Two sides - again...

Panorama has done one of its "exposés" on the standard of care in old people's homes, as a result of which one care assistant has got the sack for slapping an old lady.  Completely unacceptable of course, but is it quite so black and white?  I think I've mentioned before that a close relative of mine spent her last few years in a care home, and we visited her on a regular basis.  There was one of the other residents who (thankfully) spent most of the time in her own room, but when she did come down to the dayroom, she created chaos, by constantly demanding attention at the top of her voice, and when this was not immediately forthcoming, screaming and screeching and throwing things until somebody came to see to her. We called her Moaning Myrtle after the Harry Potter character - although if moaning was all that she did it wouldn't have been so bad.  She was rude and abusive to everybody and a thoroughly selfish and unpleasant person.  I never saw her treated by the staff other than with patience and tolerance, but frankly if one of them had lost it and shaken her or even slapped her, I think the rest of us would probably have applauded.  So the old folk in these homes are not all cuddly and sweet - some of them can be really obnoxious and awkward, and it's worth bearing that in mind.