A "Stride" down memory lane

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities are odd places to visit. If you regularly work in one of them, you’re probably used to the smells, sounds and sights that go along with life at a nursing home. But think of how a child would react to these same things.

I remember the day, as a little kid, that my grandparents in Manitoba moved from their adorable little bungalow to the new senior’s residence in their town, which in my mind - at the time - was a monstrous multi-level state-of-the-art complex, the likes of which had never been seen before!

This imposing structure was brand new, and I can still picture looking up at their apartment window on that warm summer’s day and seeing grandma sitting there watching the opening ceremonies. It felt like the whole town had turned out for this momentous occasion, although I’m sure it was just the residents and their families.

Often when we visited the grandparents my younger cousins, my sister and I would ask grandpa if we could go to the basement activity room. Besides their small one bedroom apartment at the senior’s residence and the elevator lobby on their floor, this was the best place to play. There was a hot tub, an exercise room, a bean bag toss, and a miniature shuffleboard game, but the room seemed to be rarely used. I would often ponder: “How could the coolest place in the whole building never be full of people?” It was always followed by the thought: “If I lived here, I would use it ALL the time!”

Although, by my standards, the building felt big and imposing I always felt comfortable and at ease there. Us grandkids would take over the hallways and lobbies with our piles of paper, markers, toys and games, often playing contentedly for what felt like hours while the adults visited.

From what I could tell, the residents really seemed at home too. They could cook their own foods, have large family gatherings in the multi-purpose room, put together picture puzzles and generally live out their senior years in the comfort of their own personal affects and space.

As my grandparents grew older and as the Lou Gehrig’s that affected grandma grew worse, they moved into a different, smaller facility in the same town.

I did not like this place.

The walls were funny colours, the doors looked old, I thought the food they served was gross - especially the liver and onions - there were scary people here who moaned oddly and needed help being fed, but worst of all...it smelt BAD. On top of that they had to get rid of a lot of their personal possessions.

I remember, on one particular visit, all the aunts and uncles gathering with my grandparents’ things and, in the usual well organized and diplomatic fashion, drawing names for who would get to keep what.

It was interesting to see all the items that my grandparents had accumulated, but I can remember feeling uneasy that they had to give up these memories because of where they now lived.

I felt badly that my grandparents, who still possessed all their mental faculties, had to live with these moaning strangers in an odd smelling place. There wasn’t fun to be had here.

In this place, my sister and I would hide out in grandma and grandpa’s room. We didn’t go exploring. We weren’t begging grandpa to take us anywhere, and we definitely weren’t sitting in the hallway playing.

It was noisy in that building with nurses, residents and other visitors in the halls and I was always glad when our visiting time for that day had ended and we were able to leave for somewhere more fun.

I’m sure many new residents at a lot of similar facilities feel much as I did, and you can understand why. After a lifetime of independence they are again dependent on someone else for care, in a place with unusual people, too much noise and few personal possessions.

As the baby boom generation continues their move into retirement and on into long-term care settings, it is heartening to see facilities such as this go by the wayside. The emphasis on mentally and physically stimulating environments where residents give input, make choices, and participate in their surroundings is growing. Facilities are also implementing wider menus, more luxurious accommodations, and spa-like health services.

But these changes should not be limited to buildings and services alone. It is you the care provider, manager or facilitator that also needs to adapt. This year invest in training for yourself or your staff. Take a course in reflexology, or aromatherapy, learn new adaptive techniques for games and activities, train yourself in an area you’re passionate about, and if nothing else read this magazine!

STRIDE with us as we face a new year.