Nursing home and its story.
So I got accepted to work at a private nursing home, near where I live. Part-time, bunker too. It means I will only be covering the ones who are on their annual leave and this week I had my induction.
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My closest friends would know, building my own care or nursing home is one of my big, long-term goals in life since I was 6th grade. I do not know what circumstances they have, but my heart always aches and I cry when I see old grandpas and grandmas on the streets begging for money, under the sun. Or just simply living there, homeless. Strayed. Simply, I just want to take care every single one of them. If no one want to, I genuinely would.
Long time ago, I told myself I want to be rich as heck to be able to be the owner of a very homey nursing home, with lots of green space and a water fountain in the front yard. I want to feed them with the most tasty yet healthy foods and drinks, able to supply them medical support that they need (such as O2 tube, 1-on-1 weekly appointment with doctors, NGT, catheter, etc), give them a large and clean room with a comfy bed, with a hood and soft pillows. Inside, there should be two lounges, with TVs, keyboard (so I can learn and play it for them) and table for board games. Lots of wheelchairs and hand sticks. With nurturing and caring nurses and employees too of course. I want to value them, as they deserved to be.
Flashing back to my old memory (as far as I remember dearly).
My mum and late granny once took me to a nursing home. Eyang wants to meet her friends, she said. Prior to arrival, we brought lots of groceries and snacks to be distributed to the residents.
The place was not too big and not fancy either. But there, I saw my granny sewed with them, sat next to them and and laughed together. I would never forget that moment as she looked so happy. I was very happy too. I did a tour of the care home, and when I was slowly walking, a resident on a rocking chair reached out and told me I was pretty. I remembered I blushed after she said that, I was only 10 that time. She taught me about what she was doing; making an embroidery. My mom told me to try make one but all I said was “oooh” “ooooh i see” because I was too shy to follow what she did. I am never that artsy, you know.
I thought we were going to go to that care home, at least once again. But unfortunately, no. That one was one of my core memories that live inside me even after my granny passed.
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Yesterday was only my second day of induction but there was a moment in which it warmed my heart.
I had a very rough morning and I needed to arrive at the venue early. I woke up even earlier, still, the bus was late.
At the place where I work, I am only a laundry girl. But I cherish the opportunity that I get.
10.30 am and it was my turn to put the residents’ clothes back to their room after being folded and ironed. I came to Ellis’ room (pseudonym), she was there and I saw two clothes and a pants were not inside the drawer. Felt weird at first, but then I initiated to tidy them up by putting them in the right rack. But I saw her furious, very furious. I did not know why. The carer asked me to leave and since then, every time I passed her, she gave me a ‘look’. At lunch, my supervisor said, turned out, she was angry because I put the clothes that she wanted to use that day, after shower. Elder people have a very uncertain emotions so we need to be careful and hand it with care.
It was a mistake, my supervisor reminded me not to put any clothes if she was there inside the room, as “she can be like that sometimes.” A small mistake but it somehow worsen my day. I was on my period too.
“Man, why am I so messed up, can’t I just do a single thing right??”
Lol yeah, I overthink it.
So me.
Not a good day so far.
But something after, happened.
When I wanted to go to back to the laundry room, I saw Ellis alone on the wheelchair, trying so hard to move. I think she just finished eating her lunch at the dining room.
I saw her and I wanted to help her. But I was so unsure and scared because of what happened earlier. I was too scared, how if my manager saw me, would I be scolded? (as it’s not my job tho right, I was still clueless).
But fuck it, lol.
My conscience said just do it, help.
She called me and I ask, “hi, do you need help to get back to your room?” “no, I want to go to the second room, can you help me? please.”
So I lead her to the second lounge right away. I never help someone on a wheelchair but I made it. She wanted to sit on a sofa so I helped her again.
Then she smiled at me and told me, “take my bag please, open it.”
“Here, what a nice bag you have,” I smiled and give it back to her.
“Here, for you, a chocolate.”
“What?”- inside my head.
“For you, thank you for helping me.”
My heart just, yeah, melted right there.
I think she forgot what happened earlier but I was so. Gosh. I do not know what to feel, I nearly cried.
“What’s your name?”
“I’m Inda. I am the new laundry.”
“Aw, Linda, nice to meet you, I am Ellis. Have a good day.”
She smiled again.
She wished me a good day.
[And by the way, yes, almost everyone here call me either Linda or India. No, I am not irritated at all].
A small thing, but I smiled the rest of the day.
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you’re having a bad day? find at least one thing you’re grateful of (that day). believe me, you’ll feel like you’re always blessed. because you are. that’s how you remind yourself.
