My First Year In Long Term Care.

I had retired from Sears after thirteen years. I was ready for a long vacation so I took one for about three months
After awhile I began getting antsy. I needed to go back to work. I looked at the want ads occasionally, I was not in a hurry. One day I was reading the want ads and an ad caught my attention it said, "Do you like people and play the piano?" Well, I had heard that the Holiday Inn bar needed a piano player so I thought that sounded fun. I had had enough retail to last me the rest of my life. So I answered the ad. To my surprise it was a nursing home. They wanted an Assistant Activity Director. I thought it sounded like fun so I said yes when they offered me the job. The first day I was in a car accident on the way to work. The Activity Director said I come to work or stay home. So I went to work with a neck collar on. Then I got the flu. Can you believe it? I was walking on a fine line probably to the unemployment line. The first week I lost ten pounds and was on my way to losing more. I just didn't think I was cut out to be an employee in the long term care field. The thing was, I heard these old people screaming all day long. I was told not to worry about it. I saw old people in wheelchairs with chest restraints on being restrained to the hand railing in the halls. I saw old people being completely ignored. Little did I know that in that year the facility I started my career in was slated to house residents that had lived their lives in mental health facilities that were being closed. Many nursing homes had buses loaded with folks being transferred to their facilities. It was horrible. My little boy would say to me, "Mama, you smell like a hospital." I smelled worse than that. I got so tired that one day I sat down in my chair when I got home and when I woke up it was 7:00. I thought it was A.M. and I raced up the stairs and took a shower and got dressed for work. It was not A.M. I had fallen asleep for two hours. I was completely exhausted. One day a confused resident I was walking back to his room stopped, looked at me and hit me so hard with his fist that he broke three of my ribs. Not a fun facility.
One day the Activity Director told me that she thought I was doing an excellent job and that she would like to recommend me for the job of Activity Director at another facility. I was astonished, but I thanked her. I interviewed and got the job.Actually that was the first day of the rest of my life. I loved it there.
I loved my assistant. We laughed and had a ball with our residents. I had complete cart blanch'e with what activities I was going to offer the residents that lived there. I developed an Orientation Clown. The residents that weren't oriented to time and place eventually would know that when they saw the Clown it was Wednesday. I developed so many activities that are still being done for residents as a must in these days. I taught Science, Cooking, Happy Hour, Exercise activities five times a week and a ton more. I even had a Mexican Hat dance activity; they had a ball! I made a very good friend there that was a Social Worker and we still visit on Facebook.
One day after I had started working there for about a month, an R.N. came to me and asked me if I would hold a resident while she was dying. What?? My eyes must have been big as saucers. I will never forget her. She said to me, "LuAnne, this lady has no family and I do need you to be with her until the end. I am so busy today, I just can't, but I'm sure you will do it for her." She used the tone of voice no one argued with. I wouldn't have anyway, but I was very uncomfortable.When I walked into the lady's room she seemed unconscious. I sat on the edge of the bed and cradled her in my arms. She was aware of me and actually cuddled against me. I was there only about five minutes until she passed away. I don't know if I was a comfort to her or not, but I would like to believe I was.
I took the State of Missouri and Federal Administrator License tests. Then just for fun I got my life long Kansas Assisted Living License. I just now threw it away. I just don't feel like going back to work!
I had my mother as a resident in two facilities. I could feed her and watch the activities she attended if I wanted to. I was appreciative of an Activity Assistant that had taken care to have my completely disoriented Mother attend a crocheting class. I watched in wonderment as my sweet mama crocheted like she always had; not looking at her work, but watching to see what the other people were doing.

Marie, Roger
Talking to Tricia

I am now at the age of 73 taking care of my 102 year old mother-in-law and doing more nursing care than activities.  I was at a loss how to keep her mind busy which is a must to help people stay alert. She always loved my computer and would look at the pictures of her and her family on the blog that I had started to write years ago.  I wondered if she had enough vision left to enjoy that activity again. I started showing her pictures on my IPad, my laptop, and finally my Kindle. She would whisper to me who they were. She didn't recognize her family from modern pictures, just the old ones. She loved it! Well that was the Readers Digest Condensed version of the beginning of twenty years. It was a very rewarding career. I felt at the time that making them laugh and reminiscing with them made a difference in their lives.