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Friday 7 December 2018

Old people

Our five year old granddaughter was excited when she woke on Wednesday morning.


“Mommy, we’re going to the old peoples’ house after recess this morning. It’s for Christmas and we’re going to play bingo,” she said with delight. 


Our daughter, a nurse in a seniors’ home was familiar with such visits from school children. She engaged her five year old in conversation about wheelchairs, walkers and beds, what to expect and not to be afraid. Caitlin listened with interest, eyes wide. Claire encouraged her to sit with the people, listen and speak with them and answer their questions.


“I put on this special shirt. Just look, it has a bow,” she said as she lifted her hair off her neck to reveal a bow at the back of the collar. 


“Old people will like that,” said Caitlin.


“I should put your hair up so people can see it,” replied Mommy.


“Would you like to wear this Christmas sweater too? I think the seniors would like this as well,” added Claire. Caitlin loved the sweater.


“And Mommy, we have to walk over there so I am going to need three scoops of breakfast,” said Caitlin as she ate, happily looking forward to the day.


On hearing the news, her grandfather and I wondered where we fit in Caitlin’s idea of old people. Did she, like her mother before her, consider “old people” to be like her grandparents?


When Claire finished her nursing degree, she decided to work with seniors. For her, it’s like working with her grandparents every day. She enjoys her job.


While my husband and I can still enjoy our own home and an active lifestyle, there may come a day when we will be in a nursing home. We can only hope to be so lucky as to enjoy visits from excited young children.










20 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello, I agree the nursing home resident would love visits from children. I heard they also love having pets visit too. Cute story! Enjoy your day, have a happy weekend!

Rhodesia said...

Old people seem to get older all the time. As a child, to me 50 was very old, but now in my mid seventies old people are only 95 and over! LOL. Have a good weekend Diane

DJan said...

I hope she has a good time and learns what it's like to be old and live there. Many of us will eventually end up in such a place, and young children and pets make all the difference. :-)

Celia said...

She'll be such a welcome sight for the residents. You must be so proud of her and your daughter.

Anvilcloud said...

That's a sweet post, and hopefully we'll be well remembered as we age.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

Lucky old folks to have such lively and charming visitors. Personally I chose to work with young people which meant that I never really had to grow up!

Joanne Noragon said...

Your grandchildren's school is doing a marvelous job of teaching compassion.

William Kendall said...

'Old people' tend to be relative as we get older!

Debra She Who Seeks said...

I hope they bring much joy to the nursing home residents! They need it more than anyone at this time of year.

Tabor said...

I love babies and small children and they do light my day when they become a part of my life for brief periods. I hope any home I may have to go into is next door to a pre-school so I can watch them play!

Barbara said...

How nice for the seniors to get a visit. Everyone will probably get a good nap after all the noise.

Bill said...

Wonderful written post so glad you shared. It would be interesting to know if you fall in to the old people category. :) When I graduated from HS, I thought my mom was old and she was only 41. :)

Elephant's Child said...

Old is such a shifting milepost. In my teens 30 was old. And is now almost unimaginably young.
I hope that they have as much fun as those they are visiting.

Tomoko said...

Good Morning! Lovely story.
The seniors like visits from children and pets too.
My mother-in-law- turning to 99 soon lives with us,she can eat herself and walk slowly in the house.
She strongly wants to keep living in her bed room until her end, and she looks so happy when the young helpers for her bath and the young trainers for her body visit her a couple of times a week and even a home visiting doctor once a month. She enjoys chatting with them. God gave her surprisingly good health!!

Elaine (Retired Knitter) said...

Having care for my mom at home and at a nursing facility I can assure everyone that these visits are almost life giving to an older population!

Debbie said...

awww, what a sweet story!! define old?? my definition keeps changing!!

Sandy said...

Sweet story. I only remember going and singing when I was young and remember my daughter's choirs doing that as well. I do think many don't get visits and so this is probably quite a lift for them. Plus, as we've become a much older population, kids will no doubt see and interact more with elderly then perhaps we did at their age. I do remember being afraid of them. My Granny lived to be almost 100 and her veins were very predominate which scared me.

PerthDailyPhoto said...

What a wonderful idea Marie, a visit that will benefit and enrich both the young and the older ✨

jenny_o said...

This is lovely. My dad enjoyed the primary student visits when he was in the nursing home. Babies and little people seem to be a magnet for the rest of us, including the elderly.

Down by the sea said...

The residents must have enjoyed the visit from the children. It's lovely when they are brought together like this. Sarah x