The Daily Alaska empire., 1947-03-26
Manaqemeni of Pioneers Home Condemned in Report
 0f Legislative Committee
REPORT
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE:

We, your Committee on Territorial Institutions of the Senate and House of Representatives of the Alaska Legislature, herewith submit the following joint report on conditions of the Pioneers Home at Sitka:
 Leaving Juneau on the SS Dena at 4:30 F. M., the 11th day of March arrived at Sitka the following morning at A. M. Having organized into separate groups while enroue, with special assignments to each all went to work at various duties in the build ing within half an hour of arrival.
 The Hospital is now understaffed having but two registered nurses one of which is housewife tenn porariy assisting This condition brought about by the recent joint resignation of four nurses, three of whom stated they could not work longer under the charged continual friction engendered by the Head Nurse-M Management combination.
 There not enough chairs, benches, tables, etc., both inside on the grounds.
 The Baker, bakery, and bakery products were found satisfactory from all viewpoints.
 The Kitchen and Dining Room were amptly staffed but the help hurried the at meal time they could be off The important position of Cook has been very poorly filled both to character, cooking and ar engagement, being below standard for Institution of this kind.
 Conflicting statements of cook, ktchen help, Sup erintendent, nurses younger inmates doc or, town store keepers considered in conjunction with lists of supplies, food hand etc., convinced most of us that there was not a proper supervision of diet. The practice of robbng another of food at the tables has been allowed to continue without definite effort to abate, leading to probable under nourishment of and irritation of many. Means could easily be devised to prevent the practice.
 We saw patters of expensive fresh tomatoes being sliced in the kitchen, which, considering the cost of
 
 but week (f that often) showed inconsistency that unexplained.
 We told by the help that they eat the same food and have the diet at the inmates (We doubted the statement for believe employees would be satisfied with only mush and hot cakes for breakfast throughout the week.) Such ridiculous statement, considered with the fact that the employee table is visible to the inmates, leads to believe the story that choice, bountiful foods eaten by the employees within sight of the inmates, while they had to eat very scanty meager and cheap diet cond- ton that would rritate the most accomplishing old 
 The Laundry and Boiler room are satisfactory from the output standpoint
 The food storage rooms were satisfactory and we'll arranged.
 The Cold Storage rooms are ample in size but not supervised properly by the cook.
 The first fighting apparatus and equipment was found somewhat inefficient
 The beds need more blankets with means of fast enng covers to foot of bed.
 More invalid wheel chairs are needed.
 Bedbugs appear to be year round plague a condi- tion without excuse
 The Home Doctor does not spend enough time with either the sick feeble inmates give them the stimulating and soothing effect the attention of doctor gives patient
 The Superintendent appears not to have the per sonaty or sympathetic characteristics and managerial experience best suited to such position and we believe has not put enough time effort in building up the proper morals of inmates and help and the general efficiency of old folks home.
 There appears to be no need for an Assistant Superintendent. Male attendants with combination duties who would be available in the building while
  tion than an Assistant Superintendent
 The Doctor acknowledged he paid no attention to the food sanitary conditions of the Home other than the Hospital secton that he knew there were bedbugs throughout the Home outside the Hospital ward He acknowledged the cases of dysentary must be caused by improper food handling. He claimed an average of two hours day spent in the home but statements from others, both officials inmates and townspeope disagree The Chief Nurse is technically qualified for strict commercial hospital work however from reports and interviews, personal questioning and neghborhood reputation it appears possible she is tempermentally unsuited for the position of head nurse where hai. mony and pleasant visible association with the other and inmates is necessary to the mental con- tentment of the inmates Four nurses have quit the Institution for no other reason, they stated than the claimed mpossibility of getting along with the Head Nurse Three of the claimed the Superin enden would not hear their complaints but arbitrarily suggested they leave immediately without waiting for repacements, thus creating shortage of much needed nurses The record of the Head Nurse in her two previous positions appears inquiry have been not wholly satisfactory on the grounds of incompat bilty
 The ventilation of parts of the Home is not so good especially in the smaller rooms where several inmates spend most of their time. And the heat of the sitting rooms seems to be kept at level suitable for younger healthy people, rather than scanty clad feeble old men.
 Mo