We Need A Home

I found an article from the Chicago Mental Health Examiner. I did not know this but “Illinois ranks number one in the number of mentally ill adults under the age of 65 residing in nursing homes” (Sun-Times 3/23/2009 ). With this said, the state is obviously having trouble finding places to “house the mentally ill so they are putting them in nursing homes. Housing these types of individuals with the elderly is causing many issues and deadly incidents.

Once such incident occurred just last June. I heard of this story on the news and what's even more crazy is I live down the street from the nursing home that this brutal attack took place. The story involves a patient who was a living in All Faith Pavilion nursing. Mr. Ivory Jackson, who was 77 was murdered by his mentally ill roommate who was 30 years younger than he. Mr. Jackson was placed in the home due to Alzheimer.

I do not understand what would make a doctor think it would be feasible to put someone suffering from a mental illness in a nursing home. These type of people, depending on the severity of their mental disease, need the type of care that only healthcare professionals can give. Nursing homes are not equipped to handle these cases. The healthcare professionals are trained in caring for the elderly and not for the mentally ill.

I wonder how many people who take their loved ones to a nursing home are told that there are also mentally ill patient there as well. I'm sure not many. But if they did know would this influence their decision to leave the family member there? I feel mixed when it comes to this question. Why, because I know not all mentally ill people are violent. Most only have these violent outburst when they do not have their medicines or something triggers them. I also know facilities especially for the mentally ill are far and few between.

I feel bad for the people who need the mental help because in almost every story I find they are getting the short end of the stick. Many can function on their own with the help of medicine and therapy, but what about those who need a place to live and need constant care? With healthcare being so expensive and access to healthcare limited to those who cannot afford it I guess society does not know what else to do but throw them in a nursing home and hope that they will be cared for.