Ruthie’s Reflection
There have been many changes in the clientele at Hope & A Future in the last couple of months. Transition to a new environment can be incredibly stressful and difficult for anyone, and seniors in need of care go through the same stresses and difficulties as anyone else when it is time to move. Sometimes we have people coming to live at Hope & A Future who are leaving homes they’ve lived in for several years – staff and residents included. This is the case with one of our new residents. The decision to move was one that she was not capable of making on her own due to the status of her physical and mental health. Her children were put into the difficult position of making the choice for her – that it was time to move into an environment that would be safer, where she wouldn’t have to be alone. She is not happy about their decision because it feels like they are taking her home away from her, and there is an obvious role reversal in which the people she raised and cared for from birth are now taking care of her. She feels the need to stand up for herself by resisting the change.
Her situation is not unlike the one Rosemarie (pictured above), a long term resident at Hope & A Future, was in when she came to live with us. Rosemarie’s attitude has taken a 180 degree turn since she moved in and she has become one of our greatest spokespeople. She has taken the new resident under her wing, explaining that she understands the way she is feeling, and that she has felt the same way. After going through her transition, Rosemarie reached a point of acceptance and has made the absolute best of her situation, becoming active in daily activities, helping with the birds, puppy, and whatever else needs doing as often as she can, and being thankful for the things she does have, even if they’re different from what she had before. Seeing her reach out is a tremendous testimony to one of our strongest beliefs at Hope & A Future: People need to help as much as they need to be helped. By helping others, Rosemarie is helping herself. The day to day can be very difficult in any health care situation, but watching these kinds of relationships form and seeing people grow and become healthier in new ways are what keep us all inspired and encouraged to press on, even on the most difficult days.
