This is what I got when I asked AI for a picture to represent this story. I didn’t know AI had a sense of humor. I was teaching a nurse aide class about death and dying in long-term care when a student raised her hand. “At my facility,” she said, “when a resident dies, we’re told to say they’ve gone to Montana.” “Someone actually told you to say that?” I asked. “Yes.” “That doesn’t make sense,” I said. Facilities may have HIPAA policies, but once families are notified, roomma

They said John couldn’t communicate. They were wrong. What followed was a brief, profound reminder of how easily healthcare mistakes silence for emptiness.

A cruise ship with 5,500 passengers returned every item of laundry without loss. In nursing homes, lost clothing is one of the most common complaints. A long-term care ombudsman reflects on what missing laundry reveals about accountability, dignity, and respect in institutional care.