Each day she seems weaker and more confused. She never receives visitors and rarely does mail arrive for her. Finding things to keep her interested is a challenge because of the confusion and weakness.
I always keep her abreast of what I am doing with my Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. Since it is all in the basement and she can't go down the stairs she can't see what I am doing. Each time I sew a dress or apron I take it for her to see. I kept wishing she could help me sew somehow, as she sewed much in her younger
years. But that is not going to happen, I have to admit that. So I thought I could let her choose the long sleeve, layering t-shirt to go with each dress.
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| Choices of shirts to match to dress. |
I left several of the shirts and two dresses with her. Several days passed and she would move them around her rooms and look at them but couldn't understand what she was to do with them. Today I decided I'd work along side her. I would give her the box of dresses and box of shirts and walk her thru choosing a dress and matching a shirt. She removed the packaging and tags and I would then take them and add a pair of panties, fold them all and squeeze them into a sandwich zipper bag.
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| Dress, shirt and panties squeezed into sandwich bags. |
I'm determined to help her feel useful and needed and find enjoyment in her long days.
Update: I've shared another post of my daughter and mom packing soap. You can see it here: Generations Working Together Packing Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes.
8 comments:
Thank you so much for realizing that just because folks get old and confused, they still need to feel useful and needed! I love older folks but sometimes it can be so heart breaking. But always fulfilling! You will surely be blessed for taking time to work with her. I would give anything if I still had my Mama to do things with. blessings, p
Thank you, Penny, for your kind comment.
What a beautiful family! And it offers me hope for my future. I've been pondering what seems to have become in our society the throw-away years, before birth and the elderly. Compassion is the key on both sides of life's timeline. I'm so thankful for you and your mom, and for the lives you share not only in shoeboxes, but with shoeboxers.
Any ideas on how to involve an elderly family member who lives several states away?
Thank you so much for the reminder. I'm in a very similar situation. I am so grateful for your sweet, sensitive spirit, and the gentle reminder from God.
Absolutely beautiful! So very meaningful in so many ways!
Suzanne, thanks for your kind words. I'll think on the out of town ideas -- it depends, of course, on the abilities of the person. But if it were my mom, I would at the least send her scraps of the fabric I am sewing with, pictures of what I make and try to think of things she could do -- like save her old cards and calendars for me to craft with. These are things she could do.
Oh, Robin, what a blessing to hear God used this short post to encourage you in your situation.
Thanks, Kristy.
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