When I am asked what I do and respond that I work in senior services, specifically long term care and assisted living, I am often greeted by the same reaction, “Oh, I could never do that, it is just too sad.”  No matter how many times, and how many ways, I tell people that it is not sad, I know that they don’t accept it.  They imagine a world in which all we do is end of life care and that we are in a constant state of saying goodbye to our elders.

The reality is quite different.  Is end of life a component of elder care?  Of course it is.  We care for people in the last quadrant of their lives.  We work with issues of aging from physical challenges to cognitive decline.  But, as I often say, we get a gift from our elders every day.  It is a privilege to work with these older adults, to see their smiles and hear their stories, to find ways in which the richness of their lives is enhanced.

We work very hard to ensure that elders have quality of life and a sense of purpose.  Every day is filled with activities, from discussion groups to music, from exercise to cooking.  These are not just efforts to fill up the hours, rather they are opportunities to participate, engage, stimulate and connect.

That’s particularly evident when we hold our Purim celebrations.  Staff and elders plan and execute extraordinary scenes, with each hallway in the long-term care building decorated to the max and staff and elders in elaborate costumes.  This week saw one long term care unit that was transformed into ancient Greece.  The staff were in white and gold Grecian gowns, the hallways were draped in white and gold and the elders wore gold crowns and snacked on grapes, cheese and non-alcoholic wine.  In another area, we were transported to Japan, with a full tea ceremony, a fabulous sushi display and both elders and staff dressed in kimonos and Kinagashi (kimonos for men).  The level of effort was exceeded only by the level of creativity and elders were as proud as the staff at what they had created.

The annual costume parade was also fun and filled with laughter and applause.  The room was jammed and there were families as well as elders and staff present.  A family member said to me, “This is incredible.  I can’t believe you do this.”  My response was simply, “This is who we are.  It is all about bringing joy to our elders.”

Not everything has to rise to the level of a Purim celebration. But everything is, and has to be, focused on our elders, on understanding their needs and preferences, on providing them with meaningful choices and opportunities to grow and connect, on incorporating joy in all that we do.  Not every day is an easy one.  Elders may struggle, their medical needs may be significant and, while we try hard, not everything is always perfect.  But we strive to never lose sight of the potential for joy, never forget that enriching lives is our primary commitment.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)