A Slow Spin

Early in the life of the residence it was easy to get to know residents as they moved in (usually 1 or 2 a week at the most).  When you saw these people you got to know them better every time and names became easier with each meeting.  This was no exception with a lady who had moved to the 2^nd floor (Enhanced Care).. I’ll call her Ell.  She was younger than anyone there at the time but her disease was eating away at her body – Parkinson’s mixed with Dimentia!  She was actually given only months to live and her quality of life was given her by her brother who never failed to visit her every single day.

She arrived in the late winter of the first year of the residence (2013) and was able to walk and take part in many activities as long as she had a care-worker with her.  Her condition was bad and as the months rolled along into spring, summer and fall she failed quickly.  But before she got too bad I remember one time when she was walking through the lobby and as the music was playing (and she loved to dance) she asked me with her weak voice to hold her hands and dance.  It was a slow back and forth then she wanted to “spin” and as I held her weak hand she jerkingly and very slowly spun under my arm to complete the dance move.  During the entire time she was all smiles and you could tell she would have loved to let ‘er rip in a fast dance but her body was never going to react like that again.  She attended the extended Peggy’s Cove tour and enjoyed the fresh air.  She often walked outside for her exercise with her care worker, but eventually by late 2013 we never saw her downstairs as much and if we did she was bending over more and moving even slower – her words unable to make it from her mind to her mouth. 

Early in 2014 Ell passed away.  Her brother had stopped by to see her as usual, and then left.  Thirty minutes later he arrived back after receiving a message. Family arrived and the process of mourning and caring for her began.  It was a sad day!  She will be missed without a doubt but is doing that wonderful dance ‘spin’ with gusto now.  Let ‘er rip Ell!!