Polish holiday tradition - granny dumping?

♂

Dec 25, 11, 08:49 #1

A story from wyborcza on the not so nice practice of dumping older family members (whose company is not wanted) at the hospital for the holidays.

http://wyborcza.pl/1,76842,10868074,Babcie_i_dziadka_oddam_na_swieta.h tml

Asked a friend who worked in a hospital and they say this is not new at all. Does that make it a tradition?

Selective summary:

Hospitals are used to this and call unwanted family members "holiday grampa" and "holiday babcia".

One technique is to invent symptoms ("He's feeling faint!") and calling an ambulans to take them to the hospital for tests which show that nothing's wrong. But the oldster has no keys of their own and the family doesn't answer the phone until after the holidays are safely over.

Another reason for granny dumping is to free up a caregiver's time so they can properly prepare for the holidays with the A-list family members.

Saddest part is the unwanted granparent usually tries to be understanding about it...

terriThreads: 1 Posts: 385 Joined: May 3, 09 ♀	Dec 25, 11, 09:40 #2
The saddest part of all this, is that those who currently do this, (granny dumping) FORGET that one day, they themselves will be old and unwanted and it maybe that their children, having got used to 'getting rid of granny for Christmas' will do it to them. I DO hope so.

♂ [Suspended]

Dec 25, 11, 11:19 #3

terri:

I DO hope so.

Me too.

What a sick, vile practice - I'd be all for such people being billed for the cost of Babcia's stay in the hospital, especially where it's a clear-cut case.

mafketis:

Asked a friend who worked in a hospital and they say this is not new at all. Does that make it a tradition?

It is, somewhat. I know a junior doctor who told me all about this sort of thing - they frequently get Babcia dumped for a couple of weeks while (obviously) the care-givers go off on holidays.

IronsideThreads: 59 Posts: 6,787 Joined: Feb 26, 09 ♂	Dec 25, 11, 12:17 #4
delphiandomine: Me too. What a sick, vile practice - I'd be all for such people being billed for the cost of Babcia's stay in the hospital, especially where it's a clear-cut case hey why acting suprised ?thats what you are for - no more old stupid rules. old to their graves

WroclawThreads: 77 Posts: 7,404 Joined: Apr 1, 06 ♂ [Moderator]	Dec 25, 11, 12:47 #5
now i know the real reason for the extra plate on the 24th.

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Dec 25, 11, 13:00 #6
I-S, without a wink?? Poland is a family-oriented culture where babcia and dziadek play an integral role. Where do you think 'babuni' mayo and ham comes from? Yes, 'just like babcia did it'. All that emotional support over the years as well. In Holland, they acknowledge that and a duty of care is owed. There is some element of truth about the OP's contentions though to what extent, who knows?

♀

Dec 25, 11, 14:54 #7

There's one way to solve this. Release the patient and have a driver drive them back home. If the family is gathered, they won't be able to hide andthey will have to answer the door.

On the bright side, it saves heart patients the stress of the holiday with all it's rich food. Thepatient might actually be safer in the environment of the hospital since heart attacks happen with greater frequency around Christmas. It could be a welcome respite for some.

mafketisThreads: 17 Posts: 1,880 Joined: Mar 31, 08 ♂	Dec 25, 11, 15:33 #8
PlasticPole: On the bright side, it saves heart patients the stress of the holiday with all it's rich food. Not to mention it spares guests the spectacle of having to look at an old person. PlasticPole: It could be a welcome respite for some. Written like someone with caller-ID who's not answering calls from the hospital until Jan 3.....

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Dec 25, 11, 15:39 #9
Babcia was pretty much shunned the other day. Then again, she is off in her own little world and egotistical. That doesn't sit well in round-the-table Xmas discussions.

PlasticPoleThreads: 10 Posts: 5,433 Joined: May 28, 09 ♀	Dec 25, 11, 15:47 #10
Oh please! I have never dumped anyone at the hospital! If patients are staying too long, policy should change. If the older person is experiencing holiday induced discomfort, shouldn't they be taken to the hospital? Especially if an underlying condition is involved. They might insist on going.

JonnyMThreads: 16 Posts: 4,487 Joined: Mar 9, 11 ♂	Dec 25, 11, 16:12 #11
Some call it 'granny dumping', others call it respite care for people who dedicate a very large part of their lives and emotions to look after someone who is often physically or mentally demanding. After all, we aren't talking about hospitalising someone who can say "No, I feel OK". Mind you, at Christmas?

mafketisThreads: 17 Posts: 1,880 Joined: Mar 31, 08 ♂	Dec 25, 11, 18:32 #12
PlasticPole: If the older person is experiencing holiday induced discomfort, shouldn't they be taken to the hospital? Yes, but if you read the article linked to, it's not the older people, it's their younger family members who feel discomfort induced by ... the presence of the older person.

terriThreads: 1 Posts: 385 Joined: May 3, 09 ♀	Dec 25, 11, 20:50 #13
Like I said - wait another 30 years and they themselves will be old - you reap what you sow....

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