Page 11 - Growing Old Without a Plan for Long Term Care is not for Sissies_Neat

Why? iii No, this is not the man I remember. Except…there is something. Something that even this thief of a disease that has stolen so much from him can’t take away. His smile. Now don’t misunderstand, Dad doesn’t smile a lot. These days are tough for him and often there doesn’t seem to be much to smile about. But when he does smile…well that’s when I know my Dad is still there. The highlight of my visits with him are when I say something that prompts a smile, like telling a funny story about his great grandchildren or making a joke. Sometimes the smile is feeting, but oh how it lights up his face and puts a sparkle in his eyes when it’s there. Dad is now living in a skilled care facility or as it’s often called, a nursing home. It’s a nice place and he seems comfortable there. Of course he’d rather be back home on the farm and we wish he could be there too, but his safety requires around the clock care that can’t be adequately provided at home. Surprisingly though, we have found a hidden blessing resulting from him living there. We get a chance to see him through someone else’s eyes. It’s easy for us, his family and friends, to focus on what he has lost, comparing the man today with the man we knew years ago. Despite our love for him, we fnd ourselves getting frustrated with his inability to talk clearly, move about on his own or perform even the most simple of tasks. Too often we focus on what he used to be able to do but no longer can. However, the wonderful people providing his care don’t have that disadvantage. They only know the man he is today and because