I think it was a great and humane idea but none of us was prepared for the transformation that took place after the ‘rescue’. Annie was mostly confined to her wheelchair and she had little strength or hand and arm mobility. Well, 8 weeks later, she is healthier and happier than she has been since her fall in July. She is still gaining arm and hand strength. She is slowly beginning to use her walker again and her stability is returning. She is happy, engaged with her family and pretty sharp on most conversations going on in the room. She has a very healthy appetite and doesn’t relish the idea of going back into institutional care.
Family conversations have begun about what’s next but it is a minor miracle to see such flourishing. One of my hopes post-Covid is a serious look at senior care in our country. We can do better and part of that care requires good food, good social interaction, imaginative problem solving and genuine respect for our parent’s generation.