Imagine that every day when you wake up – you think your birthday is “tomorrow”. by Linda Davis, HSM Executive Assistant
Recently, I got to see another side of Hospice. I sat with a patient who has Alzheimer’s and can’t be left alone. She is on respite care. She was here for five days and there were some open “sitting slots”. I am administrative support staff at Hospice of Southern Maine and not medically trained in any capacity.
So, for two hours I sat with her repeating many times who I was and why she was there. "You are on vacation", I would say and she would smile at me. I realize how fortunate I am that this disease has not touched my family. I realize how difficult it must be to care for someone 24/7 and am so proud that for, if only for five days, Hospice of Southern Maine could help this family.
I am happy that for the two hours I sat with her, this wonderful woman was happy and felt loved. She shared her photo album as well as her calendar which stays on January. She kept telling me that her birthday is “tomorrow”. Imagine that every day when you wake up – you think your birthday is “tomorrow”. She told me how she rode a horse before she learned to walk. I started my visit feeling sorry for her but by the end I realized she was very happy with her memories. She will not remember me but I will certainly remember her!
*Note: Hospice of Southern Maine's respite care is conducted at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for qualifying individuals.
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