A Christmas to Remember: Laughter and Lessons from Assisted Living
As the holiday season approaches, many of us are reminded of the importance of spending quality time with loved ones. For me, that means visiting my mother-in-law, Lorraine, who resides in an assisted living facility due to her struggles with dementia. Despite her condition, Lorraine’s long-term memory remains sharp, but her short-term memory is fleeting. Simple tasks, like taking medication or recalling her whereabouts, have become daily challenges.
A Fun-Filled Afternoon
To bring some joy to Lorraine and her fellow residents, my wife, daughter, and I decided to visit the common room for a festive afternoon of caroling, hot cocoa, and games. My daughter sang a dozen Christmas classics, while my wife helped the residents create origami snowflakes. I set up a karaoke speaker and mic combo, and we all had a blast.
Hangman Hijinks
After the caroling, we still had some time to spare, so I started a game of Hangman with the residents. The twist? Each answer was a popular Christmas song title. The seniors were surprisingly terrible at guessing the answers, but we all had a great time trying to solve each puzzle. That is, until things took an unexpected turn.
An Unforgettable Moment
On the final three-word puzzle, I wrote the letters D – C – K – – – – – A L L S on the board. The residents had already incorrectly guessed several letters, so our hangman was nearly complete. Before asking for another guess, I asked the group if they had any ideas about the Christmas song title. That’s when a quiet, shoeless woman blurted out, “That’s easy… It’s DICK AND BALLS.” The room fell silent, and then erupted into laughter.
Laughter and Lessons
The commotion caught the attention of the floor supervisor, who quickly pieced together what had happened. It turned out that Sheila, the outspoken resident, had been yearning for companionship since her husband’s passing, and Ed, the sharp-witted former engineer, had a knack for quick wit. As we drove home, I took the opportunity to teach my daughter a valuable lesson: when life hands you a difficult situation, be like Ed – find the humor and rise above.
Merry Christmas to All
As we celebrate the holiday season, let’s not forget the importance of laughter, love, and lessons learned from those around us. And to Sheila and Ed, I say thank you for the unforgettable afternoon.
Leave a Reply