Jerry, I just had to respond to this one. First and foremost the conditions in many nursing homes are appalling! Secondly I live in Missouri and have worked in these facilities and so know this first hand. They are ALWAYS short staffed low paying positions for which in many cases adeqate training is not provided to the workers. The cos. that run these places are of course out for the bottom-line and put the barest minimum back into quality care for clients. The morale of the workers in turn "rubs off" on the the clients to a degree I'm sure. Then the clients have there own things to deal with including serious illnesses, extreme poverty, lonliness e.g. no family or friends to visit or call. They are contending w/ their own mortality and that of others every day. I had to get out of that type of work because it was upsetting and seemingly no solutions. The state does a very poor job in overseeing these facilities in my opinion. Maybe anti-depressants should be given as a matter of course for everyone entering one of these place for the end of their lives. I'm getting to that stage of life myself where I have to start thinking about things like this due to my health and circumstances and its' not a pleasant thought. I'm not saying that all the workers in these places are bad, but its a very hard job and certainly they are underpaid and underappreciated by management. But the most vulnerable ones are the elderly. Thank you for letting me vent. Sioux.