I smiled this week when I read that the provider that cared for my grandmother in the last decade of her life is starting a podcast. The first episode will be shared tomorrow, showcasing “the ‘phenomenal’ stories and experiences of its residents,” according to Pittsburgh Magazine.
“What a subject my grandmother would have been,” I thought.
She may not have been the CEO of Heinz or someone who shipped a recreational vehicle to Russia in order to tour that country, like two of the podcast’s upcoming subjects, but Grandma left a mark in a special way of her own.
Perhaps the most “phenomenal” thing about her was her persistent optimism, cheeriness and activeness in the face of so many health issues later in her life, when our timelines overlapped. She lived into her late 90s, and her doctors said her positive attitude helped keep her going.
Even after moving into a continuing care retirement community, Grandma stayed in touch via letters and visits, she kept up with current events by watching television or listening to the radio, and she kept busy by participating in the facility’s activities, doing needlepoint and writing poetry. She also could find happiness in little things, such as gazing out a window at newly planted flowers (or posies, as she would call them) or feeling a warm breeze as she sat in the sun. She was engaged in the lives of her family, and engaged in life in general.
Through her actions, she showed us a special way to approach life, and she taught us to always take time to see the good in what is around us, or at least to take the time to look around us to see what’s there. She also taught us that each person we meet can add something unique to our lives — it’s just up to us to open our eyes.
Grandma has been gone many years now, the long-term care building where she lived is no longer being used, and even the organization’s name has changed since she lived there. So I especially enjoyed the unexpected trip down memory lane this week, spending quality time with my grandmother, even if it was only in my mind. She won’t be able to participate in the podcast, but we will keep her memory alive and be thankful for the time we were together and for the inspiration she left with us.
Wishing you sweet times and sweet memories of those you hold dear.
Lois A. Bowers is the editor of McKnight’s Senior Living. Read her other columns here.
