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Gifts for the Elderly

Over a decade of my life was devoted to professionally caring for the elderly in their homes and for a short while in a facility specializing in Dementia/Alzheimer's. I would like to share a story with you in hopes you see the moral of the story: The best gift you can give the elderly. Note no names or places are divulged to protect the true identity of those involved.

It was a chilly January Morning of 2000. Or maybe 2001, I don't remember. In any case, it was the morning of my wedding day, but I was headed to work. Not to work on the clock, but to volunteer my time. Both my husband and I had been married before so we decided to have a small wedding at my place of employment. It had 30 beds, and a large common area where the "gazebo" nurses station was perfect for saying our wedding vows. All of the clients suffered from one sort of Dementia or Alzheimer's in various stages. Some could speak, others were bed bound. But they all shared a common thread, their minds and bodies just didn't work like they used to.

Weeks prior permission was granted through administration that we pay for, plan, and prepare all the clients that wanted to participate in our wedding day. I had under six hours to help put up a few decorations, get the trays of finger foods prepared for everyone there that had special diets, and get everyone dressed up for the "special day". A special cake had been ordered and decorated for all, but it was made with ingredients so that even all those on diabetic and cardiac diets could partake without hurting their regular diet.

What a wonderful feeling to be helping the ladies pull up their stalkings and find their fancy hats and pull out their favorite dresses. Their minds may not be well, but they could feel the excitement in the air. The staff of the day was thrilled to help everyone get duded up for the afternoon event. Eyes were twinkling and I had never heard so much chatter in the common room. Many could no longer verbalize, but you could hear the pleasure they were getting from having a "party" where they could participate. Even the gentlemen were getting their ties out!

Exhausted, I raced home. I bathed my daughter and then my son. Well he became mine once we said our vows. I dressed them and handed them off to my husband (well he would be in less than a few hours). He and the few family members invited so as not to disrupt the client's daily routine left as I had thirty minutes to shower and prepare myself. Slipping into

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