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December 25, 2008
It's Never Too Late To Have a Happy Childhood
Granny Annie
I've written extensively on my website about the need for all competent persons to have a health care power of attorney (HCPOA) and HIPAA authorization. While not perfect, the HCPOA makes it more likely that if you become incapacitated, your personal wishes about such things as where you live and the type of medical treatment you want (or don't want) will be honored.
Not too long ago, I visited my 99 year old Grandma Ann. Granny Annie was mentally sharp until she hit her late 80s, when she began to exhibit signs of dementia. She has no short-term memory, but every once in a while she'll surprise you by asking about a relative. Now, she is living in at the Jewish Home for the Aged in Reseda, California, a wonderful facility. We sat with Grandma, talked and held hands for a little while. At the end of our short visit, we told her we would visit again next week (a harmless fib) and she said "I can't wait!" (as if).
Some wonder why we bother to visit her. After all, the conversation is very limited and 10 minutes later she doesn't remember that we even visited. I say that's OK, because we don't visit her for stimulating interaction. Most importantly, visiting enables us to:
- Observe her overall grooming. Thankfully, she looked well. She appeared clean, her hair was made and her nails manicured.
- Visit with the staff. Every one of them seemed, as always, friendly, caring and concerned. They knew who Ann was, brought us to a group of residents being entertained by folk dancers, and pointed her out to us.
- Observe the other residents. At a glance, no one seemed to be neglected or particularly agitated.
- Inspected her living quarters. Clean, bed made.
Because of the outstanding personnel at this particular home, it probably would make no difference to the quality of her care even if nobody ever came to visit her. But in many such places, I believe that it's a good thing for the staff, many of whom are paid fairly low wages, to know that this PERSON has a loving and caring family who looks in on her unannounced from time to time.
