I've noticed this is fairly new as of the last several months, but I personally find it quite annoying, as I answer the posters question and when I go back the wording is completely different from what the OP wrote. I read a response a while back from the administration stating that they were doing it to better clarify what was being asked, but I feel that they should leave well enough alone.
I will give you an example from today. A poster asked "Why doesn't my grandmother love me?" and the administration changed it to "My abusive grandmother refuses to remove herself as my representative payee on my Social Security to keep me financially trapped. Any advice on removing myself from the situation?" I mean really? That was not at all what the poster had asked. While yes it mentioned in the post about her grandmother not wanting to relinquish her being the posters representative payee, she never asked how to get her removed or the like.
It's for that reason that I have been staying more clear of this forum and only occasionally take the time to answer any posts, as I would NEVER want someone changing my words to suit their own agenda.
So please be more respectful administration of your posters words and don't be so quick to jump the gun on changing the wording. We are all adults here and understand what the posters ask, without you interfering.
(I’m not talking about editing a spelling error. I have no problem with that.) (I’m talking about totally changing the question, or even changing it a little).
Like you OP, this admin-interference (editing questions without permission) annoyed me, yet I didn’t speak up. I thought nothing can be done about it.
I again say: thanks OP for speaking up.
It doesn't bother me when a post headline is vague. What I find problematic is when they offer no more information and then nothing in their profile. Maybe filling out necessary details should be emphasized when they sign up, using a pop-up with "Best way to post" advice, along with the community guidelines.
I don't think people should curse in responses to OPs. I have cursed plenty in my life so I'm not a prude, but in the end I think liberal use of cursing doesn't edify society.
I personally have become very sensitive to the manipulating/controlling of our individual speech in any way. I don't care if it is presented as "well-meaning" editing. This site does post its community standards, but does it warn participants about its policy to edit for "clarity, length, spelling and grammar"? I don't remember seeing it but hoping there is one. If there isn't one, there certainly should be. Regardless, I don't agree with this policy. This type of editing creates a "sanitized" feel to the forum in general. Specifically it feels insulting. The as-is writing of the OPs reflect the reality of the spectrum of humanity that shares the caregiving experiences and the mental, emotional and even spirutal rawness that often accompanies it. There can also be cultural components to what and how people write as well. It could be interpreted as bigoted to be corrected (especially grammar and spelling). Posters can have hair-trigger sensitivity, as I have personally been excoriated for simply asking clarifying questions.
Posters will continue to not be Pulitzer Prize winning writers and I doubt the editing policy will change but maybe consider placing a "notation" wherever edits are made ("This post was edited for clarity" "This post was edited for length", etc).
Finally, I believe that editing for "clarity, length, spelling and grammar" isn't necessary and makes far more work for the admin than necessary. At some point it may not be able to keep up and then people will wonder why some posts are edited and not others. It could create mistrust and degrade the entire forum purpose and experience.
One the one hand it's kind of silly that the "cutified" versions of swear words are allowed when we all know what's really being said, but IMO better that than the full scale descent into profanity and vitriol that is becoming so common on the web.
We have enough folks nowadays who are trying to control the narrative in our world and we certainly don't need that from a "supposed" legit caregiver forum.
And if for some reason you feel you must continue(as it's gotten much worse as of late)why don't you try leaving the original question from the poster and then if you absolutely have to you can put a / after it and then what you think your version of it should be. I believe we can all interpret for ourselves what the OP is asking without you guys interfering, as we are all(or most of us anyway)very intelligent people that come on here to try and help others, and we certainly don't need or appreciate undue interference on your part.
Thanks for letting me vent, as I have wanted to for a while about this issue, and today was just the straw that broke the camels back.
For instance, we have a post titled How do I tell my cousins their mom can’t live with us? That question has long been answered, and the thread has since evolved into a boundaries discussion. As it is, the title would have had to be changed twice already, which would just confuse more readers.
You have helped me with your own personal journey in that you seem to "thrive" (I am certain not without bumps in the road). I think you are a really wonderful representative and only wish you would talk more often on Forum to those considering a possibility of dialysis in their future.
No person is like anyone else. No journey is the same. And we should take care on forum not to diagnose when an MD is needed, and not to tell people what their choices should be at any time on their own medical journey.
I hope you will moderate here for some folks that are armchair MDs. I was a nurse all my life, and I know some little bit about some few things, but medicine has passed me by since two decades of retirement. I try to steer folks into understanding that their senior is unique, with not only a problem, but with a whole history that their MD is aware of. That often, as with legal advice needing a professional, medical advice does, as well.
By "Armchair MD" I am speaking not of people who say "This could be", "this might be", " I would consider" , " did you try", but of people who give a diagnosis and a treatment and suggest that anything else is inappropriate. This always scares me, in that I fear some OPs may say "Oh, AgingCare says that that dose of Ativan should be doubled, so I will double it" instead of checking first with an MD. Some advice can just be flat out dangerous.
Actually I’ve seen several changes that had nothing to do with making it clearer. The questions were already very clear.
I’m not talking about questions like “I need advice”.
The examples I know had clear questions, but admin decided to change the words slightly. I don’t like it.
Firstly, there are no "fake" questions or discussions planted in the forum by the moderators. Overseeing content that comes in 24/7/365 keeps us plenty busy!
We strive to preserve members' original posts, but sometimes edits to questions and discussions are necessary for clarity, length, spelling and grammar.
This is especially true for question and discussion headlines, since these snippets are the first things you see when scrolling through the forum and your news feeds. I think many of you would agree that a concise and specific question or discussion topic is more likely to receive answers or comments.
We respect your valuable time, so we moderate in a way that (hopefully) enables members to decide at a glance which posts they want to interact with and facilitates quick responses to OPs who are seeking advice and support.
When necessary, moderators are trained to pull important details DIRECTLY from the body of an OP's post into the headline to support this. The post funkygrandma59 cites is an example. Otherwise, many original posts would simply state things like "looking for help" or "need advice."
I understand it's frustrating/confusing seeing these changes happen, but there's no way for us to review each and every post the moment it's submitted. Although moderation doesn't happen instantly, posting on the site does because we want to provide caregivers access to "live" support from their peers.
Our intention is to make as few edits as possible while also driving engagement, but this isn't an exact science. Since more than one person is responsible for moderating several times a day, 7 days a week, there will be a certain degree of variation in how this role is carried out. We're also human and do make mistakes!
Lastly, I want to stress that answers/comments are NOT edited/removed unless they violate our community guidelines (e.g., profanity, self-promotion, sensitive personal information).
I hope this helps clarify the moderating process. We are dedicated to making the forum the best it can possibly be, and your feedback (good and bad) is invaluable as we continue refining our processes and site features. Thank you!
At first I thought I just remembered wrong how some original questions were posted, and then I understood that admin sometimes changes the words.
I don’t like it either. I’m glad you spoke up OP. And I agree with you.
I will give AC moderators credit for intending to be helpful rather than pushing an agenda - they're trying to aim at the audience most likely to offer useful responses. But I agree. People get very upset when words are put into their mouths even if their own words aren't that clear.
I am also getting burned out with drive-by posters that never respond or acknowledge any response given. It makes me wonder if it isn't admin asking questions to keep things rolling.
I am finding of late that certain of the Forum regulars are acting like MDs in their answers. Telling people when to up a patients medication, giving faulty information. THIS concerns me and I wish the admins would be able to follow some of these folks who regularly did this. I think in questions that need professional advice we should refer to a professional.
Anyway, just my beef for today, since you brought up "What's annoying you" on Forum. Hope that this one goes to Discussions so we can use it to comment on this stuff.
Having some knowledge of how the back sides of websites work, it is possible they have a new person in place who thinks this is acceptable.
A totally unacceptable practice which undermines trust for this forum.