The lucky ones will live till they are venerable old men/women with grandchildren. (5). I look in the mirror and see document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Online Christian Articles and Information Hub. Short comedy plays work best and so can poetry. I watch my fake teethSwimming in a glass as theySilently judge me. I too worked as a CNA for 15 plus years and then I choose to do private home health care. 16. My mom was in a nursing home for 3 yrs. Blessed are they who know my ears today Must strain to hear the things they say. What are you thinking when you're looking at me? We learned that the elderly were the most vulnerable, and that many residents as well as caregivers had been lost or were fighting for their lives across the country. Happy Valentine day 4). When you see asenior citizentrying to open a heavy door,Hold it open yourself; dont let that senior struggle anymore. Learn more about how we make money. backs hunched against the unkindness of time, (4). She's trapped inside the prison walls We provide general wellness related information. I will have to visit it again and again. But we can send in one of those little airline-sized bottles of gin and some tonic and we will toast her over the fence on the day. Copyright 2020 Jama Rattigan of Jamas Alphabet Soup. Just remember that I need you,That the best of me is gone.Please dont fail to stand beside me, Love me til my life is done. (2). When you see an elderly person looking for a place to sit,Get up and offer your chair so he or she can sit in it. It begins the moment we are born. Its a reminder that we should cherish our memories and hold onto them tightly. Will stop to chat for a little while. They also remind seniors to reflect on happy memories while also finding reasons to be grateful in the present. Published by Family Friend Poems July 2020 with permission of the author. Happy Valentine's Day! Thank you so much for writing this poem. - Louis L. Mann 3. the celebration! He was overdosed on morphine. Senior citizen poems to make them smile and reminisce on the good old days. I'm so embarrassed, and ashamed, that I'm doing this at eighty. 3. Here I lie in bed again, Awaiting my next meal. This condition is a product of our culture that does everything it can to conceal the loss of youth. Skinny fingers clawed in monstrous shapes, of my journey, HAPPY, HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY, DEAR DAISY! is 92 and I hope she makes it to her 100th (and beyond!). . View More. Everything about this post is precious. I read it twice, more slowly the second time. Several other dates also had the same reaction. Out of all the caregivers I've worked with (and I've worked with many) only a handful could have done with reading this poem and others like it. Her when she was an adult and an unknown man standing beside her. Published by Family Friend Poems October 2019 with permission of the author. Maybe a few of these original poems will give you a giggle youll want to share with your friends. Wow! Thanks to all who commented on last weeks post featuring ILLUSIONS: Poetry & Art for the Young at Heart by Charles Ghigna and Chip Chigna. Im speechless and deeply moved. words exchanged, sometimes even heard, Have you seen these lovely old gents? After all, it was a nursing home the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington that first warranted our serious concern about COVID-19s community spread in the U.S. back in late February. With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill. Bookmark Bunnies Make a Valentine's Day card that doubles as a bookmark. 14. Jama, what a roller coaster of emotions you created in this post. If you are looking for poems about elderly in nursing homes, then you are at the right place. All stories are moderated before being published. Now my mother is in the same place and shes turning 100 on June 3rd. Who's that person standing there Purple veins strain against the skin. You walked past my light, what am I to do? Great! She finds herself drawn to them and overwhelmed by their heartbreaking stories, and she vows to help them in any way she can from that moment forward. Share your story! Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and I do enjoy Linda Pastans poetry too. Just as her heartening words suggest, we must follow the lead of our wise elders by rejoicing in simple pleasures and cherishing each moment as it comes, with gratitude that its been given. When I stumbled upon this lovely poem by Canadian poet Linda Crosfield recently, I couldnt help but view it through the lens of the pandemic. They have such a hard job. Thanks for so much goodness. A worker barges in my room, As if it's no big deal. They should be cared for with dignity and respect just like it was your mom or dad being cared for. All rights reserved. Youre the first person Ive met who lived in a nursing home when she was a child you must have some pretty interesting perspectives about caregiving. Those guys are adorable too. Mom and her cohorts its good to hear of those cherished friendships forged in assisted living places/care homes, etc. A member of staff or willing community volunteer who is interested, has a good clear reading voice, and patience, will do just fine. Senior Devotional Encouragement for the elderly is just a click away with these devotions for seniorswhether you're at home or in a nursing home. to assemble in the great room for tea. Samantha goes by the pen name bentlily to remind her of the purpose of her poetry. Please, only submit poems that you have written. I'm sorry that I messed the bed, I feel like such a baby. Loved it, of course. Those bottles contained tea. I do love the idea of treasure to be found and dancing with slow joy. My resounding answer was always with dignity, love, and compassion. And I'm loving and living life over again. Would you like to meet Daisy? Sorry to hear that they tested positive for the virus, but what a blessing that they are asymptomatic. This poem brought me to tears. by Internet. JUST KEEP IN MIND AND DON'T FORGET, THAT I'M A PERSON TOO. Must strain to hear the things they say. I am currently caring for and have two care givers looking after my 80 year old mother. With wrinkled skin and such gray hair? I worked in a psychiatric hospital for 36 years, and I often thought about how my patients were often treated like they weren't even human. Published by Family Friend Poems February 2018 with permission of the author. We may seem to be hard when we . Thank you. 1. 8. Theres that strong old trunkWhich branches in every direction,And leaves which represent family membersFor whom you hold affection. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. Share Your Story Here. at the end of the play summarizes what I think of my mom. If everyone showed a little compassion, I wouldn't feel this way. The symptoms you are showing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RopKTL3fnDk. KEEP IN MIND AND DON'T FORGET, THAT I'M A PERSON TOO. Mr Cornelius begs to differ. I am so touched! Then I pray, please Lord, take care of her for what else can I do? Life gives everyonechallenges, especially as they grow older, so why notjoke arounda bit and look for the humor in each situation as it comes? And I think of the years and the love that I've known. And thank you, Linda, for sharing your poem and mom with us this week!! Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes? Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the North Ireland Association for Grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, and mothers My name is Helen, and I'm all alone. I always asked myself how I would want someone to treat my parent if I could not be there. Nursing homes have been in the news a lot lately. 9. I was young and we had a connection but one day I heard the nurses talking about how pathetic she was for wetting her bed and not saying anything so I ran over and stomped on her foot. The paintings and the poems, every one of them, touched my heart. ), Michelle Kogan Art, Illustration, & Writing, An Easter Tale (Mr Cornelius and His Checkmates), Bob Dylan's 74th Birthday Celebration (with meatballs), Christmas Tea with Madeline, Anne and Eloise, Interview with Little House Actor Sidney Greenbush, Secret Garden: Yorkshire Culinary Delights, Three Course Celebration of Colin Firth's 54th Birthday, Two Recipes from The Tasha Tudor Family Cookbook, Two Susan Branch books + Potato Chip Cookies. The poems are beautiful. know my ways Yes, we are thinking when looking at thee Dream of a Young Man by Emily Dickinson: This poem reflects on the joys and struggles of getting older, and it looks at the loneliness that many elderly people experience in old age. He has worked in Indian Railways for decades till when he retired in 1992. Do you have some pictures or graphics to add? And what about my weekly card game?I just might forget that too,So Ill just wait Ill umWhat was I about to do? As I stare up at the ceiling. Here I lie in bed again, Awaiting my next meal. Janice N. Harrington worked as a nursing home aide in college, and she drew on that experience to write "The Hands of Strangers: Poems from the Nursing Home.". They each Said the little boy, sometimes I drop my spoon. If you have another worker help, change me during rounds. Dad was playing cards with a woman and a man. This is one of the finest poems I have ever read. sits the tall, wooden worn out clock. When I went searching for paintings featuring senior citizens, I was struck by how many of them pictured people walking away. When my tea was spilled at the table today. For my young are all rearing young of their own, I love the way you used the words. THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING POEM!! It aches my heart, but there is nothing I can do as I have no say in the matter. No one does it like you, Jama. So finally I'd get the chance, to say what I want to say. This is a remarkable poem. So much loveliness in this post! 20. Here I lie in bed again, Awaiting my next meal. Dont think I need your chattering. As a member of the Old Geezers Club, I pledge to: Be crotchety to everyone I meet,Tell everyone how much harder we had it back in my day,Give the stink eye to anyone with Kool-Aid colored hair,WatchGran Torinoat least once a week,Smell like mentholated oil at all times,Kick kids off my lawn and keep their balls,Never drive over 25 miles per hour, even on the highway,Wear a sweater even if its 90 degrees outside,Remind my son-in-law hes still not good enough for my daughter,Sit on my porch, drink a beer, and judge everyone that passes by,And shake my cane at my smart-mouthed grandkids. Do not lose your patience with me. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young." -Henry Ford Daisy is a beacon of hope and light this week. Said the little old man, I do that too. This poem was found among the possessions of an elderly lady who died in the geriatric ward of a hospital. My grandmother had dementia and she didn't respond to anyone. but me. 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