Posted on 05/05/2006 3:45:22 AM PDT by SheLion
Investigative Reporter Chris Halsne found them dodging traffic in wheelchairs and walkers. Folks are starting to get used to seeing "no-smoking" signs at bars, restaurants and public buildings. But, what happens when a nursing home bans smoking without making any accommodations for residents?
Crossing the street in front of the Bremerton Health and Rehabilitation Center is not for the faint of heart, but that's exactly where we found the faint of heart traveling.
No matter their disability, if residents like Donald Pike want to smoke, the center told them they have to leave the property.
Chris: "I don't see a crosswalk."
Donald: "There is no crosswalk."
Chris: "I don't see a real smooth curb."
Donald: "No. No. Smooth curb. No. Nothing saying stop when somebody’s crossing the road."
We videotaped disabled residents limping, shuffling, even creeping their wheelchairs into the road with no staff around to help. One man nearly fell. Another disabled smoker couldn't do anything but watch.
“It's scary and especially if it rains, if we have a little snow, somebody could slip and fall and hurt themselves just to have a cigarette,” said one resident who was in a wheelchair.
“Bob” is a physical therapist for clients at the Bremerton Health and Rehabilitation Center. He risked his job to share with us his displeasure with the new no-smoking rules imposed on clients.
“I didn't believe it at first. I thought they were joking, but it was true. You're asking people who are already at risk for a fall, whose mobility is impaired, to go through the obstacle of walking hundreds of feet on unleveled terrain, over a curb, then across a real business street?”
We obtained an internal memo that states residents can no longer smoke on nursing home property. But why not?
Washington's law allows smoking in places like this as long as the cigarettes and ashes stay outside 25 feet from the door. The uncovered, designated cement smoking seat is a treacherous one block walk from the center's front door.
Resident David Olguin says that’s too far and too treacherous a journey for most.
“They go pretty slow on that hill. The cars go pretty fast. One of them is going to get run over,” Olguin said.
Administrators here were camera shy, but told us disabled residents didn't have to cross the street; it was just a suggestion. They admit, however, they want residents to quit smoking and won't permit the bad habit on nursing home property any longer.
Our videotape proves that owners of the nursing home don't have any trouble asking residents, already in frail health, to stand in the rain and cold weather to light up.
Pike complains that the new smoking ban has gone too far saying, “This is my home, ya know. Why do we have to go across the road to smoke? This is my home!”
Just to check on any other potential "quality of care" issues here, KIRO Team 7 Investigators pulled the Bremerton Health and Rehabilitation Center's February health inspection report. It's 58 pages filled with 14 separate code violations, many of them dealing with staff being inattentive to residents’ safety and welfare. Inspectors tell us if they'd have seen what we saw, they'd have tacked on a few more violations.
The week following our last visit, the center faxed us this statement. Although defending its right to ban smoking, the agency adds. "Based on recent concerns, we are looking into the creation of a smoking area with seating on the edge of our property to better accommodate residents."
Several lawmakers in Olympia tell KIRO Team 7 Investigators they believe the smoking ban should not apply to assisted living centers. House Bill 3130 reflects that, but the legislation is currently "on-hold."
The anti's make it sound like smoking and second hand smoke is the worst thing we have going on today. I WISH this was all we had to worry about!
First off, this home could be reported to the licensing board for a resident's rights violation.
Secondly, MOST sane homes have designated smoke areas, times and staff supervision. The residents are allowed to smoke, but within these parameters. The biggest concern isn't the 'smoke' killing them but burns and fires.
Homosexual behavior shorten your life expectancy more than smoking, but I don't see the libs trying to curtail that.
They seem to have no problem with buggery in public bathrooms, either... but God forbid one of them light up a smoke in the can at the conclusion of their dirty business!
"Why can't they be accepted and just live there in peace."
I agree. But they will never let them be. They're not conforming. This has to be one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen.
Another horrifying scenario! Especially in the cold winter.......they will try to sneak a cigarette rather then go outside far from the building. And most of them are on meds, and smoking on meds alone just isn't a good combination.
The nursing home, with compassion, should have a day room for their patients or residents who smoke. And a staff member can be in the day room with patients when they smoke. It's a win win for everyone.
I understand the life expectancy of an Aids victim is 42 years. A smoker can live from 62 years on up to over a hundred.
Nursing homes need to be monitored. Look how many elderly were left to die in Katrina? And we all have heard story's of old folks tied to their wheel chairs, left in hallways, head hanging down and drool coming from their mouths.
No wonder most nursing homes won't let us go in "unannounced." heh!
There was an incident in this state about 6 or so years ago where a relatively young, but disabled resident was outside smoking on a warm, windy spring day and staff member was outside with him.
Anyhow, the cigarrette was blow from his hand and landed in a wad of kleenex, papers etc that was stuffed beside him in the chair.
From what I gather, all the conditions were perfect- wind, flamable materials and clothes-- and he went up like a torch before the aid could react.
The regs now in the state specify that if smoking is allowed, it must be done in a safe area, with fire detection and sprinklers, ventilation and most of all, staff supervision.
I think just about every home in this town allows smoking, just in very defined parameters of time, location and staff assistance.
Well, maybe that's how it should be. At least they still allow the old folks to relax and smoke.
I knew someone once who was in a rehab hospital. The smokers each morning were given 10 cigarettes from their packs. They would only be allowed to smoke in the day room once an hour. If they smoked two cigarettes in that hour, and ran short by the end of the evening, tough.
I thought that was a bit harsh. But at least they could still smoke and enjoy the day room.
If the owners don't want smokers on their property, that is their right. If the smokers think there is too much risk in smoking, they can choose not to smoke or choose not to live there.
Why do you think indulging in a perfectly lawful pursuit should be banned? These people are PAYING BIG TIME to be where they are. Whay does management think they can ban anything/everything? Is the next thing to go feeding these people?
Enjoyed? They are hooked.
I don't like the pre-rolled Camel/Marlboro types of cigarettes but the original Drum, Three Castles and Jester types of tobacco are genuinely enjoyable.
If I could only get pre-rolls, I wouldn't smoke.
My husband and I are 35. In about 7 years we're beginning construction on our "dream" house. All the doors will be 3' wide and we're making the shower with just a small curb and large enough to roll a wheelchair into. The kitchen will have two sinks, one regular and one lowered with a space under it to roll a chair under. We're even dropping the stove top into a counter that can be lowered at will with the same space under it that the second sink has and putting in a built-in oven that opens from the side with a pull-out shelf built in under it. There'll be no stairs and there will be a ramp at one end. The guest bath will be the only room without access, but it will still be large enough to comfortably roll into for cleaning. The whole thing will be stylish enough that it doesn't scream "handicap access".
This is the home we plan on spending the rest of our lives in. If we never need these things, great. The grandkids will love having a sink built just for them. But if if we do, we'll be grateful that we took a little time and took care of these things while we did.
If more people thought like this, there'd be a lot less business for the stupid nursing homes.
The only way we're going to a home is stone-cold dead.
You are against a bad habit. You said so. By that statement that makes you an "anti" . Smoking is a legal activity. So is eating fast food and on and on ad nausium. Please leave us alone. We all share free will. If I'm paying "rent" to live some where I expect to enjoy the freedom to pursue what makes me happy.
Yeh, wouldn't it be nice if it worked the other way round also?
But NOOOooooooo, we can't have that now, can we?
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