Walker and Wheelchair Bags Distributed

Over the past couple of months I have been writing about the project to provide everyone in a local nursing home with wheelchair and walker bags.  The whole thing started off innocently enough with the beautiful Rose heading up a project for her church to improve the lives of the residents of the Pine Shadows nursing home.  Over the past few months it grew as members of the quilt guild and the church made about 100 of each kind of bag and today was the day that we distributed them.


Here is one of the new bags in use... and it works!

I also got a chance to view this wonderful quilt on a patient's bad...hand quilted too!

And check out this fabulous afghan-

But there didn't seem to be a lot of these homey touches on a lot of the beds. 


I don't think anyone was enthusiastic to visit the home but 14 of us gathered to bring over the bags and to visit with the residents.  


First of all, the smell of urine and/or feces was NOT present so one worry was alleviated.  Also, despite a whole range of disabilities of young and old patients, the staff seemed loving and caring and I didn't see anyone with soiled garments or dirty bedding.  Another worry alleviated.  The final worry was about those who really can't look after themselves at all.  All the residents seemed seemed well cared for and their needs acknowledged and tended to quickly.


But here's the thing... no matter how nice a facility is or how healthy the patients could be, this is still a nursing home where most of the residents will leave when they die.  Families and friends visit rarely, if at all, and boredom is only somewhat alleviated by meals and light rehab activities.  Its depressing and not where anyone would like to be.  With 75% of the Medicaid budget going to these types of facilities I wonder how the level of care might deteriorate if certain politicians have their way.


BUT I am glad I went and that this project is over with for now.  I have  a feeling we will be making more as time goes on but not so many all at once.  I don't think I'll have all the energy I needed to get this project completed until next summer.