Posted on 09/26/2006 12:45:51 AM PDT by SheLion
Delaware County's ban on smoking in most work places has become a problem for some nursing homes, which are both work places for employees and homes for the residents.
The smoking ordinance does not prevent people from smoking in their homes, but it does ban smoking in most public buildings and work spaces.
If a nursing home bans smoking, they could lose federal funding for failing to comply with regulations, but if they allow smoking they could face fines or a lawsuit from the county health department, officials said.
Federal regulations state that if a nursing home changes its policy and bans smoking, it must create an appropriate area for current residents to continue smoking.
Robin Shackleford, a policy and research specialist for the Indiana Health Care Association, said nursing homes could jeopardize their Medicaid and Medicare funding if they follow the county's ban.
"This is not a health issue - it's a patients' rights issue," Shackleford said. "The facilities are caught in the middle of deciding which law to comply with."
To fix the problem, Delaware County commissioners have introduced an ordinance to exempt nursing homes from the smoking ban. But two of the three commissioners say they don't plan to approve the exemption when final action is taken on Oct. 2.
Commissioner Larry Crouch said smoking should not be allowed in nursing homes.
"How many people are in these nursing homes because of a smoking habit?" Crouch asked.
And one can only hope that the nanny state gets a swift kick in the pants!!!
If you want on or off my Puff Ping list, please FReep mail me!
Thank you. That was in 1996 and the nursing home was a good one - except for that. The point I was trying to make (and I'm sure YOU know that) is that some elderly people need supervising whether or not it's smoking related or otherwise. To relate stories where someone was burnt or died because they weren't properly watched over with oxygen is not telling the whole story.
Reminds me of an experience. My father was a WWI navy vet and he out of the gate he had the worst case of sea sickness ever experienced. His bunk mates told him a shot of whiskey would cure it. Wonders never cease it did.
He took to having a shot of whiskey in his coffee every morning and did every day for the better part of 80 years.
My mother didn't approve at all so he was discrete (and believe me, you didn't want to see my mother on the war path). Never saw him drunk or even tipsy. Other than his daily shot he might have a beer or two every now and then but he wasn't a drinker. He was a wonderful father, husband and man. Never met anyone who didn't like him.
When he his 95 they went to a home. Yeah, broke my heart and on reflection we could have probably handled it at home, but that's another story.
But that didn't stop his lifetime habit. I kept him well supplied and, given my mother, he devised a method whereby he'd hide his bottle in his prosthetic leg.
One visit as soon as I walked in the door it was "Mr. Texan, the social worker needs to see you immediately". Knowing my priorities I went on to see my dad only to be interrupted minutes later with another plea.
So I relent and there before me is a twenty something ernest looking young man who was clearly agitated.
"Mr. Texan, do you have any idea what we found in your parent's room?" No, says I, thinking that perhaps he'd been cooking up crank or something equally sinister. "A bottle of....whiskey!"
Why yes, of course, I know, I got it for him.
"But, but Mr. Texan, do you have any idea what effect whiskey can have on a 95 year old man? Why, why, it could KILL him."
Barely able to contain either my mirth or a desire to hold him upside down I gently explain that my father was 1) over 21, 2) had developed a liking for whiskey in his coffee during his tour in WWI and 3) if it killed him he'd die happy.
"Well, well, well, we just can't have this sort of thing going on."
That's kind of you to be so concerned, I appreciate that, but let me ask you, how did you find his whiskey? Like a good lawyer I knew the answer before asking the question as I knew good and well he had it well stashed but I wanted to play it out. "It was sitting on his bedside table.". Knowing this was an outright lie I told him so and wondered what the state agency would think of room searches much less prosthetic leg searches. It was like throwing Holy water on a vampire. Nonetheless whiskey would not be tolerated.
I go back to the room, pick up the phone, call his doctor and get a prescription for a shot of whiskey a day and a beer on Sunday.
When he died at 99 I made sure there was a bottle of JD in his pocket. I still feel guilty; if I'd withheld the whiskey he'd probably have lived to be ...99 1/2.
Sorry for the long story but it's one I try and remember every day; God save us from those that want to save us from ourself.
Thank you. That was in 1996 and the nursing home was a good one - except for that. The point I was trying to make (and I'm sure YOU know that) is that some elderly people need supervising whether or not it's smoking related or otherwise. To relate stories where someone was burnt or died because they weren't properly watched over with oxygen is not telling the whole story.
Well, of course. If some old person is hanging out of his wheel chair or is high on meds, smoking would never be a good idea. It's a recipe for disaster to let a person like this smoke unattended!
I'd say they are ruthless enough to find a different 'vice' to pick on.
Eating too much or eating the wrong thing, listening to loud music, drinking alcohol.
Wait, were we talking about the busy bodies, or the Taliban?
I forget.
Being 67 years old there may come a time in the near future that I could end up in a nursing home. I would consider it abuse if they took away my cigs and I wouldn't like it one bit.
Knowing how determined I can be it would be difficult to keep me from escaping. However, I would be back and retribution would be hell on anyone I considered was abusing me. A person's rights ends when they start stepping on another person's rights. So, they should be careful when imposing their will on someone else.
Got a KISS?
Eating too much or eating the wrong thing, listening to loud music, drinking alcohol.
Yes, but they won't get the tax dollars like the smokers pay! So far, the above you mentioned isn't taxed to death like cigarettes.
They will just slap a patch on you. Nice, eh? 
We have members keeping lists....
We have members keeping lists....
Somebody should make a rule against that. /s
LOL!!! The people most paranoid keeping lists!! The irony is exquisite!! As if there could be a rule...HAHA!!
Why are you paranoid about people keeping lists? Are you afraid you might be on one or more of them?
Seriously, BykrBayb...
Morons on this thread who say they are "keeping lists" could hinder the free exchange of ideas.
I use the term "morons" with restraint. :)
You sound just a little worried. LOL
My list is of the anti-smokers in Free Republic who want to take away the rights of other smokers. Oh my! How horrible!
She HAS been for a long time now. She sounds a little worried doesn't she? LOL
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.