ICYMI (In Case You Missed It):
A couple of weeks ago, I read an article about assisted living in The New York Times. I never respond to articles, but this one got to me … so I sent a letter to the editor giving my $0.02 on the topic.
A couple of days later, much to my surprise, I got an email telling me that they planned to print my letter in the Sunday edition and online!
So there goes my 15 seconds of fame via the New York Times 🙂
As I said when I posted this on Facebook, I love the residences where I work, but every place needs more workers … and I firmly believe that they need to be better paid and better trained.
What is your experience with assisted living for senior care, positive and/or negative? What solutions do you think would work?
Photo by David Smooke on Unsplash
Spiritual Eldercare 
My name is David White, I attend and am a deacon at Ridgeview Baptist Church in Church Hill, Tennessee. I have a ministry at an assisted living facility where a few of my brothers and sisters in Christ sing to residents the old gospel hymns Sunday afternoons. Hymns they sang years ago and still are able to sing. On Thursday I have a bible study at the same facility but in a different building we are studying about heaven, from Randy Alcorns book on heaven. I agree the caretakers are overworked and under paid for what they do. Just yesterday a lady who sleeps most times we are there, sang amazing grace along with us wide awake in her wheel chair, she was having an extremely good day.
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David, what a beautiful story about the lady singing along to Amazing Grace! I find that to be true every time we sing hymns — it’s the reason I created free sing-along downloads, so anyone can lead a hymn sing if they want (no musical experience required :)). Thanks for writing, and for your good work.
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Thanks for sharing this, Elisa. Congratulations on your moments of fame! I certainly agree that the staff turnover is a major issue in the assisted living situations I have seen with my mom and where I volunteered. And it is brutal work! Very physically challenging. But emotionally even more challenging. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t see any “governmental” benefits, but we definitely need to volunteer at our local senior gathering places. These dear people need our encouragement and listening ears.
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Agree 100% — the emotional burden makes the physical challenges even more difficult. Thanks Barb!
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