April 09, 2008
Wednesday PM

I truly enjoyed Shannon Guthrie's response. I believe that she is a caring provider. I agree with her comparison to buying a dozen eggs --- yet what we all must remember is that some of our elderly COULD NOT BUY A DOZEN EGGS without help. For instance my Mom cannot see or hear --- go figure. Mom has worked her entire life. She was never "on the dole". She did NOT have 8 kids by 7 men and collect government compensation for her bad behavior. She was a "Rosy the Riveter" during the war. After that she did well in the real estate and insurance businesses.

Now, she is simply VERY old. She cannot wash her own back without help. Now, at the tail end of her time on this planet, she finds herself to be semi-dependent on others. Mom is proud and independent. I have spoken to her a ton of times about transferring over to the Pioneer Home and she's been on their list for years. The thing with my Mama is that she is very independent and enjoys her independence (such as it is) very much and wants to live on her own as long as she can-hopefully til her VERY end. Frankly, living on her own and having helpers come in, costs the state a HELLUVA lot less than if they took her social security check (minimal as it is) and stuck her in the Pioneer home---so to me it seems a "win-win" situation that she DOES continue to live on her alone as long as possible!!!

The central issue to me is "CARE". My Mom is entitled to basically 40 hours of care a week between her personal care folks who help her bathe etc and those that help her out and about. She is entitled to someone to drive her to, say Walmart, and help her shop. She cannot read the labels on cans anymore and requires help.

Now let's look at this situation: Mom has now had NO help now in greater than 4 weeks. Yesterday, someone from Community Connections came to visit with her---probably because they were told that I was trying to get her out of that mess and hook her up elsewhere. They promised to send her someone within the next few days. GEE I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I hope this time that whomever they stick Mom with will at least have a valid driver's license (she had one in the past that I found out was driving her without a valid driver's license so hey-all things are possible with that bunch!!!) and whom is NOT a FELON!! Would that be too much to ask of Community Connections? I am pretty much just sick and tired of their crap!!

Community Connections is one of many "sacred cows" in Ketchikan. If they get the grant they have recently applied for I would be willing to bet that it goes for new carpet in their office or new wallpaper or for another "management level" employee in their front office. They cannot keep employees because their employees could make more for far less hassle working for McDonalds!!!!!!!! According to several of their employees I have spoken with, the hours they work are so poorly managed that they'd have to work 7 days a week to even get 35 hours. My own daughter once worked for them prior to returning to Houston to go to school and that was one of her big gripes as well. She compared their hours to a form of white slavery just to be honest!!

Someone needs to clean the corporate plow with that bunch and I don't particularly care if my putting it in writing endears me to anyone or not. Get rid of the nit wits and self servers who are doing such a shabby job of "managing" this place and get some talent. THEN and ONLY THEN might our elders be served as they well deserve to be!!!

Eileen Small
Ketchikan, AK

Received April 09, 2008 - Published April 09, 2008

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Re: Quality Care By Shannon Guthrie

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