Quote:
Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam
Over time haven’t the Poor Farms morphed into County Farms & Hospital/Nursing Homes?
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Yes, many have.
My parents managed an infirmary (Mt. View Infirmary, Sanford, ME) from 1972-1985 and I grew up there. The infirmary used to be the town's poor farm and there was quite a barn and lots of acreage. My dad developed the farm into a working farm with some livestock and it brought in revenue for the town. The people who lived there were folks who couldn't live alone but could dress and feed themselves and most were ambulatory. Some should have been in a mental health facility or something of the sorts but back then there wasn't those types of homes like there is now. Some of the folks worked in the garden or at the farm stand where produce was sold that wasn't used for the Infirmary - that was strictly a volunteer basis sort of thing and I think some of them received a little compensation for their work. Most were on SSI or disability but some received no money, had no family, etc. Mt. View Infirmary is now owned by Goodall Hospital, I believe, and is an Alzheimer's center. That is one that I know about first-hand - VERY first hand.