Wandering Along the Path: Right Speech

An older friend has moved from one senior living situation to another. She's in her nineties, and definitely needs care, and her daughter is managing her care well, but the first place, while new and spotless, had no activities going on, no outside space whatsoever, and is on a busy thoroughfare with only box stores arond it. It depressed me when I saw it. Now she is in a place where she can walk with her cane, shop at useful places, and take a bus wherever she wants. The first place had no oversight except an executive flying in once a month. Impartial and and profit oriented is how I'd describe it: the corporate model. I hope she'll be happier in the new place, and it's closer to me, so convenient for visiting. But watching older friends struggle with care has made me realize there are not many gems among the choices. Even if you have the money to afford these places, and that's a big if, they are institutional, and run by underpaid, unqualified and undertrained staff. Yes the Covid crisis drew attention to the horror places, but most are not well regulated and really beneficial to the people living in them. The U.S. needs an overhaul of all medical services, oversight and affordable care, with salaries to attract qualified people to be administering the care. Those who choose to believe the TV ads that find a joyous, loving place for "Mom" are outright lies, and our senirs deserve better. But in our current culture, we don't value the elderly, as witnessed by citizens who were fine with the deaths from Covid as long as it was people their parents and grandparents ages. That contempt for our elders is center stage right now, and we ought to pay attention, before we have to face the same choices.