My Favourite Residents

Often, we receive residents in our long-term care home who are so sweet and gentle that you fall in love with them immediately. Others take some time for staff to even like them.  And, because nurses are not robots, there are some residents who are not likeable at all but we still care for them. However, here are a couple of my favourite residents.

My Favourite Blue Eyes

Eloise came into the home a few months ago. She is 85 and mildly demented, but deeply depressed. She doesn’t want to take any medication because the medication is “keeping her alive”. Physically she is a very healthy 85 year old. Placed in a room with a room mate who is terribly anxious, Eloise climbed into bed, covered her head and wouldn’t get up. It took over 24 hours to get her to uncover her head. When she finally got up, she came out of the room she had slept in, looked up with the biggest pale blue eyes and asked, “is this my room?”

She was so lost and so sweet that all the staff find any excuse they can to visit with her and bring her snacks (she doesn’t eat well.) We cover her with heated blankets. We sit with her at dinner. Eventually the novelty will wear off but for the time being she seems to be everyone’s favourite. she is certainly one of my favourite residents.

She only read the bible

There was a lady who came into the home a few years ago. Myrna was a very religious woman. She was a widow, married to a very stern, much older man. She had pictures of him, and he looked very grim. We were told when we met her that she had very few hobbies, or activities she would take part in. She did not watch television, read books or the paper. She only read the bible.

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Her diet was expected to be sparse. She would only eat whole grains and vegetables, some beans and only fish and chicken. Her lips were always pursed. Her skin was pale and blotchy. Her voice was very high pitched; screechy – like a bullfrog crossed with a seagull. She had a face like a wet rag. She was always frowning, always complaining.

Wound care

Myrna had venous stasis ulcers on her legs and fluid pockets under her skin on her lower torso and back. So, I would attend to her every day, changing the dressings on her legs and ankles. I sat on the floor in front of her every day. I worked and listened to her complain about this and that. Eventually she would talk about his children. She had none of her own, having been a spinster until she married her husband very late in life. She loved his kids, but I believe they weren’t fond of her. So over time I got used to the screechy voice. I was able to ignore the complaints that got less and less over time. Every once in a while I brought her a magazine and, eventually, she started to read them. I could not convince her to come to the activity room to watch television.

The wounds on Myrna’s legs slowly began to heal. She ate well. Her meals were supplemented with protein drinks. Her skin began to take on a normal, pink hue. I felt that she was feeling better than she did when she first came to the home. One day I came into her room after being off for a couple of days. She looked up, took my hand and croaked “Where have you been?” She asked me what I had done while I was away. She allowed me to take her to the TV room and we sat there watching a game show for a few minutes until she couldn’t stand it and had to go back to her room.

Goodbye 

Myrna lived for several years before finally passing away quietly in her bed. I do not believe her stepchildren ever visited. 
When I came in to work, I was told she had died the previous afternoon so I was not able to say goodbye.

Myrna was one of my favourite residents. I honestly miss that shrieky voice.

Conclusion

Nurses are not robots.  We do not “love” every resident or patient we are assigned.  We will ensure they are treated because their health is our priority.  Their safety is our priority.  We will treat their wounds.  It is not our job to like them.  But sometimes we just love them.  These are my favourite residents.