Body and soul in long-term care

I have a friend whom I’ve known since I was a teenager, way back when. I’ve seen him move through the stages of his life as a student, a soldier, a husband and father, a high school teacher and coach, and an intrepid traveler. He’s now retired on a fixed income, writing stories, playing the guitar and learning the violin.

My friend has had a full life with, of course, its ups and downs, but he has maintained a positive attitude, an intellectual curiosity, and a will to live life as fully as he is capable.

Problem is, he has a failing body. His once strong legs that hiked mountains, ran track, and danced around a boxing ring suffer from peripheral neuropathy, and he spends most of his time in a wheelchair. Ten stents keep his arteries open and a pacemaker keeps his heart beating a steady rhythm.

His wit is still keen and his laugh hearty, but he says he can cry at the drop of a hat, perhaps because aging has taught him compassion and to be unafraid of being authentic.

Even though we constantly look for ways to live longer, our culture is often lacking in respect for age. It’s common to joke about it as if it’s something to be ridiculed. We forget that wisdom often comes with the experience of growing older.

My friend, whom I recently spent time with after many years apart, has reminded me, simply by being who he has always been, that the body is not the soul that lives inside. The body may fall apart, even the mind may falter, but the soul is timeless and ageless.

I’m a long-term care ombudsman and I see the ravages of time that have taken their toll on our aging residents in long-term care. They are still fully alive, with feelings, fears and fantasies, just like the rest of us. They deserve to be cared for with love, compassion and respect.

Our ombudsman program is a good one, advocating and problem-solving for the vulnerable facility residents who don’t or can’t speak for themselves. Our job as ombudsmen is to make sure residents’ rights are respected, and that they have good care and quality of life.

There are facilities here that give that kind of care, but that’s not always the case. Without trained ombudsmen providing oversight, inadequate care and attention happen all too often.

Would you like to be an ombudsman, a volunteer that visits the LTC facilities as an advocate? Our next training is Sept. 6 through Oct. 18, one day a week for seven weeks. You will join an exceptional group of people with open hearts and the time to visit facilities at different times on different days.

If this feels like a fit for you or you would like to know more, please contact Jan Noyes at the Area Agency on Aging, 667-3179 ext. 243 or jnoyes@aaani.org.