Although most ignorant people have some preconceived ideas about living in nursing homes, I was very disturbed to learn that you were one of them and would publically bash our industry without having all of the facts. Do I think it is the most ideal situation...NO, but sometimes people do not have a choice as to what they must do. We as caregivers can help their lives be the best they can possibly be under the circumstances. Our staff provides a high level of warm and personal care designed to assist each resident in living a happy and dignified life. Our residents are very happy, our family members are very happy and our staff look forward to coming to work everyday because of the knowledge that we are making a difference in our resident's lives. I understand that there are a few facilities that may not be the best to place your loved one but from what I have personally witnessed, those are very few and far between. It is unfair to place every nursing home into "that" category. Bottom line Mr. Moby......please accept this as a personal invitation to visit our facility - Heardmont Nursing Home - located @ 1043 Longstreet Road, Elberton, Georgia 30635. No appointment will be necessary as we have absolutely nothing to hide. We will provide you with a hot home cooked meal, include you in one of many daily activities, of course, that is if your cognitive status will allow you to follow direction, and finally we will end the day with a nice visit on our porch, sipping on an ice cold glass of sweet tea and listening to the amazing stories our residents have to tell regarding their lives. I understand you have an obligation to your listeners (which by the way, after today, I will no longer be) but I also have an obligation to stand up for those who seemingly have no voice at all.....my residents! Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Mr. Moby, Up to now I have been a fan of your morning show, but from this day forward, I will not listen to your station. Many aspects of your Jail vs. Nursing Homes comment are true. We as care givers watch as the system that is supposed to care for our elderly and infirmed fails them. The same system that gives so much to those who have murdered, robbed,& raped, etc., take so much from those who have fought for this country, who have been the backbone of our country. People think that nursing home operators and owners take advantage of those entrusted in our care, but the truth is our system puts so many regulations, and restraints on the faciities, that the staff often have to go to such lengths to prove that the care is done, that time that is spent documenting, is time taken away from the actual care. We cringe each time we hear the words budget reduction, or revenue shortfall, because we know without doubt that the firtst place they will cut will be nursing homes. You can't even imagine the requirements that are so costly unless you work in our world. I have been involved in this industry for 33 years, and I am here because I have a passion for the elderly, and a desire to do what is right, in hopes that some day someone will care enough to do what is right for me. Most of the employees in nursing homes feel the same way, but, yes, from time to time we get someone who doesn't care, who doesn't "get it", and they do not get to stay with us. Even with the unemployment rates as high as they are, and we beg for staff, sometimes, again, because of the regulations have to utilize some that we would rather replace, because we can't find anyone else. 95% of our staff are there because they want to make a different in the lives of those entrusted in our care, and their jobs are not easy. I see them come to work when they are tired, even sick, to take care of those who are sick and in need. Mr. Moby you haven't lived until you have a stomach flu go through your facility, when all your residents are vomitting and have diarrhea, and your staff does to, yet they come. You haven't lived until you see a resident dying, and the only one by their side is the staff members that take care of them day to day, because their family is to busy to come, you haven't live until you hear an Alzheimers stutter the words I love you, because they know that you care, and they recognize your face.
And in some cases you haven't lived at all until you come to a nursing home, because we CARE. Thank you for your time, and I hope you realize that you just lost a multitude of listeners.

I don't think this small town soapbox was directed to the nursing home workers but to the Government who controlls them. People who have family in the nursing home has to pay for the facility if there is no insurance coverage and in some cases they take there home from them that they worked for all their lives. I think what he was trying to say is inmates get better healthcare and luxery's than in a Nursing home. My father-n-law was in the nursing home and had great care but they tried to take everything he had to fund it as to when you go to jail the tax payers pay for everything. I myself think this is a problem. The people in nursing homes did not ask to be put there nor have they committed a crime to be there and they do get less care than inmates at no fault of the staff. Do you ever hear of cut backs at the prison's.

I am an activity director at Heardmont Nursing Home in Elberton, Ga.
I know there are people in this world who judge all facilities alike but I can tell you that they are not. My mother was a resident at this same facility several years before I went to work there. Why did I later become employed there? The owner thought I had "that special touch with the elderly" when I visited my mom and she offered me a position which has been such a blessing to me. That has always been a priority with her for those she employs - a love for the elderly. How can you compare a nursing home with a jail? We go on picnics to the lake, go to the local fair, attend services at churches in our community, go to the Christmas parade, go fishing, etc. And we have approximately 160 volunteers during a year's time from South Carolina and Georgia who do arts and crafts, church/gospel singings, karaoke, play bingo, provide humorous shows, and on and on. Do inmates get to leave their cells to go on these pleasurable trips? Do they have one on one visits with family, staff and visitors to let them know someone truly loves
them? Don't judge all nursing homes unless you have visited all of them or maybe you just prefer jail inmates rather than sweet Mom and Pops who could teach you so many wonderful things and values that you have yet to learn. I love my job, my residents and their families, my co-workers, my employers and what I especially love is that in America we have homes for the elderly to give them the love, care, respect and gratitude that they deserve. By the way, their food is hot and homemade, they are not left "all alone", they are as clean (showers) as hopefully you are and we have a "late nighters group" that love to watch the just released DVD's with some popcorn and soda that doesn't break up until around 9 p.m. Too bad our facility is full - you might like it there....dianatink

I started reading this with mixxed emotions. Many aspects of your comments of Jail vs Nursing Home are true, however the part that implies residents receive poor care when in a nursing home is not true of all homes. I agree, the government does have many failures in the system. This could be said for the many government cuts placed on nursing homes while the inmates seem to have many luxeries provided with the taxpayers money. So it would seem in our government it is better to be committing crimes than to be elderly. However, the comments that implied poor nursing home care are not true for so many that are diligently working everyday to maintain high standards of care. As a licensed health care professional, I can say I was privelaged to work as a Director of Nursing for Heardmont Nursing Home, Elberton, Ga and Hill Haven Nursing Home in Commerce, Ga. Both of these homes are owned/operated by a very caring local Elberton woman. None of what you describe in your comments happen at these homes. When an individual is placed in the nursing home their preferences are considered as well as family preferences. These homes welcome families and want their input. I have witnessed the many caring individuals that work in these homes going far beyond their job descriptions to make special events happen and bring a smile to the face of the residents. I have witnessed the nursing administrator worry over a government cut in dollars and then figure out how to give the same quality of care with fewer dollars. I have witnessed staff "adopt" a resident because their family is to busy to come visit. I have witnessed staff being by the residents bedside comforting when their time on earth is drawing near and family is not. I have witnessed staff bringing a resident fresh garden flowers because they can no longer get outside to see them. I have witnessed so many acts of caring it would take me hours to tell. The residents in these homes are happy, well taken care of and their families are satisfied with their care. So Mr. Moby, please don't help folks have preconceived notions about nursing homes. Heardmont NH and Hill Haven NH try to help families work through the negative feelings that sometime accompany them when placing their loved one. Go see for yourself that all nursing homes are not the same!!