Sarah was racking her brain about how she would get her mother, Marta to her home this year for the holidays. Sarah didn’t have a vehicle that would be easy for Marta to get in and out of and Marta had become less mobile this year, needing a walker to get around and for longer treks was using a wheelchair. Marta lived at an assisted living facility across town. She rarely got out, except for her appointments and an occasional scenic bus ride. She had everything she needed where she lived, she was comfortable in her apartment, and wasn’t expressing any interest in leaving her home for the holidays. The facility had meals, activities, and a lot of new friends to visit with. It met all of her needs.
Despite this Sarah wanted her mom to be with family and meet her first great grandchild. Yes, Marta was a great grandmother and she had not met the new addition to her lineage; a beautiful baby girl who was just 4 months old. Sarah had been planting seeds about her desire for her mother to come to the Christmas Day celebration over the last few visits, so she was hoping talking to her and making final plans would be a welcome discussion. Sarah promised her mom that it would only be a few hours, that traditional dishes would be served and a decent round of Christmas carols would be sung. She let her mother know how much her presence would mean to the entire family, even if it was for a short visit. Marta agreed to the visit but was concerned about getting there safely.
Sarah had used a care manager to find the assisted living facility that her mother currently lived in. The family was especially pleased with the relationship that developed in that process, so it only seemed logical that the care manager could assist with specialized transportation. Sarah made the call and found out the arrangement for a ride to and from her home for her mother would not be a problem. After settling on the details with the care manager, Sarah could not wait to call her mother.
Marta was now excited about the day ahead. Her transportation was arranged, she felt comfortable with their experience in transporting a person who has specialized mobility needs.
Marta arrived without incident. A couple of the men helped her get from the vehicle to Sarah’s home where she could smell Christmas, before she was even inside, which made her think about all the memories she had of her lifetime of holidays. Marta was able to greet the family who would arrive after her and meet her great granddaughter for the first time. She was beaming. She was deeply grateful for this opportunity and living long enough to appreciate this moment, which came out as a few happy tears. She could see the family resemblance. Everyone enjoyed hearing her stories of the past.
Sarah was surprised at the attention the younger family members paid to Marta’s stories. And even more surprised that Marta suggested they take a picture of the four generations of women that were present. This would establish a record of family for future generations and serve as a record of the past. Everyone thought it was a great idea and helped set things up to get the photo taken. Marta made sure everyone had her address, before she left for home, so that she could get a copy of the picture.
That picture became her pride and joy. Showing it off to all her neighbors and the care staff at her assisted living facility. It was a lasting reminder of the family she belonged to and a reminder that her family loved her enough to make sure she was included in every holiday she was able to attend.
Are you looking for ways to make sure that your aging family members are included in your activities. A care manager can help you find options that are available in the community to make sure they can be included in family activities.
Reach out to us today at 803-215-1019 or email us at info@longtermliaisons.com to find out how we can help navigate the holidays with your aging loved ones.
