Photo Friday

Happy last day of olympic-induced sleep deprivation!  I've been too darn tired to write anything with all the skis, skates, and hockey pucks sucking every last second of my time these past two weeks. 
Anyway!

It's been a very long time since I had a photo Friday, plus I wanted an excuse to post this adorable picture of Joseph.  He's awesome. Even though he has dementia and often doesn't know where he is or why,  he told me a story recently about getting shot in World War II and his subsequent year-long stay in a German hospital. In great detail, I might add. He's an amazing person and the conversation reminded me how important it is that we listen to our elder's stories. 

There is a proverb that says "every time an old person dies, a library burns to the ground." That couldn't be more true. Our old people have seen and experienced so many things that most of us cannot even fathom.  If you have an old person in your life...engage them in a conversation. Ask them about something from their past. Really listen to them. Not only will you make their day, but you'll learn something, too.

p.s. Record your conversations. It's the cheapest priceless keepsake you could ever have.

Is it really December already?

I wish I had more time to share the daily goodies that come my way, but man this place is nuts. I'm also providing administrative support to a sister property who lost their director, so all my little post-it notes of things I want to remember to write about will have to continue to wait for another day. Until then, though, here's a little piece of hilarious conversation that took place outside my office door on Tuesday of last week.

Lois (of the mismatched socks): "Gladys, is Thanksgiving tomorrow?"

Gladys: "Well, I don't know. Is it this week?"

Lois: "Joseph, do you know if Thanksgiving is tomorrow?"

Joseph: laughs "Huh. Well. I guess I don't know."

Lois: to Little Miss Chatterbox "How about you? Do you know if Thanksgiving is tomorrow?"

LMCB: "You know, that's a funny thing, Thanksgiving. I said to my daughter on the phone this morning that Thanksgiving should be coming up, and then she told me when it was. I wonder if we'll have turkey here? Everyone always thinks you have to have turkey on Thanksgiving, but I think why should it always be turkey? We could have something besides turkey. And stuffing! All that bread? Why should people serve that every Thanksgiving. Really. But anyway she told me when Thanksgiving was, but I don't think I can remember."

Lois: still not giving up "Maude? Do you know if Thanksgiving is tomorrow?"

Maude, who is 99 and performing true to her usual form, put an end to the entire conversation by replying "How in the hell should I know?"

I love old people.

Mid Week Treat

I caught this group of happy people yukking it up yesterday afternoon outside my office. They were laughing so much I had to go see what all the commotion was about. Can you tell what was so funny by looking at the picture?

Joseph and Gladys were laughing at Lois (far right) because she was wearing one knee high panty hose and one black sock with her sandals. On accident, of course. Lois laughed right along with them. It was hilarious. Assistant then told them how I showed up to work one day wearing two different shoes (true story). They thought that was even funnier. I thought Gladys was going to pass out she was laughing so hard. Listening to three people with dementia laugh like there's no tomorrow is very high on the list of reasons I love this job.

As we were laughing, Little Miss Chatterbox wandered upon the scene interested in what the commotion was all about. She was, of course, wearing her lab coat (see, I don't make this stuff up!) , though I think it has been hemmed...which makes me wonder....who in the world would have hemmed a lab coat for an 89-year-old assisted living resident to gad about in?!?

Happy Hump Day. It's been a fun week at the Ridge!

p.s. Speaking of Hump Day... when Assistant woke Joseph up the other morning he groggily looked at her and asked "Can you have kids?" She told him that no, she already had kids. "Then can I stick it in?" he very politely asked. HAHAHAHA!

The View...

from my office door. Joseph is fast asleep. Hee!