Today I took Buddy, my therapy dog down to visit my 91 year old friend Carol. She had been quarantined due to a rash, and I was away for a bit, so I hadn’t seen her for a while.
On my way into the facility, I passed a well dressed, senior resident with dark glasses on, sitting on a bench outside. Her walker was next to her.
“Hi”, I said as we walked by, “are you waiting for a ride?”
She looked up and responded, “No, is that a dog? I don’t see very well. I am sitting here because that is the only thing I can do now, is sit. Bring him over, I love dogs.”
I brought the dog over to her for a pet, which they both enjoyed.
“If you can’t see very well, I am warning you that there are big dark clouds right in front of us. If you feel a drop of rain you better get inside.”
We continued our walk through the building and up the elevator to Carol’s room. She was laying in bed.
“How are you? I asked as I walked over and gave her a kiss. Buddy was busy eating all the crumbs on the floor.
“I am better but not that good,” as she sat up. ” I was quarantined for so long, it is hard for me to walk anymore, so I just stay in my room. I can’t make it to the dining hall. Do you know how far that is?” It wasn’t far before the quarantine but that was then and this is now.
Carol and the unknown lady on the bench reinforce for me, the need to make it better for these elderly citizens. These ladies are just old, their minds are clear but they ‘re just wasting away. And there are many more of them all over.
