Rolling Away
Submitted by Carol Lindsay
Tags: aging elderly care nursing community
“Weed in the breakfast muffins!” This is my favorite response to a question asked by a resident at a long-term care (LTC) facility resident council meeting. The monthly meeting is where residents discuss what’s happening positively and negatively in their LTC community. This gives residents a voice and an opportunity to get together in a semi-formal setting to discuss problems and solutions. I attended as a LTC Ombudsman. The Ombudsman is a county employee or volunteer who advocates for LTC residents.
Complaints were made, and the meeting was almost over when the activities director asked, "How can we improve your life in this facility?” “Weed in the breakfast muffins,” Paul yelled. Another resident added, “Weed in the staff’s muffins.” The collective group turned to speculate who in the facility they thought most needed weed.
“Can we even use weed here?” Paul questioned. The answer for this specific facility was no. Many facility policies follow federal laws that prohibit cannabis use despite it being legal on a state level. Most LTC facilities receive federal funding through Medicare and Medicaid and choose to comply with Federal regulations to protect funding. The decision is made at a corporate level, and some facilities allow residents to use tinctures and edibles.
Paul suggested stealing the facility van and driving to Oregon. Other residents started to laugh, and the volume increased as they added ideas for an out-of-state field trip. It was a conversation among friends, driven by a need for freedom and adventure while living a life where choices are limited due to finances and institutional rules.
Their enthusiasm made me laugh. Before the meeting ended, the activities director reminded the group, "The van was in a crash.” “Oh right, we can’t even drive to Walmart,” Paul said. Like the van, the mood in the room crashed, reality returned, and once again, ten silver-haired seniors wearing briefs sat in wheelchairs around a table in a facility dayroom.
The residents groaned, but I smiled, knowing their dreams of a “weed-fueled” getaway was a pipedream. For 15 minutes, the residents had something precious: joy, the ability to dream, laugh, plan, and adventure.
The conversation was make-believe, but their concerns were not: Just because these seniors live in a care facility doesn’t take away their need for pain management, stress relief, autonomy, adventure, friends, and fun.
As an Ombudsman, I listen to, advocate for, and support residents’ needs. But moments like these remind me why autonomy is so important. Residents in LTC settings have limited control over their daily schedules, who cares for them, roommates, or even where they live. However, they still crave choices in their lives—options that can make them feel like themselves again—even if that choice involves a "weed-fueled" fantasy road trip.
Next time I’m in a resident council meeting, I’ll listen for more than complaints. I’ll listen for those moments of humor and freedom because that’s where the heart of autonomy lives. It doesn’t matter if it’s a dream of driving to Oregon or deciding how to spend the day, every bit of control matters.