Nursing Home Experience

Yesterday was the first official visit to the nursing homes Bryce is installing bar code software in, by Jadon, Elie and I. Wow, what an experience...

The three of us helped a lady named Mary to her room, and then as I helped her get a few things in order, (emptied water glasses and put items away where she couldn't reach because of her wheel chair), the kids had an animated conversation with her. She revealed that she has two granddaughters and that her parents just flew to Florida to spend winter in warmer weather.

This information really impacted me. Especially as I made my way around her room, helping her out. It was a virtually bare, very hospital like, with hardly any room for her two small dressers, her roommate's one dresser and both of their wheel chairs. Her bed was a hospital bed and looked as if it might be held together by the duct tape wrapped around the bars. The whole place smelled of urine and sweat and unclean skin. I couldn't stand to see my parent or my daughter living in this place permanently, until they passed away. I couldn't imagine taking Elie and Jadon to this room to visit Grandma. It broke my heart.

Elie had a very hard time saying goodbye. She was concerned about the people, asking why they were so sad. I tried to explain that the nursing home was where they had to live now, because they needed doctors and their families can't care for them anymore, or they didn't have any family left. Both kids protested when it was time to go. They wanted to stay. I was so proud!

Bryce has been told of countless heartbreaking stories of tenants lives in these places. Of families all but forgetting their loved ones in these nursing homes. This has been sobering. How can we get so busy and numb that we'd even consider letting our precious elderly people live such depressing lonely lives? It's chilling to think that we are not very far from being there ourselves... that Mary could easily be Lindsey in the next few decades.

I am so thankful we have this opportunity, that my children have this exposure. I pray that it nurtures deep compassion for people within their little hearts and minds, and that as a family we grow more sensitive to those who either have no voice or a very weak one. And that we begin to learn how the little things we do impact others. Especially during the holiday season.

We won't be visiting the nursing homes every day with Bryce, but it will become a regular part of our routine over the next several weeks.