Letters to the Editor 08-10-1998
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Nursing Homes - Irresponsibility - Weather Photo - Missed
Nursing Homes
Editor, Times-Union:Some of you may have read about or heard recent news stories about nursing homes that give poor care or abuse their residents. This is horrifying, and makes people wary about all nursing homes. President Clinton has reacted to this news by recently announcing tough new legislative and administrative actions to improve the quality of nursing homes and give penalties to homes that do not follow the rules.
The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, a national association of nonprofit long-term care and senior housing providers, is in support of greater scrutiny of poor-quality nursing homes. Robert Greenwood, president of the AAHSA, has said, "We know who the worst of the worst are. Let's do what it takes to get them out of the industry. Let's focus inspectors' attention and resources on those homes providing the worst care and reward good performing homes by inspecting them less often." Although most long-term care facilities provide excellent care, those homes may be misjudged based on stories of poor care in a few homes.
When looking for a good nursing home, ask to read the inspection or survey of the home which is done by the State Board of Health. Here are some guidelines to finding a nursing home that gives quality care:
n A community-based board that ensures the home remains focused on its mission
n An active volunteer program that involves people from the community in the daily life of the facility
n No heavy odors, pleasant or unpleasant
n An open door policy that welcomes visitors any time of the day
n A physician who is available for emergencies
n A list of residents' rights, which are observed being honored
n Residents who are well-groomed and dressed appropriately for a full day of activity
n A friendly and available staff who appear pleasant, caring and accommodating to residents
n A philosophy of care in which physical and chemical restraints are used minimally or not at all.
For more information contact Robert Greenwood, president of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, at (202) 508-9475, 901 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20004-2011, or to get more information about senior housing issues, use their web site at www.aahsa.org.
Karen L. Kauffman
Director of Community Relations
Mason Health Care, Warsaw
Irresponsibility
Editor, Times-Union:Isn't it time for this nation to draw some lines and define irresponsibility, such as was recently exhibited so vividly by the Capitol Building killing spree by the supposedly mentally handicapped man?
IF any person (male or female) is mentally capable of planning a destructive mission such as the several recent ones, doesn't that person automatically prove himself/herself mentally alert enough to disqualify any claim of mental incapability?
We seem to misuse and excuse the mental insufficiency and psychologist twisting of justice by people who dislike capital punishment (and who doesn't dislike it); but why should society (we taxpayers) provide lifetime bed and breakfast "clubs" for killers?
An impulsive mistake can be argued over causative circumstances, but a carefully planned killing spree certainly is self incriminating and proof of mental alertness and degenerate intent. IF guilty, no mental or drugged excuses must be tolerated.
We must quit quibbling and wasting our law court's time and public money. It's high time to send this message to all who plan to kill (except in defense of family and home). IF you kill and are proved guilty, you deserve to die.
Rex Bradt
Warsaw
Weather Photo
Editor, Times-Union:RE: North Webster Weather Station and Nieter's Picture
I knew it! I knew it and Nieter's camera has proved it! The new North Webster Weather Station (NWWS) has pheremonic power to attract storms from neighboring states and bring them here, like the pheromones bring Japanese beetles from afar.
By changing jet stream flow patterns it has brought this summer's freak weather and there's no use trying to blame it on "El Nino" or "Ozone holes" or the coming Congressional election's hot air.
The only thing I can't quite figure out is Nieter's part in it. Is he the hidden witch doctor who controls so many violent scenes and manages to always be there and to take pictures which nobody else can foresee or picture?
Is this a relative of the Wyoming "Freeman's Group?" Some invading Ex-Planetary force? Who else could take such a picture of a lightning bolt that close to NWWS?
Or is it a news media plot to divert attention from Bill C.'s latest boo boo? Yes, anything can happen in an election year; people just might decide to go to the polls and elect decent persons - not an invader who misuses its weather forecasting stations to change the weather!
Rex Bradt
P.S. Nieter: That was a beautiful shot! How wet did you get?
Missed
Editor, Times-Union:I'm writing this letter to let people know about Aaron Hatfield and Hope Hatfield.
My name is Roberta Shaw. I am Hope's grandmother.
My daughter, Rebecca, and Aaron dated each other for a short time, and in this short time they had a beautiful daughter. She was born on June 15, 1997, on Father's Day last year.
Hope and her dad got to know each other for a short time.
Hope's dad was planning to come to her first birthday party on June 14. But on June 13 Aaron's parents came to our home and told us the awful news about her father's death. She also has a stepsister. Her name is Monica Hatfield. She was hurt in the accident also.
Aaron was a good father. He loved his daughters. We talked about their future. We talked about school, boys and you want to hear something funny. We also talked about him being a grandpa in the future. We had a big laugh about it.
But it's all gone. Because of a stupid thing called drunk driving. People don't understand the consequences when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated.
You might make it home without any problem. But kids nowadays think they are not destructible. Well wake up!
Drinking and doing drugs does not mix with driving.
Come on kids wake up. You are the future.
I have not cried yet. It hurt me to look at Hope and Aaron's family. Monica and Heather's family. Hope's dad is gone. Monica's mother and father both are gone. I'm mad and angry. But God will see us through this.
By the way, Hope and Monica's dad's birthday is August 1. He would have been 18.
My family got to know Aaron. We even grew to love him like he was our own. We miss him. May God be with Aaron and Heather and also Tyler.
They will be really missed.
Roberta Shaw
and daughter,
Rebecca Shaw
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- Nursing Homes - Irresponsibility - Weather Photo - Missed
Nursing Homes
Editor, Times-Union:Some of you may have read about or heard recent news stories about nursing homes that give poor care or abuse their residents. This is horrifying, and makes people wary about all nursing homes. President Clinton has reacted to this news by recently announcing tough new legislative and administrative actions to improve the quality of nursing homes and give penalties to homes that do not follow the rules.
The American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, a national association of nonprofit long-term care and senior housing providers, is in support of greater scrutiny of poor-quality nursing homes. Robert Greenwood, president of the AAHSA, has said, "We know who the worst of the worst are. Let's do what it takes to get them out of the industry. Let's focus inspectors' attention and resources on those homes providing the worst care and reward good performing homes by inspecting them less often." Although most long-term care facilities provide excellent care, those homes may be misjudged based on stories of poor care in a few homes.
When looking for a good nursing home, ask to read the inspection or survey of the home which is done by the State Board of Health. Here are some guidelines to finding a nursing home that gives quality care:
n A community-based board that ensures the home remains focused on its mission
n An active volunteer program that involves people from the community in the daily life of the facility
n No heavy odors, pleasant or unpleasant
n An open door policy that welcomes visitors any time of the day
n A physician who is available for emergencies
n A list of residents' rights, which are observed being honored
n Residents who are well-groomed and dressed appropriately for a full day of activity
n A friendly and available staff who appear pleasant, caring and accommodating to residents
n A philosophy of care in which physical and chemical restraints are used minimally or not at all.
For more information contact Robert Greenwood, president of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, at (202) 508-9475, 901 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20004-2011, or to get more information about senior housing issues, use their web site at www.aahsa.org.
Karen L. Kauffman
Director of Community Relations
Mason Health Care, Warsaw
Irresponsibility
Editor, Times-Union:Isn't it time for this nation to draw some lines and define irresponsibility, such as was recently exhibited so vividly by the Capitol Building killing spree by the supposedly mentally handicapped man?
IF any person (male or female) is mentally capable of planning a destructive mission such as the several recent ones, doesn't that person automatically prove himself/herself mentally alert enough to disqualify any claim of mental incapability?
We seem to misuse and excuse the mental insufficiency and psychologist twisting of justice by people who dislike capital punishment (and who doesn't dislike it); but why should society (we taxpayers) provide lifetime bed and breakfast "clubs" for killers?
An impulsive mistake can be argued over causative circumstances, but a carefully planned killing spree certainly is self incriminating and proof of mental alertness and degenerate intent. IF guilty, no mental or drugged excuses must be tolerated.
We must quit quibbling and wasting our law court's time and public money. It's high time to send this message to all who plan to kill (except in defense of family and home). IF you kill and are proved guilty, you deserve to die.
Rex Bradt
Warsaw
Weather Photo
Editor, Times-Union:RE: North Webster Weather Station and Nieter's Picture
I knew it! I knew it and Nieter's camera has proved it! The new North Webster Weather Station (NWWS) has pheremonic power to attract storms from neighboring states and bring them here, like the pheromones bring Japanese beetles from afar.
By changing jet stream flow patterns it has brought this summer's freak weather and there's no use trying to blame it on "El Nino" or "Ozone holes" or the coming Congressional election's hot air.
The only thing I can't quite figure out is Nieter's part in it. Is he the hidden witch doctor who controls so many violent scenes and manages to always be there and to take pictures which nobody else can foresee or picture?
Is this a relative of the Wyoming "Freeman's Group?" Some invading Ex-Planetary force? Who else could take such a picture of a lightning bolt that close to NWWS?
Or is it a news media plot to divert attention from Bill C.'s latest boo boo? Yes, anything can happen in an election year; people just might decide to go to the polls and elect decent persons - not an invader who misuses its weather forecasting stations to change the weather!
Rex Bradt
P.S. Nieter: That was a beautiful shot! How wet did you get?
Missed
Editor, Times-Union:I'm writing this letter to let people know about Aaron Hatfield and Hope Hatfield.
My name is Roberta Shaw. I am Hope's grandmother.
My daughter, Rebecca, and Aaron dated each other for a short time, and in this short time they had a beautiful daughter. She was born on June 15, 1997, on Father's Day last year.
Hope and her dad got to know each other for a short time.
Hope's dad was planning to come to her first birthday party on June 14. But on June 13 Aaron's parents came to our home and told us the awful news about her father's death. She also has a stepsister. Her name is Monica Hatfield. She was hurt in the accident also.
Aaron was a good father. He loved his daughters. We talked about their future. We talked about school, boys and you want to hear something funny. We also talked about him being a grandpa in the future. We had a big laugh about it.
But it's all gone. Because of a stupid thing called drunk driving. People don't understand the consequences when they get behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated.
You might make it home without any problem. But kids nowadays think they are not destructible. Well wake up!
Drinking and doing drugs does not mix with driving.
Come on kids wake up. You are the future.
I have not cried yet. It hurt me to look at Hope and Aaron's family. Monica and Heather's family. Hope's dad is gone. Monica's mother and father both are gone. I'm mad and angry. But God will see us through this.
By the way, Hope and Monica's dad's birthday is August 1. He would have been 18.
My family got to know Aaron. We even grew to love him like he was our own. We miss him. May God be with Aaron and Heather and also Tyler.
They will be really missed.
Roberta Shaw
and daughter,
Rebecca Shaw
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