Growing old gracefully

     I see her sitting there dozing in her big black comfy chair.  Never before would you she let you catch her catnapping, but the years have taken a toll on her body.  The once smooth skin is full of wrinkles, the dark brown hair is now snow white, the body that could move quickly now is in pain by merely sitting and the mucsles that could lift and move objects now have a hard time just moving her body.

Instead of the hard working busy grandmother that she has always been, she has now become what I like to call a "Lady of Leisure".  I love that lady dozing in her chair!  My heart aches for her as she can no longer reside by herself.  It was her deepest desire to grow old gracefully and independently.

She loves her little two bedroom bungalow that sits on a hill.  She has many memories stored from living in the same place for over sixty years!  She and her husband raised their two children, she mourned the loss of their son, the death of her husband, the birth of grandchildren and not to mention the dogs that had become part of her family.  The annual garden that was located behind the house gradually decreased in size as her ability to care for the garden decreased.  Her lilac bushes were her pride and joy and the fact she continually fed the birds all year long.  The small menial tasks of pruning and filling the bird feeder became difficult and basically impossible for her body to perform.
Her home can no longer be her residence.  The body has aged much in 91 years and now requires more care and attention.  She now requires monitoring of medicine and personal care.  This obvisiously can not happen in her home alone.  She has been relocated to a home where she can be monitored.  Fortunately, the place allows for her to feel somewhat independent, but yet she knows she is being taken care of by them.  She has her favorite pictures on the walls in her pink spacious bedroom along with her two favorite chairs.  I catch her frequently in her big comfy chair just dozing. 

Whoever came up with the saying "growing old gracefullly" did not grow very old.  If you have had to take for an elderly or maybe you currently are then you know it's far from the truth.  The saying should be "growing old with dignity"!  My grandmother has done that well.  She has been independent for over 20 years after my grandfather died.  She could do many things without assistance for many of those years.  Her body slowly declined in the past 5 years, but through it all she has kept her dignity.  I intend to honor her dignity as her body declines in the next years or months.  She has served others selflessly for years so in return I can make sure she continues to grow old with dignity.  If you are caring for an elderly please consider my more recent saying "growing old with dignity" and try to honor them in that way.