Seniors Situation Room by Dawn Ford – Down Memory Lane

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 – The Down Memory Lane Project of the Cornwall General Hospital and School of Nursing in on display in The Care Center in the former CGH building.

I have a relative who is living in the Care Center now and it is a joy for me, a Grad of the nursing school to visit the Projects displays each time I am there. Matt Cinnamon and Dan Orr, owners of the Care Center very generously designated a special corridor area in the Center to display the CGH’s memorabilia of the hospital and School of Nursing Education Alumni RN (1899-1969) and RPN (1968-1989). The Project was in partnership with the Care Center, the Cornwall Community Museum, the SD&G Historical Society and the CGH Schools of Nursing Education Alumni. Organizers were Don Smith of the Cornwall Community Museum, Shirley Heagle, Catherine Poirier and Sharon Porter who did an amazing job.

It was also nice to see the CGH nurses jacket as well.

Photos courtesy of Bob Katz.

Happy Belated Birthday to Ethel Bingley who celebrated her 97th birthday recently. Ethel is a joy to everyone who knows her. Happy Happy Birthday Ethel.

September is Guide Dog Awareness Month. I have the CNIB Foundation’s 2020 calendar and each month has photos of these wonderful special dogs. I had the priviledge of living with three Guide Dogs for several years; three Labs. There is a quote of W.R. Purche on the September calendar which says, “Everyone thinks they have the best dog. And none of them are wrong.” Go to cnib.ca or call 1-800-563-2642 for more information.

In the October issue of Good Times Magazine is a very interesting article by Murray Lewis, Editor- in -Chief in his “Between Ourselves” column, titled: “Don’t Wait Too Long”. He is saying how important it could be to write about memories of our elders. I wish I had thought about doing that when my parents were still alive to write about their parents, grandparents and their siblings also. They are all gone now. Now I am going to write down what I do remember before I too forget. He says,” Write down every detail of your elder’s memories. Sooner than you know, those details won’t be trivia. They will be treasures.” Great advice and a very interesting informative column. Thank you.

It is so distressing to hear again and again that some senior in an apartment was found dead and had been there for days. How many times do we have to hear this? It happened again recently. The poor soul was dead for about 3 days I was told. Not very nice. Surely there is some way to help seniors have lifelines in senior residences and or when they live alone in their homes. We never know when it may be needed and could be a matter of life or death.

I have brought this up before because it happens more than we would want it to. Maybe a Seniors Residence could get some Grant money to bring the lifelines with fall detection in each apartment and to help pay the monthly fee. It would be money the Lifeline Company is not gettng now. If the residence housed 50 people and the fee was lowered to maybe $20 a month as an example, the company would be making a thousand dollars a month plus the Grant dollars. I know that it is true that some people who have lifelines forget and leave them on their bedside table. I know of two incidents where the person needed help and wasn’t wearing their lifelines. Some people are well and don’t think it is necessary. But a fall could be a big problem when you live alone. A lady I know who was healthy and lived in her own home had a fall and was not found for four days. She did not survive. It is time to take this very seriously. Any ideas?? It could save someone’s life.

Sharyn of Sharyn’s Pantry showed me this wonderful photo she took of frequent vistiors to her patio fence.

A Daddy woodpecker visited often with its chick and fed it on the railing. Sharyn said that orioles used to feed in the early summer at her oriole feeder. They love grape jelly and orange slices. With all these wonders of nature outside her kitchen window she had little need for TV. Nature is certainly a wonderful incredible gift for all of us. Thanks Sharyn for sharing this delightful photo with us.

Here are some fun lines from a friend:

1) I hate it when people act all intellectual and talk about Mozart when they’ve never even seen one of his paintings.

2) The three hardest things to say are: a) I was wrong. b) I need help. c) Worcestershire Sauce.

3) It’s been a bit of a strange day! First I found a hat full of money. Then I was chased by an angry man with a guitar…

4) I told my wife that I wanted to be cremated. She made me an appointment for next Tuesday.

5) One day the first grade teacher was reading the story of Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part where Chicken Little warns the farmer. She read: “and Chicken Little went up to the farmer and said, “The sky is falling.” The teacher then asked the class, “And what do you think the farmer said?” One little girl raised her hand and said, “I think he said, “Holy Sh*t! A talking chicken!” The teacher was unable to teach for the next ten minutes.

This Tiger cat of mine is so funny sometimes. He can seem to be sound asleep and if I go by him with my housecoat sash untied, he suddenly awakens and tries to grab it. It is mostly white and I guess he can see it well because he sure goes after it. In the evenings I play with him sometimes dangling it in front of him and he leaps in the air trying to get it. I have to be careful because he had his front claws removed before I got him, so when he can’t grab it with his paws and hold on to it; he tries to do it with his teeth. I don’t want to pull a tooth. I tire before he does and change hands and even then he still jumps up and twirls around trying to get hold of it. When he does grab it he doesn’t want to give it up. I have to gently pull it away and start anew. Good exercise and he loves it. Big Baby anyway but very cute!!

Have a good week, Dawn

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