Respect

What Happens When Your Purse is Stolen

“Someone stole my purse!” Barbara pushed her walker into the dining room to make her announcement with as much volume as she could muster. Her eyebrows jumped and her eyes bugged to emphasize the seriousness of the accusation. Several residents peered down the hall, perhaps expecting to see the culprit racing away with the purse […]

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What Does Respect Mean, Anyway?

Maybe it’s rare these days, but I grew up with “respect your elders.” I called everyone “Mrs. Smyth” and “Mrs. Ruse,” and even when I grew up and these ladies invited me to use their first names, I couldn’t. My mother, who passed away in my mid- twenties, seemed to sit on my shoulder and

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How to Really Know Your Elders

“Do you know Mr. Sully?” “Of course I do. I talk to him every day. He uses a cane and always wears a suit. He’s such a kind gentleman.” “But do you know him?” “I told you I do. His wife lived with us until she passed away. He was such a devoted husband. Spent

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How To Use the Right Words in Eldercare

“I just changed his diaper. You grab a bib for me, and I will feed him.” Is this a conversation between two parents holding their newborn infant? Or perhaps two Early Childhood educators in a daycare situation? No, it’s a conversation held between two care partners over the head of a non-verbal elder in a

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