On the Lighter Side

I thought it would be a nice change to relate some of the funny and cute experiences we've had with some of the residents. It isn't always all business and go-go-go.

Starting with Richard, who is perhaps the individual that provides us the most entertainment, if you want to call it that. He has only been a resident here for about 4 months and he has already moved once from his original studio apartment into another studio apartment from the first to the second floor. He kept complaining about the broken (cracked) window in his apartment - which he broke while trying to open - and his heater and A/C unit which didn't operate properly - he broke that also - and his toilet which was constantly backing up and overflowing onto the floor - he was always flushing huge amounts of TP and even food down the hopper. Yesterday, he came into the office and said he lost his keys - for about the 5th time. He said he went to sleep in his old apartment and woke up in his new apartment on the second floor and couldn't find his keys. Hmm. We are out of duplicate keys to give him so fortunately, somebody found his keys on the ground upstairs. He is always coming into our office complaining about something.

Then there is Yolanda. She is going to celebrate her 95th birthday next week and is a peppy little lady that almost runs with her walker. She comes in regularly asking for more TP. One day, Josie went with her to her apartment to see if she really needed TP and she kept asking "where are we going now?". She loves to dance and socialize and comes down almost every night before we close to ask where everybody is? She says that nobody comes down at night to sit in the lobby area and talk.

Then there is Eileen, who came in one day to tell us that her scarves were missing and she thinks the "spirits" stole them. Yesterday, she came to our table at supper to inform us that another resident "stole" her towels from the laundry room after she washed them and she knows who it is. Josie went to the "accused" resident and asked her to please check her laundry basket for some strange towels.

There is a couple that sits close to us at meal time that is a joy to watch. She is going to celebrate her 100th birthday in March and her husband is much younger than her and they have only been married for 7 years. They sit at the table and hold each others hand all the time and he takes care of her like she is his only focus in life. He cleans her silverware, gets her extra napkins and is always up and down from the table getting something for her. She is a spry and very active lady for being 100 years old and, although she uses a walker, still gets around well and is sharp in all conversations. We are planning a huge birthday party for her next month and her husband has given us pictures of her from childhood through adulthood that we will show to the Community on her birthday.

These are just a few of the things we witness that make the job more fun. There are many more instances like these that fill the days while we are working the long hours.

We have the next 2 days off so we hope to get some things done that we've been putting off for some time...