This Listening Post happened at
The Nursing Home Guide (http://ahcaxnet.fdhc.state.fl.us) ranks HHC overall inspection on the bottom 20%, compared to other facilities of its area.
Besides from what the inspection covers, the facility is well-maintained. From the outside it looks like an old house. In the inside it looks just like a hospital. There are
green areas and gardens where the elderly sit around, as well as an activities room. However, the most predominant feel of the place is of a hospital. The center aisle is made up of running nurses, some doctors, and elderly human beings seating in wheel chairs or lying in beds outside their rooms.
In a spacious room full of tables, a TV and a piano the environment changes. Apparently, most of the residents had just finished their lunch as employers cleaned the tables and floor. Some watch TV or read a newspaper, others talk with one another and others just sit quietly.
In this room, watching TV was Miguel Angel Luis, 81 years old. Miguel is a permanent resident at HHC. He is diagnosed with Diabetes and Hypertension. He speaks low, has a certain difficulty to hear others and doesn’t walk. Mr. Miguel Luis has been living at HHC for two years, where his wife visits him everyday. His four children, twelve grandchildren and two great-grandchildren don’t visit as often. He remarks that of his grandchildren one is black. Mr. Luis is fair skinned, blonde and blue-eyed. “He is black, but that doesn’t matter, I love him the same. He is the funniest and most caring one,” says Mr. Luis.
He misses his family, but he rather live in the nursing home, where according to him the staff and doctors are “the most caring and humane.”
He smiles as he talks, and smiles even more so when his best friend, Francisco, approaches the table. Francisco asks if Miguel will sing along with the pianist today. Miguel laughs. He is a music lover, especially for tangos and classical music. He used to sing in
Miguel wishes to go back to his country, at least when he dies. “I want to be buried in my homeland,” he says as he kisses a rosary hanging on his neck. “I am catholic and very devoted of the Virgin.”
On the other side of the same room is Maria Conceición Gonzales, known as Conchita. She is not a resident but a day care member. HHC picks her up at her house at
Fifty out of those 90 years she has lived in the U.S. Conchita moved from
Her favorite part of the day is manual craft time. She also likes singing, although she refuses to do so claiming her voice has changed over the years.
She reads many books although she can’t recall their names, not even the one she is currently reading.
“These people need other human beings more than anything,” said Alberto Fernandez, Director of Activities and Volunteer Coordinator. “Some families don’t visit, and some of these people don’t even have families.”
Residents and day care members participate in different activities in the afternoon. On Mondays and Tuesdays they play bingo. On Wednesdays and Fridays a young pianist plays for them, while they sing and dance. And on Thursdays they learn to play different board games.
Most of the staff and residents were busy and thus unable to talk. The residents happily shared their stories. The staff seemed somewhat uncomfortable. However, HHC was one of the few places that let me in with only a few questions. Other nursing homes were skeptical to have somebody interviewing residents and family members.
The hospital environment was something unexpected. I wanted to talk to a doctor but none were available.
“They won’t see you, sometimes they don’t even want to see the patients,” said Fernandez.
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