The Dialogue: Here’s What Readers Said About the Difficulties of Regulating Adult Foster Homes As Oregon’s Population Ages

"They get one to two years in and think, ‘I had to get on a waiting list for nursing school for this?’"

Brad Mayer, in the bed where a 2004 car wreck and traumatic brain injury left him confined.
By WW Staff

Last week, WW wrote about Brad Mayer, whose death places a spotlight on the difficulties of running and regulating adult foster homes as Oregon's population ages ("In a Better Place," WW, Sept. 27, 2017). Mayer's adult foster home was shut down by Multnomah County and state officials. Here's what readers said about the problem.

Kitty Clackamas, via Facebook: "When it's all regulation and no support, you're going to run into problems. This train is coming down the track, and nobody who is responsible seems to be willing to see it coming. It's going to be a disaster."

Harley Leiber, via wweek.com: "The indigent Medicaid covered folks (featured in this article) are always vulnerable to closure of covered facilities and movement to a new place. That, of course, can be very stressful and traumatic after being in one place for a long time. The state and county officials overseeing the system for indigent folks need to all be on the same page, developing new resources all of the time and educating the public repeatedly."

Seems2Me, in response: "Having money doesn't guarantee quality or compassionate care."

Jim Gardner, via wweek.com: "This article couldn't decide what it was about, so [it] conflated several different issues. Traumatic brain injury and the resulting need for very long-term care is not what most aging seniors have to prepare for and deal with. Adult foster care is the broader issue, because it offers a real (although partial) solution to the huge and rising costs for the type of care nearly everyone will need if fortunate to live so long."

Oregon Business magazine, on Twitter: "Interesting, doesn't mention 85 percent of Oregon adult foster care homes owned by Romanian immigrants, a (more positive) tale unto itself."

Conrad Wilson, Oregon Public Broadcasting reporter, on Twitter: "There are many reasons to read WW. Strong reporting and storytelling like this from Nigel Jaquiss is among them."

Joy Miller, via wweek.com: "According to AARP, as the U.S. population ages, the number of people needing care will rise—but not every boomer will need services. On average, 52 percent of people who turn 65 today will develop a disability that will require care at some point. The average duration of need, over a lifetime, is about two years, and some of that is short-term rehab care."

Chadorlisa Infirmier, via Facebook: "One of the problems is that many of the new grad nurses are leaving the field of nursing. They get one to two years in and think, 'I had to get on a waiting list for nursing school for this?' It isn't at all what they had in mind! Nurses both new and experienced don't want to put up with [abuse] anymore. The whole system needs changed. People are tired of being exploited for these large capitalist care institutions."

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