In my 68th year of life, & in shamefully rude health (although a light,4 a day, smoker, but a moderately heavy, 1 bottle a day, red wine drinker), I nevertheless muse occasionally on how I'll finally cock my clogs. In common with all us old fuckers, I hope to go quickly when satan knocks, & remain healthy until . So it was with some faint stirring of panic(?) that I listened to R4 Today this morning, & the horrific tale of someone's mum, & the awful lack of care she received at her demise.
Now the only personal experiences I have had so far of hospitals & nurses are 1) a morning in hosp. when I had my wedding tackle disabled (insofar as its procreative abilities lay), & 2) an instructive dalliance with a nurse in Newmarket in my late 20's. But those 2 clashes may not be the last! & so I offer the following as "ideas for perusal" for those wiser & mightier than I; (assuming any buggar reads this at all, at all).
1. Nurses in geriatric wards.
Should not be under, say 35/40 years old. After all, I would not consider it reasonable to ask a young woman to perform personal hygiene services on me, now; let alone at 92!
2. Drinking & eating.
Surely to god we have the technology to semi-automate these functions to some extent without a human having to be present. To which latter, if we can effectively surveille hoodies in shopping malls surely we can a poor old soul in a bed! So is increased technology part of the answer to staffing & its efficient use?
3.But lastly: Cocking one's clogs.
Since we can't all afford a short holiday in Switzerland, & since also the NHS is as poor as the proverbial, can the govt. get its ass into gear regarding euthanasia? After all Dave, you're running round in ever-decreasing wotsits now trying to find services to cut. Have you thought of life itself?
Onward & upward Dave, to your big society in the sky! & I hope I get there before you! In order to prepare the way for you, of course!
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