Threads of Gold ~ Part 5

Don't Waste Your Time

Have you ever gone to visit someone at The Home, and staff would not answer your questions, not even basic ones like: “Did they sleep well last night?”  “Has their family been in to visit?”  Unless you are the designated person(s) responsible for their care, your questions will go unanswered.   Confidentiality demonstrates respect for a resident and eliminates gossip.  Yes, I said it…gossip.  “For lack of wood a fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarrelling ceases.” (Proverbs 26:20) As Mom would say: “I don’t have time for nonsense.”  The opposite of gossip is expressed earlier in Proverbs 25:11, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.”  If you are visiting someone and you overhear staff speaking about another resident’s condition, please don’t share that information with anyone; protect their right to privacy.

So bring your smile, and ask other questions: “Did you see that rain?”  “Can we go for a wheelchair ride?”  Realizing that everyone is at different cognitive levels, we can bring in an old pair of skates, a pretty apron with buttons and pockets, or that lovely teapot with its matching cup and saucer and a piece of apple pie. (Be mindful of dietary restrictions; ask a CCA- Continuing Care Assistant- for advice).  Or, we could dress up in our favourite outfits and have a ton of fun!

If you can believe it, from time to time, my Mom would bring in bras, when visiting her sister in The Home.  They would yak, yak, yak, and many a bra was fixed during those lively conversations.  Of course, you don’t need to bring bras.  Instead, use the valuable moments you have; don’t waste your time on looking for information that is not yours to have.   Next time, we’ll talk about photos, computers and IPads.