, but the quality of care given to residents would be comparable to an animal shelter.

It is also difficult to police nursing homes, because state inspections and investigations are rarely unexpected. Nursing homes know when they are to be audited and call in more staff than usual to give a better show of quality.

A civilized society should give better care to its elderly. At present, one can expect better quality care at a fast-food counter than at a nursing home.

My sincere thanks to David Goud for being an articulate, outspoken advocate on behalf of nursing home residents!