Several times in my life I have seen lonely seniors in resting homes who are never visited by their families. Most of them are so grateful for even a moment of your time, and I know I have thought several times what selfish families they must have to never visit them. Now we have become one of those families. We love Grandpa Ford, but we cannot be in Utah to take care of him right now. Grandpa Ford has been very sick, but I think he suffers the most from loneliness.
Now not seeing Larry two days at a time, doesn’t seem so bad because at least I know that he’s coming home.
I have more to look forward to than weekly or even daily phone calls. I have a husband who makes me lunch almost everyday, I have a sister who will call me to talk about the Gilmore Girls, I have friends who will listen to me talk about books for hour and hours, I have you out there reading this blog, and I have an amazing adopted family in town that are always inviting us over for fun events. Tomorrow will bring something new. So will the next month, and the next year. My life will be changed by my interaction with others and they will changed by me too. I have so much to look forward to, so much to experience.
It’s so sad to think of Granpda Ford sitting day in and day out in his empty house, living the same day over and over again. For the first time in my life, I find myself wishing that someone I know would die. Because even though I love him, that is what he wants.
Fortunately, one of your old friends in Utah works for a Senior Services company and knows all the cures for senior loneliness. Let me know what I can do.
ReplyDeleteI wish I didn't agree with you as much as I did. Something difficult to deal with in medicine, but especially in a family member. It's not always easy to be clinical and make decisions on patients you see in the hospital and barely know. But such conflicting emotions when ealing with loved ones - it's hard.
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