Washington DC
Guest post from Patty Wudel, Executive Director at Joseph’s House, the home and hospice for
formerly homeless people with AIDS where I worked for many years.
David wrote last
week about a recent Joseph’s House staff meeting where he shared his
experience with Alzheimer’s disease and about Joy, who was there that day and is in her seventh year with Alzheimer’s.
Joy and her partner Grace normally volunteer at
Joseph’s House on Tuesday mornings, arriving early enough to join the silence
that begins our weekly staff meeting. Along
with our other volunteers and staff, they sit in deep quiet as each “finds a
place of rest in the middle of things.” When
the bell sounds to end the silence, Grace heads for the kitchen to prepare the
hearty lunch she’ll serve after our meeting.
Joy usually stays with the rest of us for the meeting. She used to keep Grace company in the kitchen,
but often she became restless and would wander in and out of the room during
our meeting. Her restlessness was distracting
for everyone.
Several Tuesdays ago, Helen, our 86-year-old community
elder, shifted into Grace’s chair when the meditation ended and extended her
hand to Joy, who took it. That day Joy stayed
for the whole meeting with Helen beside her.
Since then Joy has remained with the rest of us for our staff meeting
while Grace cooks in the kitchen. Joy
listens intently when someone speaks and responds to the emotional tone of
voice, especially if the speaker is seated close to her. Sometimes she chuckles or raises her eyebrows,
punctuating what is being said. Other
times she asks a question. If what is
being shared brings tears to the speaker, Joy will cry a little also. Our staff and volunteers take all this in
stride easily and kindly.
Right now Joy’s presence at our staff meetings feels effortless. Actually, because we so much love to have both
Grace and Joy at Joseph’s House, our community is simply doing everything we
can so they can both be with us. It’s
good, and it’s not really difficult at all.
It feels natural.
-- Patty Wudel
My mother had Alzheimer's and volunteered at her church and at the hospital. The hospital was so wonderful that when she could no longer do her job (escorting people to different places in the hospital), they gave her a new job. They told her that because she had such a beautiful smile, they wanted her to greet people coming in. This helped preserve her usefulness and her dignity and helped prevent her from yet another loss. Including those with Alzheimer's is such a precious gift.
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