We've had great weather this year.
I was leaving work and a group of residents, as always, was sitting on the porch enjoying the sun and a nice breeze. One gentleman, sitting away from everyone else, looked especially relaxed - eyes closed, smile on his face, reclined in his chair. I know he's in renal failure and has chosen to spend his time on Earth peacefully rather than going through extensive treatments.
"Enjoying the sun?" I asked as I approached him.
"I sure am," he said without opening his eyes. "The days are numbered though."
"Oh, Mr. Baldwin, I'm sorry to hear that. You're not feeling well, huh?"
We've had a few of these deep conversations and I know that he's been to the hospital recently. He reads the obits pretty religiously and is some ways I'm sure he is counting his own days. I wasn't surprised at all to hear him comment on his own mortality.
"No, I meant the weather," he replied.
2 comments:
Thank you so much for all the information you provide! It's really helped me- I'm researching how to become a caregiver for my elderly parents.
I found this website, ShareWIK.com, which has offered a lot of helpful suggestions and information.
I just wanted to pass it along to anyone who might be interested.
ShareWIK stands for Share What I Know, and the site offers information from doctors and other experts as well as stories and advice from people who've had to go through the pain of 'parenting your parent.'
http://www.sharewik.com/videos/1705225 (This links to a really interesting video featuring several individuals who share their experiences)
http://www.sharewik.com/blogs/item/tips-for-a-smooth-transition-from-independent-to-assisted-living (This links to a blog post by a woman who shares her experiences transitioning her mother from independent to assisted living. Very insightful.)
Hopefully you find these links as helpful as I did!
That's such a funny story about the bright outlook some residents have on life. I have been interested in becoming a nurse and working in a nursing home. I think it would be very fulfilling. I'm still in college and don't really know how to start. If you were in my shoes what would you try to start doing right now to make sure you had a solid future in that industry?
http://happyhomemakershomecare.com
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