I hope my title caught your eye…and I am not as crazy as I sound!
We see horrible conditions at almost every nursing home in Virginia…so here is my solution (and I apologize to the incarcerated). Let’s put the seniors in jail and the criminals in nursing homes.
Seniors Would Get:
1. Regular access to showers, hobbies and walks.
2. They would receive unlimited free prescriptions, dental and medical treatment, wheel chairs, etc.
3. They would receive money instead of having to pay it out.
4. They would have constant video monitoring, so they would be helped instantly if they fell or needed assistance.
5. Bedding would be washed twice a week and all clothing would be ironed and returned.
6. A guard would check on them every 20 minutes.
7. All meals and snacks would be brought to them.
8. They would have family visits in a suite built for that purpose.
9. They would have access to a library, weight/fitness room, spiritual counselling, educational materials, free admission to in-house concerts, etc.
10. Simple clothing – like shoes, slippers, pj’s – and legal aid would be free, upon request.
11. There would be private, secure rooms provided for all with an outdoor exercise yard complete with gardens.
12. Each senior would have access to a television, phone, and radio at no cost.
13. They would receive daily phone calls.
14. There would be a board of directors to hear any complaints and the ACLU would fight for their rights and protection.
15. The guards would have a code of conduct to be strictly adhered to, with attorneys available, at no charge to protect the seniors and their families from abuse or neglect.
Criminals Would Get:
1. Cold and unappetizing food.
2. They would be left alone and unsupervised.
3. They would receive showers once a week.
4. They would live in tiny rooms, for which they would have to pay $5,000 per month.
5. They would have no hope of ever getting out.
Sounds like justice to me!