Comments on: Ethics behind placing difficult children in nursing homes http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/ Parenting, Politics and News for the Perfectly Challenged Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:16:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: toopersonal http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-153036 toopersonal Fri, 04 Apr 2008 23:37:42 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-153036 I know someone who has a child with this disorder and she gave him to the State of California I believe when he was 4 or 5. He is now 14 and is living in a group home with troubled teens. He is fully capable, highly intelligent and does not understand why he is cannot be at home. The mother says she could not handle his outbursts and that he tried to harm his younger brother. Apparanlty on one occasion he tried to push him into the road and another time he took him into a tool shed with sharp objects. My question is ofcourse why weren't the parents supervising. The problem here is that the grandparent's would have taken custody of this boy except his mother refuses to take responsibility. She had two other sons, one who was given up to adoption and one who was left to be raised by his father. This child is being punished because his mother is a bad parent not because he needs to be in this institution and why should the state foot the bill? I think it's neglect and she should be criminally punished. I know someone who has a child with this disorder and she gave him to the State of California I believe when he was 4 or 5. He is now 14 and is living in a group home with troubled teens. He is fully capable, highly intelligent and does not understand why he is cannot be at home. The mother says she could not handle his outbursts and that he tried to harm his younger brother. Apparanlty on one occasion he tried to push him into the road and another time he took him into a tool shed with sharp objects. My question is ofcourse why weren’t the parents supervising. The problem here is that the grandparent’s would have taken custody of this boy except his mother refuses to take responsibility. She had two other sons, one who was given up to adoption and one who was left to be raised by his father. This child is being punished because his mother is a bad parent not because he needs to be in this institution and why should the state foot the bill? I think it’s neglect and she should be criminally punished.

]]> By: Petulant Pixie http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-105091 Petulant Pixie Tue, 21 Aug 2007 22:16:19 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-105091 Obviously, they're only there for people who do need them. When I was a social worker (back in the day, lol...) the goal was always to have people live in the most normalized enviornment possible. If they could function independently or with minimal services (people to come in every couple of weeks and help keep finances in order or whatnot) then that's what was done. For some kids, because of behavioral issues, they could not live at home. For some young adults, they preferred to live in a group home setting rather than live at home with their parents. They couldn't live independently (some maybe could later on, some would maybe always need a group setting), but the stigma of being 20ish and still living with mom-n-pop was too horrifying, so they wanted to live with people of a similar age and functioning level and have the security of a trained staff on duty (for driving, medical issues, shopping, safety). In Texas, sadly, I had an 11 year-old boy with CP placed into the adult day care I worked for during the summer. The child had well above normal intelligence, but was wheelchair bound and had some speech issues. The ONLY service available to him while his mother was at work was for him to be placed in this facility, which was geared towards people with alzhiemers and parkinson's and needed a supervised setting while their spouses (or adult children or other regular caregivers) were at work. They weren't ready yet for a nursing home, but that was the next step. They really did love it that this child was there every day all through the summer (and after school for a couple of hours during the school year), but for HIM it was tragic. He was a good sport and liked the old people, but I just thought it was a crime that there was no better placement for him. Obviously, they’re only there for people who do need them. When I was a social worker (back in the day, lol…) the goal was always to have people live in the most normalized enviornment possible. If they could function independently or with minimal services (people to come in every couple of weeks and help keep finances in order or whatnot) then that’s what was done. For some kids, because of behavioral issues, they could not live at home. For some young adults, they preferred to live in a group home setting rather than live at home with their parents. They couldn’t live independently (some maybe could later on, some would maybe always need a group setting), but the stigma of being 20ish and still living with mom-n-pop was too horrifying, so they wanted to live with people of a similar age and functioning level and have the security of a trained staff on duty (for driving, medical issues, shopping, safety).

In Texas, sadly, I had an 11 year-old boy with CP placed into the adult day care I worked for during the summer. The child had well above normal intelligence, but was wheelchair bound and had some speech issues. The ONLY service available to him while his mother was at work was for him to be placed in this facility, which was geared towards people with alzhiemers and parkinson’s and needed a supervised setting while their spouses (or adult children or other regular caregivers) were at work. They weren’t ready yet for a nursing home, but that was the next step. They really did love it that this child was there every day all through the summer (and after school for a couple of hours during the school year), but for HIM it was tragic. He was a good sport and liked the old people, but I just thought it was a crime that there was no better placement for him.

]]> By: Jessica http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-105081 Jessica Tue, 21 Aug 2007 20:18:22 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-105081 [quote comment="105047"]In Ohio, there are group homes specially designed for kids/teens/young adults/adults with autism. They vary in accomidation and supervision with age and functioning level.[/quote] ...but why would you even need one of those homes for most of the autistic children/adults who are mid to high functioning? The majority of autistic people are somewhere along the spectrum. Only a small percentage are extreme and unable to function. [quote comment="105047"]In Ohio, there are group homes specially designed for kids/teens/young adults/adults with autism. They vary in accomidation and supervision with age and functioning level.[/quote]

…but why would you even need one of those homes for most of the autistic children/adults who are mid to high functioning? The majority of autistic people are somewhere along the spectrum. Only a small percentage are extreme and unable to function.

]]> By: Petulant Pixie http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-105047 Petulant Pixie Tue, 21 Aug 2007 14:32:49 +0000 http://blog.imperfectparent.com/2007/08/20/ethics-behind-placing-difficult-children-in-nursing-homes/#comment-105047 I don't understand it. Surely there are programs more appropriate for kids/young adults than nursing homes. I didn't read the whole article, is this happening in anti-social service places like Texas? In Ohio, there are group homes specially designed for kids/teens/young adults/adults with autism. They vary in accomidation and supervision with age and functioning level. I can't imagine putting anyone not elderly in a nursing home. This reveals a huge need in these areas to upgrade their services. I don’t understand it. Surely there are programs more appropriate for kids/young adults than nursing homes. I didn’t read the whole article, is this happening in anti-social service places like Texas?

In Ohio, there are group homes specially designed for kids/teens/young adults/adults with autism. They vary in accomidation and supervision with age and functioning level. I can’t imagine putting anyone not elderly in a nursing home. This reveals a huge need in these areas to upgrade their services.

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