Language barrier in our Long Term Care Facilities

Once again I am made aware of how different life is for our seniors living in nursing homes. On several occasions in one morning, I witnessed residents being ignored by staff who did not speak English. I know this because after witnessing a resident being ignored, I said to the staff member, "he jsut asked you a question." She simply smiled at me and said, "Si". Another area of change in our long term care facilities is the disregard for seniors who are in an activity. At one time it was unexceptable for any noise or disruptions to occur during an activity. As I sat in the room where a bible study is held, the radio was on in the dining area off the room we were in; housekeeping and dietary staff were cleaning off tables making loud noises as the plates were dropped into buckets, they were speaking loudly in spanish to one another, yet not saying a single word to residents sitting and waiting to be taken to their rooms. On several occasions I witnessed staff walking by a resident yelling to be taken to the rest room. Could they not at least address the resident and let them know they were heard? Apparently not. If the charge nurses on the floors cannot supervise their staff; who can? Why are we hiring non-english speaking staff to care for english speaking residents? Why are we willing to hire nurses on visa's who also do not understand family members who call; or who family members can't understand when they call?