Wednesday, September 28, 2011

When Prisons Are Nicer Than Nursing Homes

My sister Sherry sent along a provocative comparison that is worthy of careful reflection. And those reflections (if at all rational and moral) will then move us to prayerfully work to change things around. Check it out.

Why not place America's elderly in prisons. There they'll get a shower a day, video surveillance in case of problems, three meals a day, access to a library, big screen computers and televisions, a gym, ongoing social and educational opportunities and comprehensive health care. All for free. And then place criminals in our some of America's nursing homes. Put them in the nursing homes (and there's plenty of them) that serve up cold, tasteless meals in a gloomy atmosphere. Places where the lights go off at 8, where residents get one bath a week, where they share a small room with another resident or two. And where they pay $3500, $4500 and up for the "privileges." It's pretty sad that in America we often treat imprisoned criminals better than we treat our elderly and infirm.