Doing the decent/right thing.

Upon entering the memory care unit of a nursing home, I’m always disappointed. Because nursing homes are businesses. With a primary goal. To make money. Treatment tends to be secondary. Therefore, one cuts corners. The ideal treatment is too expensive. Leaving little, if anything, for profit.  I’m an idealist. The romantic kind. Which means I’d declare, ‘To hell with profits.’ I’d create the ideal setting. By doing the right thing. Giving Alzheimer/dementia patients proper and effective care. Far less medication. And huge doses of good vibes therapy. By finding ways to enter the individual patient’s world.  Where I’d unleash good vibes. Soothing words. Always positive. Even when things go wrong, I’d not get upset. Because that’s a bad vibe. And no bad vibes are allowed. Under any circumstances. I’d become an actor. Playing the good vibes role. Without a hitch. Without hesitation. I know it can be done. Because I’ve done it. In caring for my dear sweet Jeanne. For 38 months. In a nursing home. I showed up daily. To provide supplemental ‘good vibes’ care for 8 to 10 hours. Then I went home. For much-needed respite. Otherwise, it would have been impossible.  Before Jeanne went into a nursing home, I was a 24/7 care-giver. Unable to help myself. Because I was exhausted. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. Every which way.  Little wonder. I fell into the trap of bad vibes. Maybe only 20 percent of the time. But that offset the gains made during the upbeat 80 percent. Good vibes therapy needs to be practiced round-the-clock.  Believe me. It works. Not only with Jeanne. But with other patients. Now. If I were a millionaire or a billionaire, I’d establish good vibes therapy nursing homes. As demonstration projects. To prove. Beyond a doubt. That where there’s a will – and money – it’s possible to do the decent/right thing. –Jim Broede