A Conversation

My great aunt was in a nursing home for several years. Once a week I would go to visit her often stopping after school to pick up a sandwich for each of us for supper. I loved her dearly but it was often difficult to know what to talk about as our lives were so different and we really didn't know the same people.

Side story: Many people came to her "home" to present musical programs, and Aunt Louise wasn't really into music. She would go to these programs because she wanted to honor that people were coming to do something nice for the residents, but I don't think she really enjoyed them or looked forward to them. Before realizing this one day we were sitting in the big room when I saw the piano. I asked her if she'd like me to play something for her. Her reply was short and quick and not necessarily in that order: "No." It was so matter of fact that I found it humorous. After that I would ask her if she wanted me to play for her just to get that answer!

Anyway, back to original thought. Today the Ann Landers column had a great idea for visiting older people. The writer had found an address book of her older mother-in-law and would go through the book asking her about various people in the book. The mother-in-law enjoyed thinking of people from her past and she knew more details about the past than the present. The writer also learned much about her mother-in-law. The address book gave specific names and helped the mother-in-law remember people.  Wish I would have had this idea 20 years ago!