Posted on 02/26/2006 4:41:16 AM PST by SheLion
A WOMAN in a wheelchair must go outside into the cold weather for a cigarette even though she is 93 - because smoking is banned in her nursing home.
Gladys Gornall, known as Chris, of the Norwood Lodge Nursing Home in Nore Road, Portishead, took up smoking 10 years ago after her husband died.
Daughter Joan Mock, 68, says it is the only thing she has left that keeps her happy.
And she says she fears her mother is more likely to die from exposure to cold winter weather than from smoking.
Mrs Mock said: "She's 93, she's in a wheelchair and she has to smoke outside. Last week I had to stand outside with her with an umbrella over her while it rained. We know it's not politically correct any more, but she is old and she will die of hypothermia rather than smoking at this rate."
Mrs Gornall said: "I'm sick and tired of going out there in the cold. I'm fed up with the whole situation. What else have I got to look forward to? I've got no other pleasures."
Mrs Mock said the home used to have a small room where smokers could light up. But she said the smoking ban in the building has now been enforced for health and safety reasons.
She said: "For God's sake, what can she do? There aren't any other smokers in the home now. This is all she has left as her bit of independence. It's so pathetic."
She said relatives of other residents at the home have sympathised with Mrs Gornall's plight.
The only real health problem the pensioner has is osteoarthritis in her knees.
Mrs Mock said: "She says they aren't going to stop her having a fag."
Mrs Gornall moved into the home with her husband, Albert, in 1996 but he died within weeks of their arrival. She took up smoking soon after his death.
Gill Lee, group operations manager for Belmont Care, which owns the home, said the non-smoking policy had been in place since before Mrs Gornall went into the nursing home. She said: "We've had a policy for years in Norwood Lodge of no smoking, mainly on health and safety grounds.
"Mrs Gornall, her daughter and her social worker had a meeting with the matron in May 2005 to explain to her the no-smoking policy in the home, and this was confirmed to her in writing."
She said none of the staff smoke inside the building. But she would not comment on whether the company's policy on enforcing the smoking ban had been tightened.
And she said allowing Mrs Gornall just to smoke in her own room would be "even worse".
She said: "To allow smoking in their room would cause even more health and safety issues."
However, rules are rules. If the only thing in life she enjoys are cigarettes she can move her butt outside in her wheelchair ... or find something else to enjoy.
For crap sake! Don't any of you READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your AZZ is showing my dear!
Isn't that what YOU'RE DOING? Bitching and whining???
Sorry, but business owners and property owners don't have any rights.
Ask any bar owner. The government mandates that there will be NO SMOKING in their bar. Lots of lost revenue in that.
Listen, nursing homes are HOMES for the elderly who can't take care of themselves anymore. A SAFE place for them with 24/7 health care. They are NOT hospital but HOMES.
A place where they spend the rest of their lives!
GOT IT????
I know, which I also oppose. Government [via voter pressure] should not be allowed to dictate terms to business and property owners since they have no vested interest in the business or property.
Oxygen therapy is conducted with either hoses internally, or in a tent. The Oxygen in the room is the same as normal concentration.
So, why, in a 24/7 health care establishment should the 24/7 health care establishment not be allowed to prohibit an activity that is not conducive to 24/7 health care?
It seems there is a problem with the definition of nursing homes here - remember this is Great Britain we are talking about here, not the US.
In the article it states she moved into this facility with her husband, who has since passed away..........that to me indicates it is more of an assisted living facilty, rather than a nursing home.
The fact she moved there indicates the daughter didn't "dump" her there, additionally she has been there 10 years, and maybe she actually likes living there.
The rest of the details are rather too sketchy to determine if they prohibitted smoking since the get go, or have since changed policy because it does state the policy was explained to her, but it also says there used to be a smoking room.
The writing of this article leaves a great deal to be desired.
Sounds like a wonderful idea. Let everyone see how this nursing home is treating the old folks!!!
Yes, he sure is!
I understand. However, it is a choice they have made, so now if they can't take her in, they should accept it, instead of whining.
The widely distributed report on Don Knotts death from AP states that he died from pulmonary and respiratory failure; one report I heard while channel surfing last evening said he died of lung cancer while Darren McGavin's family's official statement on his death was that he died from natural causes, 81 and 83 respectively and only a 50/50 chance of not being blamed, could be worse, I guess.
Biggest cause of home fires in winter are improvised heating devices.
You want BETTER do you!
Ok! This one's for YOU!
Awww, Simba is so cute. Thanks SheLion!
Because it is their HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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