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A woman in her 90’s pulls her pants above the knees, sits back and suns her legs. A man with dementia gathers firewood and helps build a fire like he did so many times during family vacations.A man in a wheelchair, virtually blind, becomes teary during a “walk” in the woods, as he remembers his […]

   Our small community, like many others, was devastated by the effects of the ice storm of December, 2013. For weeks afterwards, ankle-deep piles of broken branches littered the streets. I’ve never been in the aftermath of a hurricane, but the effect on nature must be similar. My heart hurt to see the mess and

Remember the old “B.C.” comics? (You have to be a certain age to know what I’m talking about.) One of the themes had a character climbing a mountain to ask the wise man on the top about the meaning of life. Presumably, after he was told, he would go back down to live his life

“This is my mother.” I was startled by the statement, but even as a newbie to dementia, I knew enough to smile and go along with it. The lady to whom she was referring looked older than her, but only by a few years. Ten at the most. But the lady seemed to agree with

“To take away all risk and chances to make mistakes is to take away the chances to be human.” 1 That’s a radical statement.(I love radical statements!) Isn’t taking away risk what care of the elderly is all about? Think of all the equipment we use to do this. Wheelchairs (with seat belts), walkers, bed

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Prov. 16:24 “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” Thumper During the sermon this morning, tears sprang to my eyes as a memory surfaced. Tears are a sure indication of something deep within me being stirred.

It was a desperate time. My husband was in the cardiac intensive care unit of a Toronto hospital, fighting for his life. His heart was large and floppy and not doing what hearts should do. He was on the list for a heart transplant, and various methods were being used to get him through until

Friday was patio lunch in my neighbourhood. Homemade pizza, caesar salad, and ice cream in sugar cones. Even though the weather was too cold and windy to have it on the patio, the eight residents who joined me in the lounge for lunch had a great time. So did I. These lunches are labour intensive,

When I was about 14, I went to camp. It wasn’t my first time, and I absolutely loved it, as I had the years I’d gone before. At camp, I discovered this suburban girl had a country heart, and was totally at home with growing things. I was in a cabin with seven other girls,

What makes life worth living? (If you answered “coffee in the morning” I’m with you on that, but we’re going a little deeper here.) What are the essential elements that make you feel complete, fulfilled, contented, whole? Guess what? They don’t change if you are elderly, or have dementia. The Eden Alternative identifies seven domains