by Roberta Carson, Zaggo, on January 23, 2017
Advocating for a loved one can make a huge difference in their comfort and care. Sometimes you learn the hard way that your loved one could be suffering unnecessarily. It happened to us. We got the call that nobody wants. Our 95-year-old uncle developed pneumonia and may not make it through the weekend.
My husband and I flew to the Midwest the next day to visit him in his nursing home. It was a difficult visit, seeing our beloved uncle so close to death. Equally upsetting was realizing that he was alone in this experience. Our uncle has no family nearby. Although he was being cared for by loving nurses and aides, it became quickly evident to me that he would be significantly more comfortable if he had someone advocating for him.
There’s room for improvement.