Why Institutions?

They have been a couple of interesting happenings since I lasted posted here. The most important, I believe, is the recent news that Albany's ubiquitous care provider, The Eddy, is developing new types of housing. The Eddy has always been ready to innovate, to try new things, so it's not surprising to see The Eddy working on new plans for residences. But there is still something that, in the words of Peter Griffen (of "Family Guy"), really "grinds my gears." It's this nagging feeling that people's life trajectories are on the wrong track. No matter how nice the residence may be, why do so many people wind-up in institutions?

A colleague of mine, Constance Laymon of Consumer Directed Choices, has been known to point out that persons wind up in institution even though they have been convicted on no crime. Why do people find themselves in these total institutions? Isn't there something wrong about that? Yes, I want all nursing homes swept away with a sweep of my arm. No, i don't believe that an person should be in those environments.

So what's my alternative? I don't really have a good one, but revamping the concept of the nursing home is essential to human dignity. First of all, though, the structure of the total institution has to be eliminated. (Just to clarify, institutions are a special category of group quarters: prisons and nursing homes are good examples, secure facilities where the resident does not have authority or ability to freely travel.) It's hard to maintain one's sense of self, of individuality, let alone self-respect, when living in an institution. That's no way for people to live in the twilight of their lives, and it's no way for the younger to have to spend their entire lives. This is essential: the sense of self, of intellectual integrity and independence, must be maintained, and any environment that structurally stifles those things is unacceptable.

Bravo to The Eddy for trying new tacks in long-term care, but there's still a long way to go.