The television is going to be a bone of contention with me for a very very long time as no staff told me that Randy had no television. I was told by a casual acquaintance like "did you know Randy didn't have a tv any more." A television under the Health Act is not considered part of care unless you are a drug addict at St Pauls (no other hospital in BC has free tv for patients) then you have your own personal paid for television.
Someone like Randy who has a brain injury has no stimulation. He only has hours and hours of nothing so he can scheme on how and when to pull out his trach. On Saturday I was on the street asking for donations for Randy. A couple stopped and said they had a flat screen tv which they never use. A flat screen is necessary so that it isn't as heavy as the old loaner tv Randy had that fell down injuring a nurse on its way to the floor because of its weight. The screens are bolted to the ceilings. I gave them the address of GPC. I hope they deliver the tv to GPC and also visit Randy.
Yesterday Randy had a new Olympic t-shirt on, (I found a place that sells the surplus Olympic tees 3 for $10.00 but I could only afford one which I bought him the day before), a baseball cap, pj bottoms. He had no shoes on, no sherpa lined slippers, no socks. Although it was very hot and his hands and body were warm his feet were very cold and very blue. I have been taking an extra pair of socks each time I go so I can put socks on him and massage his feet until they warm up. He spent time trying to write his name on a white board and navigating his wheel chair. It was very hot so both of us didn't feel like doing much. We rested in the heat.
The doggies were tied up on long leashes in the shade on the patio area and hardly moved for the three hours because of the heat.
What is GPC doing. Are they being cruel just because they can. There is no other noun to use except cruel and I dare GPC to explain otherwise.
If there are vulnerable residents in GPC (there are no old people there)that are afraid of me then I would like to know who they are and who decides they are vulnerable and more importantly who told them to be afraid of me. I am an old lady that takes in rescued dogs. I am not going to hurt anyone. The harshest thing I have every done to the doggies is say QUIET in a stern voice. At best I would rescue a few GPC residents that were unhappy by talking to them and inviting them to become friendly with Randy's doggies. At least then they would have something like a family to look forward to when I visit Randy. The big dog is called Missey and the little dog is called Owen. Both doggies are very friendly and affectionate. But that is never going to happen because of Charge Nurse Tanu's rule: I am not to talk to anyone unless they talk to me first. And some of the residents can't even talk...
Again GPC is not a hospital it is a residential care facility i.e. homes where residents live as free Canadian citizens. These residents have their own voices; GPC should not be speaking for them. None of them are immediately palliative.
What made my day on Friday was a sign posted by GPC in the piano room boldly stating that any furniture is not to be moved and on the bottom of the post printed in ink were the words
This is your home so move the furniture if you want
finally, the start of a revolution by the residents within George Pearson Centre. The piano room is a common room so if a resident wants to move furniture around let them. And if the next resident wants to do so let them. I remember my mom would be constantly rearranging furniture. It made life a bit more interesting and it is free.
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