Story No. 2

Many times after our morning exercise program, while the residents was eating a snack and hydrating I would read some current events from the newspaper. I tried to always keep the articles light human interest stories. One day there was a story about a Postmaster who had worked for a Post Office for a long time and was retiring. at the age 65. It was the only job that he had ever had.

I realized that sitting in front of me was two retired Postmasters from Shelby County from two different Post Offices. I thought of how cool it would be to celebrate their life as a Postmaster. I drove to those Post Offices that weekend and took pictures of the small Post Offices. I then got in touch with their family members who sent me timelines of their work, photos, old pay stubs, etc. I made posters of the and wrote up a biography of them and put them on foam core board. I hung them in the dining room for all to see. I also made a cute board to hang above it and saying, “Celebrating our lives”. It was so much fun seeing them stop and ook with pride. Residents, family members and staff would read the bios and look at them

With that being a success, I thought if we could celebrate their lives, then we should celebrate the lives of all of our residents. Many family members told me how healing and fun it was to show off their loved ones in that way. You see, I also wanted to show staff that these residents were not just some old people with broken brains and tired bodies. They were people that lived lives. They raised families, worked jobs,, many attended college and led professional positions. Many had served in the service and fought in wars for our freedom or was the spouse of a veteran. These simple posters began to give the staff an opportunity to see them differently and also gave them the knowledge to understand them better.

All of my work gave me the greatest satisfaction when I walked into a funeral home to pay my respects and goodbye to a precious lady I had grown to love and say her poster proudly beside her casket.

The healing process that the families spoke to me about hit home when I had to make the poster of my own precious Mother. She had vascular dementia that affected her memory, and even her vision. Her bio read something like this:

“My name is Shirley. I’m the daughter of Ethel and Virgil. I was married to the most amazing man, Jackie. We had 3 wonderful children, Jackie D.., Cheryl and Barry as well, as many grandchildren my grandchildren are my world. I loved to scratch their back, sing songs and swing them. Cook biscuits and gravy or anything they wanted. Yes, I spoiled them.

I love to cooking, bowling, gardening, canning, collecting cookbooks, collecting bells with my granddaughter Janet. I love music and dancing I van play the piano a little. I like tong onto church and watch old movies, people skating, cooking shows and attending church.

I get scared easily because I can’t see very well, I like to get up and walk, please let me walk. I ask for my daughter, Cheryl a lot, please bear with me. I don’t like yelling, seafood or cantaloupe. I love anything sweet though. “

This story is dedicated to my Mother….Gone but, never forgotten.