Mousy
LIFE MEMBER
My supper companion tonight is Gertie, she is 91 years old, she lives with her son Bryan , I know lots about Gertie because she carries around numerous pieces of paper with her name address birthday, son, today's date and where she is now on these lists. she reads from them all the time.
She obviously has dementia and gets anxious easily, the worn but neatly folded paper she keeps in her pocket calms her. Repeated like a mantra they are just one of the background noises of the ward.
I wish you could all meet Gertie she is lovely, a gentle mild softy spoken welsh lady.
In amongst the confusion are flashes of the real gertie, she is unfailingly polite, neat and tidy. She likes to order the contents of our lockers and tables. I don't mind at all but not all of the other ladies feel the same.
She came and sat beside me at supper and I helped her with her ham and mash, she softy thanked me after each bite whilst still reading from her lists.
She suddenly looked at me and started telling me something, it was very important to her and she gripped my arm to emphasis her point. She became animated and happy, laughing as she told me her story.
She is a welsh speaker and for the first time I wish I spoke it too
She obviously has dementia and gets anxious easily, the worn but neatly folded paper she keeps in her pocket calms her. Repeated like a mantra they are just one of the background noises of the ward.
I wish you could all meet Gertie she is lovely, a gentle mild softy spoken welsh lady.
In amongst the confusion are flashes of the real gertie, she is unfailingly polite, neat and tidy. She likes to order the contents of our lockers and tables. I don't mind at all but not all of the other ladies feel the same.
She came and sat beside me at supper and I helped her with her ham and mash, she softy thanked me after each bite whilst still reading from her lists.
She suddenly looked at me and started telling me something, it was very important to her and she gripped my arm to emphasis her point. She became animated and happy, laughing as she told me her story.
She is a welsh speaker and for the first time I wish I spoke it too