Louisville Restaurants Forum

After an almost five month search for meaningful employment, I finally scored a job at an assisted living facility (thank the powers that be.) After about a week, I started to meet and interact with some of the residents. Low and behold, I discovered Bill Boland (former owner of the now demolished John E's location) and Bob Ryan "The Smiling Irishman" were residents at the facility. I have had several conversations with both gentlemen and left with waves of nostalgia crashing upon my shore.
After 43 years in the hospitality industry, I now feel, at this point in my career, this may well be the most fulfilling and meaningful position I have ever held. The only thing I am not looking forward to is the fact that some of the residents will probably not be with us forever. For now, the best I can do is greet them with a warm smile, take care of their specific dietary needs and make them happy.
I feel truly blessed,
Patrick Kelting
P.S. Thanks for listening.

Wishing all the luck.

Congratulations on finding a rewarding position that you enjoy! I hope I'm able to do the same one day

Ahhhhmmmmm....Not that it matters to me....personally....But just as a note of caution, I'm kinda-sorta-pretty-much-sure that by naming-names you just crossed that little you-just-don't-do-that-sh** line in the sand. Even if it's not illegal to do so, I'm sure your employer wouldn't appreciate it. Given your apparent love for your new job that -might- be something you want to avoid in the future.

Congrats on your new position Patrick! It seems real gratification, the kind that sticks with us and makes us reflect on who we are, what we do and where we are going, is usually found where we least expect it. I am happy you have found yours. (And since you didn't name WHICH assistant living facility you were working at - and Louisville has more assisted living facilities per capita than any other city it's size- I don't think it's a big deal.)

Best wishes, Patrick! You sound excited and inspired by your new direction, and that, after all, is what counts. I hope this work is fulfilling and fun for you.

It's not like these guys are in the witness protection program.

My wife worked at a senior care facility and she said that as long as no one is divulging medications or treatments then there is no issues.

Working with seniors is very rewarding and I'm glad you have what it takes- awe and respect.

The thing everyone is referring to is HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). This acronym can put fear in everyone in health care from the CEO of a hospital to the most battle-hardened ER Nurse. You cannot disclose any medical information about a patient if you are in a care-giving capacity. Some have interpreted this to cannot say a thing. An example would be if a patient had a medical issue in public, the caregivers cannot disclose any medical information, but John Q. Public can repeat anything he hears or sees and even take pictures and videos. Only exceptions are criminal investigations, death investigation by a coroner and the patient giving consent. I do not believe since Patrick did not say where he was working and did not disclose medical conditions, he has a HIPAA problem. That being said, he might want to check with the policy of the facility about patient privacy, just to be safe.

I met many interesting people, some well-known, some not so well known, in my career. I loved hearing their stories and learning from them. Taking the time to listen is a very important skill and the patients appreciate it!

I did not, and will not, divulge the name or location of the facility where I am presently employed. The aforementioned gentlemen are an historic part of Louisville. I simply thought some of their fans would like to know they were still alive and kicking.
P.S. Steve P. why do you always have to be such a buzzkill?

Patrick-
I'm happy for you that you've found a rewarding position- what a wonderful gift! I'm sure the Seniors will really appreciate you and your cooking in return.
Deb

Patrick, would you mind sharing with us the special considerations you must employ when cooking for the elderly? Like, what ingredients must you regularly avoid because of popular meds or does texture of the food play a more important role in food prep for the elderly? I'm just curious.
Again many congrats!