Bill, my thought in posting this subject had to do with individual choices, what each of us can live with and how that affects our actions. It was not a, "My choices are more ethical than yours", or a slam against the idea that nursing home work is valuable, in terms of resident enjoyment. I did not intend to imply that playing nursing homes is less than legitimate work, or dispute the idea that residents enjoy the performances.

What I AM implying is, while you are saying that playing nursing homes is something you can do for lonely residents TODAY, what I'm trying to do, TODAY is end unnecessary DEATHS, RAPE, PHYSICAL ABUSE, OVERDOSING and other common types of UNNECESSARY SUFFERING typical of the industry.

This is all happening TODAY. It is a well-documented national
disgrace. The need for reform is immediate.


As far as your observation about the difficulty of affecting change, in light of the funds available at well-heeled "for profit" organizations and individual homes, you're right.

But, here in Kentucky, from an awareness and media exposure standpoint, we're in control. The "For Profits" know who we are, and, frankly, whenever a "fat cat" nursing home owner asks me to play at his business (usually at his expensive country club), he "turns and runs" when I tell him/her my name.


Bernie and I are both long-time P/R directors. He was the P/R director of the University of Kentucky for 30 years, the network voice of the Wildcats and long-time newspaper reporter.

I was P/R and Communications Director of one of the world's largest Electrical Manufacturing organizations for over 30 years, a long-time P/R-Communications professor at the Graduate School level and run a communications company with clients located all around the world.

Together, we have generated thousands of column inches of front page newspaper coverage, contacted primary legislative individuals and generated several extended investigative series with State-wide coverage. The "for profits" aren't even in the same game when it comes to media coverage and awareness.


Passing effective legislation to remedy documented problems is another matter. That's where the issue of lobbying and money rears it's ugly head.

As far as finding an hour to go to a home to perform, I'm working over 20 hours a week on the education/legislative issues for no compensation. I'm also writing a grant which will fund professional, full-time lobbyist, producing educational videos (email me for the link, if interested)and supplying content for the electronic public communications effort.

Again, here is where personal ethics is involved, but this work bills out at almost three times the hourly rate most musicians get for nursing home work and has the potential of helping stop the rampant abuse and raising public awareness of this horrific situation.

The one party a week I play generates enough revenue to fund 1/2 the annual salary of a professional lobbyist. Next month, we'll have a fund-raiser/dinner which will generate much needed additional funds.

All said, Bill, I don't find much different in our commitment to nursing home residents. The approach is just different.

And the ethical issues involved are the ones appropriate for each of us.

The great take-a-way is, you have compassion for what we call around here the 23,000 "Forgotten Kentuckians".

And that's GREAT!


Russ

PS: The idea of exploring support for causes like ours is admirable, but if you do it publicly, don't be surprised if the nursing home jobs quickly disappear.