The Forgotten Ones: Compassion for the Elderly

Today I was thinking that I am 89 and have alzheimers, but I am still alive and useful. I have written on here before about a group I belonged to that sat with dying patients...our belief was no one should die alone. Doctors who knew about our group, or nurses, some ministers and priests sometimes a hosptial aide would contact us and we would go sit with the patient in their last hours. Sometimes it would be for a few hours, sometimes a couple of days. Most of these people had no family, or their friends had all died or were too old, or some were AIDS patients that their families had disowned them...for some reason they were alone and our group wanted someone to be with them at the end of their journey. Sometimes the patient didn't know we were there, sometimes we would talk, play music, hold hands, talk about their life, call people to say goodbye, I would write letters for them, some so sad and heartbreaking, some thought I was their mother, others their wife...some just would look at me and smile. I have crawled in bed with some and held them, some fought death, others were ready to go, some were never awake when I was with them.

I found much peace with this group. I learned alot from these strong people, I made many new friends. People would ask me, isn't it depressing and I would say, oh no, it is an honor to spend the last hours with these people. No one should die alone. I know some people say they would prefer to die alone, but, in the end I have seen that change and people tell me before the end they were glad I was there.

I wish I could still do this act of volunteering...but I can no longer do it.......I wish I could still volunteer....it was an honor.

Source:
The Forgotten Ones: Compassion for the Elderly