About Scabies, Underwear, and Quality Care

I was speaking to the owner of a nursing home the other day, who told me that her facility had just had to do a complete protocol of care for all residents and staff, due to several residents having had scabies. It consisted of giving a lotion treatment to all residents, thoroughly cleaning their rooms, and washing or isolating all of their clothing. She pitched right in, working in the laundry.

For those of you who don't know what scabies are, they are a nasty little mite that burrows into the skin and causes an itch, and can spread person to person, or clothing to person, etc. It is not unusual in schools or nursing homes.

Anyway, so this person was telling me that one thing that came out of this was that she noticed, as she was helping out in the laundry, how many residents had underwear and other clothing that was falling apaprt.

"I'm on a mission," she told me. " It is not right that people would have to have underwear that is like that, or clothing in such poor condition. I told the Social Worker I want a list of all people who are not clothed with dignity, and I want to know why, and I want something done about it."

What is wonderful is that this is a private facility with a hands-on owner who shows compassion and caring for the people who live in her residence. Often, we think of for-profit facilities as being only bottom line oriented, and good care comes in second place. This woman is not getting rich off this facility, but you still see extra touches when you walk in; extra touches that turn a place into a home--flowers or plants on tables, new painting and upgrading or equipment, firing care providers who are not putting resident care first.

So, how do you recognize quality? By figuring out who is running a place, and who owns it, and seeing if you can meet or find out about them. It is not through the smiling marketer, or the glossy brochures, or the expensive, designer furnishings.