u/Accomplished-Plum821

I’ve been working in the same nursing home for 5 years now. For the last 3, it’s basically been an active construction zone because of a $70M “renovation” that feels more like putting lipstick on a pig. Things are constantly breaking, alarms go off nonstop because of construction, and the fire department shows up so often it’s barely even noteworthy anymore. For that kind of money, you’d expect something impressive… not this circus.

Over those 5 years, I’ve seen every type of “employee” come through. And yeah, I mean that with quotes. Half the time it feels like they’re just hiring bodies to fill a schedule, not people who actually work. You get the ones who spend their entire shift trying to look busy for management, but anyone who actually does the job can tell they didn’t do a damn thing—especially when you’re the one walking into their rooms after them.

I was out for two months with an injury, came back at the beginning of April, and it was an absolute disaster. Filthy rooms. Food caked into floors. Feces built up around toilet seals and bathroom floors. Stagnant water sitting in shower chairs because apparently lifting it for two seconds is rocket science. Drain flies from people washing dishes in handwashing sinks. Dust everywhere. Just straight-up neglect.

Some people moved departments while I was gone—honestly, good riddance. The rest? Same story. People who somehow manage to stay employed while doing the absolute bare minimum… if that. No accountability, no standards, nothing.

I don’t expect perfection, but this isn’t even close to acceptable. It’s exhausting walking into this every day knowing you’re cleaning up after people who just don’t care.

And what really gets me is I’m not even here for the paycheck. I’m here because I actually like cleaning for people—especially the elderly. I take pride in it. It matters to me. So seeing residents living in that kind of environment? Yeah, that part sticks with you. It’s not just “gross,” it’s straight-up heartbreaking.

And somehow, I spend more time cleaning up after fully grown adult employees than I do the actual elderly residents—the people I’m supposed to be there to help and make life better for.

Especially when you know how much it costs to live here.

At this point, it really feels like the only people who actually give a damn about the residents… are the ones stuck cleaning up everyone else’s mess.

If this is what “professional care” looks like behind the scenes, I’d hate to see what neglect actually looks like.