My mother was recently in a rehab/nursing home and it broke my heart every single day. There are so many patients, many long term, who have no visitors. Ever. How can that be? Besides the loneliness factor, there is no one there to be their advocate—to make sure they are getting the right medication, at the right time, being attended to, etc.

I know nurses have an incredibly tough job, so I’m really not faulting them. In these situations though, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I am one of 8 kids, so my mother had someone with her round the clock. We wrote down the time of her medication and many times, the nurses would come at the wrong time, or forget, her next dosage. Had we not been there, who would have spoken for her?

Some patients had to wait an unreasonable amount of time for someone to help them use the restroom. It was terrible!

My mother did not survive her cancer and I need make good on my promise to myself that I would go back to that facility to befriend as many of those lonely grandmas that I possibly can. Thanks for the reminder and sorry for writing a book here!

Thanks for sharing, I’m going to make a trip very soon.

I do volunteer at a home for the elderly, though. Aside from calling bingo numbers, I mostly just sit and talk. They love when I bring a photo album even though they don’t know my friends and family. It helps trigger their own memories, and they tell me about their Christmases, their weddings, their vacations.

She held on to her mind long after the doctors thought she would – and that spirit of hers – well, it isn’t ever going to disappear. She is sassy, she is saucy, she is divine.

She is the only grandparent I ever really knew. I hate that a little piece of her disappears each day. I also hate that there are many days I haven’t called because it is hard to hear her so lost and confused.

I’ll do better tomorrow. Thank you for the reminder.

My grandfathers are sort of unbearable authoritarian assholes, so I’m less close with them.

I never met my paternal grandparents, so I have no idea what it would have been like with them. My mom’s mom, however, is amazing. She would always let me sleep with her when I stayed over and she still bakes amazing cookies just for me. We played card games and shuffleboard and she would get us passes to her county club so we could go swimming.

Her husband died a few months ago and I’ve not been making the trip to see her in Arkansas like I should. Thanks for posting this. It basically made me kick myself in the ass and realize I should go spend some more time with her.

I want a huge rock at 82 too!

I teach a seniors fitness class 3 times a week so I know I bring some joy and laughter to some seniors a few times a week and they to me as well with their many stories as we try to exercise. I appreciate seeing these women (and a few men) so active, alert and out having fun still in their 70′s and 80′s. It means that I too can be there at that age. Heck, we have our oldest gal (82) getting married this summer! You should see the rock she got. LOL