Should Assisted Living Homes Allow Cannabis Use?
A few months ago, the story of Paul Disnard hit the news, and hit a nerve. Paul is a 68-year old man, who moved to Aspen in 1967 despite not knowing anyone there.
Paul suffered from health problems and as a result, had oxygen tubes tied up to his nasal paths. Clearly he needed a caregiver especially given his age, so he moved into the Whitcomb Terrace nursing home as soon as oxygen could no longer be delivered to his mountain home.
At the Whitcomb Terrace, Paul was using cannabis to help manage his arthritis. Whitcomb management considered this a dangerous act, putting the lives of fellow residents at risk – and keep in mind, this is already Colorado! A Pitkin County Court judge forced him to leave Whitcomb.
Paul had no place to go. Judge Erin Fernandez told him, “You must have some place to go,” to which he responded, “I really do not.” Paul has no other place to live and this is a truly sad and unfortunate situation. By February 1, the Aspen Valley Hospital staff told him to evict the facility immediately, and gave him only 60 days to find a new place to reside in. By April 11, they gave him another notice, and after 3 days later the hospital filed an official eviction motion.
Because of the judge’s ruling, Paul is left on the streets for medicating, despite his right as a resident of Colorado to consume cannabis. This leaves us with a hard-hitting situation for the elderly: should assisted living facilities permit the use of cannabis?
Impact of Cannabis on Senior Living Communities
Despite the many proven health benefits of cannabis for the elderly, its use in nursing homes remains a heavily-debated topic. At the time of writing, the only solution we can look at will depend on state laws as well as the policies of senior living companies on cannabis use.
For example, the Massachusetts Department of Health has its own set of policies which they issued in May 2013, discussing the use of medical cannabis in assisted living facilities. Even the Arizona Department of Health Services has their own document, where FAQ’s about cannabis use in nursing homes is discussed. If you go through these rules, you’ll see that state policies on the subject as are cloudy as Alaskan Thunderfuck even on a clear day.
Seniors using cannabis in assisted living premises is a seriously complex topic, and there are also demographic realities to be considered. Even if the establishment prohibits its use, what if their residents have disabilities that only cannabis can effectively help them? They should at least be allowed to use it outside the actual premises. Another factor to consider is that edibles and vaping, which are much more discreet than smoking, should also be permitted without affecting people nearby with second hand smoke.
Some companies that operate senior living centers in Colorado have their own set of different policies about medical cannabis use. However, those establishments who depend on the financial backup of federal Medicare, forbid the use of cannabis so that they can easily avoid the legal complications that this can cause. On the other hand, there are also other nursing homes that can regulate cannabis storage on site, although leave full responsibility of consumption to their residents. There are also other centers that are more progressive; treating cannabis as any other kind of medication and have trained nursing staff to administer it to residents that need it.
The rules are different and varying; depending on several factors. However these practices should be seriously discussed by senior living center management especially in states that have legalized cannabis.
Impact on Caregivers at Senior Living Centers
This is another issue that states and senior living centers have to address. It may not be the best option to leave medical cannabis by the bedside of elderly individuals who suffer from memory problems. Staff would then have to take on the responsibility of storing cannabis within the facility, which may cause problems among the staff, such as who has access to it. But truth be told, compassionate-minded management should have no problem creating a set of regulations that cater to this very concern.
If you use cannabis as medicine, you should carefully consider the policies of each facility before you decide to reside in one. Talk to an advisor and discuss with family, friends, and loved ones if needed so that you can make the right decision.
Do you think senior assisted living centers should allow cannabis use? What rules should they have in place?
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