Sunday
The fact that a gorgeous
actor from Neighbours stars in the leading role of our
local pantomime means there is no shortage of helpers for the trip
I have arranged for six of our residents. Luckily we have seats at
the front because three residents are wheelchair users and we have
lots of space. It is a great view but very noisy.
Monday
There is a bingo session in the activities room this evening, which
the majority of residents always enjoy attending. A call of "full
house" is rewarded with a piece of fruit. It is a tactful
alternative to sweets because we have several residents who are
diabetics. Large plastic covered cards mean most players can see
the numbers. Even with residents' hearing aids on special alert,
our bingo caller ends the evening hoarse.
Wednesday
There is a short communion service in the afternoon today. It means
those residents who badly miss going to church regularly get an
opportunity to receive communion. Before I started the vicar would
occasionally come and administer communion in their rooms to those
who desired it. I thought that sounded rather lonely and took the
"commune" out of communion. Now he visits once a month in the
activities room so it is more like going to church. The service is
short and moving. It seems to have a calming effect for the rest of
the day on one particular elderly and mentally infirm woman.
Thursday
I spend a lot of time talking to a 94-year-old woman who is here as
a result of an emergency admission to one of our rooms for elderly
mentally infirm residents. She is not in fact mentally infirm but
this is the only spare room we have got. Elsie is shocked and
confused having been uprooted from the home she shared with her
bachelor son. He died this morning of a heart attack, more or less
in front of Elsie, and her social worker placed her with us.
Friday
I spend the afternoon doing room visits to residents who, for
whatever reason, do not want to participate in group activities and
spend most of the day in their rooms. Ruby, a great letter writer,
has a lot of stamps for me, which I collect for the Royal National
Institute for the Blind. Ena tells me about the film The Lord
of the Rings which her daughter had taken her to see. After
some encouragement I manage to get Elsie to start knitting some
squares for the blanket that we have under way. She is still very
confused though and worries about cooking her son's dinner.
Saturday
Before our regular domino session, I have a chat with some of our
care staff. They really have given me so much support since I
started this newly created role. The dominos game is fun and keeps
the players stimulated.
