Christmas at ManorCare

   

     Gram worked hard all her life, at home of course, but also forty years as a gown presser at Carlisle’s Bridal, several years in the laundry department at AGH before that, and I won’t even get into the few days she spent as a barmaid. Working was one of the many ways she was a role model.

     Gram never had much. She lived a modest life in a modest home that she often called a dump (it was not). But she always believed in helping those less fortunate than her. The only stipulation was that she would not give cash. If a young mother on the street asked for money for shoes for her kids, Gram would say, “I won’t give you money, but I’ll take your kids and buy them shoes.”  That doesn’t begin to demonstrate what she did for me and my family over the years.

     In the nursing home, her giving instincts continued even as dementia consumed her mind and body. She often wanted to share her food or treats.

     Each year at Christmas, while she was at ManorCare, to continue that tradition of giving, I worked with the staff to identify residents who either didn’t have family or didn’t have visitors. The staff would indicate on the list what each person liked, and I would buy Christmas gifts for each of those residents and sign them, “from Gram.” Instead of doing it myself, I would turn the gifts over to the staff to hand out to the appropriate residents. This part, I knew, would be too emotional for me.

     Once Gram passed in October of 2016, this tradition of giving became even more important to me. I wanted to honor her in some way.

     For the last 2 years I’ve done similar, except I now sign the gifts, “from Santa.”  I also started handing out the gifts to the residents myself along with staff members and my sister. As expected, it was extremely emotional, but I now wonder why I didn’t do this before. To see a resident hug and cry with gratitude over a gift of socks is something that I won’t ever forget. Those days were filled with many hugs, many tears (for all of us), so much gratitude and perspective that I don’t know how I could not do it again. For some, this will be their last Christmas.

     So, this year, the tradition continues. I will wake up Christmas morning and make my way to ManorCare to hand out gifts to these wonderful residents once again.  I look forward to seeing those from last year again and I’ll say a prayer for those who have since left us.