When I walked into her room she was having a lovely conversation  with a few friends and family members.  But there was no one there.  It happens more than you know with people in their 80’s and 90’s.  And the crazy thing is that it’s not always a symptom of dementia or Alzheimer’s, but often a UTI (urinary tract infection) that causes many older people to be confused or to hallucinate.

For the past five years I have been supplementing my income from my business Presence Jewelry Designs as a part-time caretaker for women in their 80’s and 90’s.  It has been enlightening, and a joy, but also at times heartbreaking.  Two very special ladies have become my adopted or “bonus” Moms over the years.  My own Mom passed away four years ago on Christmas morning.

I have always enjoyed talking to older people and hearing stories from their pasts.  I remember one time taking two of my kids with me to visit some older people we always saw sitting in rocking chairs on the long porch of their nursing home.  Of course everyone loves seeing children, so there were lots of smiles.  Although my son wasn’t happy about being asked to sit in a lap or two.  (That was my cue that it was time to leave : )

My ninety one year old Dad has always been a great storyteller.  My kids loved hearing about his escapades as a young boy, especially about the time he and a young David Price (NC Congressman) narrowly avoided getting hit by a train by standing very still and flat against the bridge rails as a train rushed by them across the Nolichuky River in Tennessee!  I always got a kick out of hearing all of the funny nicknames he and his friends gave each other.  Monkeynuts Pratt was my favorite.

The funny thing is that I AM a senior now and only 20 or 25 years younger than my clients are.  We just don’t know what mental and physical challenges await us if we live to be their ages.  I find myself praying sometimes for my 85 year old self, and hoping that she will be sweet, healthy and still a little goofy and fun. (My daughter often describes me as goofy, which is fine with me because I think that may be one reason that people sometimes think I am younger than I am! Haha!)

And that I’ll be blessed with a sharp mind and healthy body, more for my kid’s sake than for myself.  Those thoughts help me to eat healthy (most of the time) and keep exercising.  I know that taking care of myself now may keep my kids from having to visit me in the hospital in the future.

Sadly, my very smart and sweet Dad has Alzheimer’s.  He lives closer now in Chapel Hill near my youngest sister, and just a two hour drive for me to come for a visit.  The wild thing is that my best friend’s Mom and my roommate’s Mom also have Alzheimer’s.  And it’s different with each of them.

I’m sure many of you also have aging parents who require a lot of help in their day-to-day lives.  It’s just a part of life as we move into our 60’s and 70’s.  The thing that keeps me from feeling anxious or sad about this, is that I know I will see my parents again one day in heaven.   If you’re not a spiritual person you might be rolling your eyes as you read that last sentence.  And that’s OK because faith is a personal thing and different for each of us.