Dementia patients coated in ointment, workers charged

Four employees at a California nursing home were charged after they allegedly coated four dementia patients with ointment, covering them from head to toe, as a prank on the workers in the next shift. (Coating someone in ointment makes them especially slippery, it seems.)

Comments

[Jellybean]

If they had known about it, those patients would have thought it was really really funny too. I would if I were a dementia patient.

[Pat]

Once at a party, this girl passed out. Two other girls took all her clothes off, smeared the her from head to toe with cream cheese, and then let a doberman in the room, who immediately proceeded to lick every last bit of cream cheese off the sleeping girl.

What a show!

[doggydaddy]

Jellybean, for a long time I've said how much I'm looking forward to dementia, getting to meet new people and make new friends every day. Add in gettin' all slippery like this, heck yeah, it just sounds better all the time!

[onetime]

who let the dogs out?

[Jellybean]

I like your attitude, Doggydaddy. A good physician friend of mine used to say that you shouldn't worry about going crazy, because when you do - you won't even know it.

[kmp]

Would you think it's so funny, guys, if it were your mom/dad/loved one geting mistreated in a nursing home? This kind of story chills me to the bone about what kind of society we're becoming. In our youth-worshipping culture no one has any respect or empathy for our elders anymore.

[George]

If they were being mistreated, yes, i would be furious. But i did stupider stuff in high school and don't regret it. If i was crazy, i'd get a helluva a kick out of this

[Jellybean]

Me too, George. And I know my mom pretty well - she would think it was funny.

In fact, if you know someone with a couple of hyperactive toddlers - it might be a hoot to ointment them up and set them loose - since apparently joking with the elderly is a crime.

[JUNGLE JIM]

"makes them especially slippery"
Considering all those wrinkles shifting, this is especially true. And those wrinkles are like little wells to hold more lotion. Like those delicious wells in waffles to hold butter and syrup, the kind you get at Waffle House. And you all know what a fan I am.

[onetime]

id rather be slathered in butter and syrup than ointment. Id just have a hard time licking it off of certain parts. Then again, I do have a dog.

[Brad]

My grandfather was a dementia nursing home patient in the early 1980's. He was only 74 and could walk just fine and all, but one day he mysteriously suffered a broken hip after "struggling with staff". He died on the operating table the next day.

The whimsy never ends...

[badhairday]

Most of you are disgusting people. If this were your family and they were hurt because of a prank you would be upset-- and sue. Even if they had dementia, they do have the right to self respect and the safest possible environment.

[The Golfer]

To me, not disgusting, but a SENSE of HUMOR.

They are concerned, I know they are from previous stories and how they acted.

Lighten up, this is a subject that, at times, needs levity.

[onetime]

and some wet naps

[doggydaddy]

Our comments will not hurt the patients, their families or the justice system that punishes the perpetrators. No where in the article does it say that any of the patients suffered any injury from this prank, other than perhaps humiliation, which by definition of their disease they are unlikely to recognize. It's a crap-shoot which of us end up like them anyway, I'd rather face my (drawing closer every day) prospects honestly and with a sense of humor than with fear and dread.

[146]

If it happened on a sitcom show on TV, you'd laugh your ass off. Damn, that would be a good skit. Call me Hollywood!!

[Ralfred]

Of course it was wrong to use the feeble as fodder for a prank, but I smiled none the less.

[slippery when wet]

out of respect for those patients I just lathered myself down in oil....

[interested]

Folks with dementia often also suffer from paranoia. This act may have been very frightening to them if they tried to get up to go to the bathroom, etc. and could not manage it with all the oil. I hope these folks who did this, and think it is funny, are never allowed to work in any environment like this again.

[And What]

i wonder if they then had them play a game of twister....maybe they made a viseo and posted it on utube....i need to run a quick check....