Comment from CeciliaLynne

Exceptional

Thanks for sharing. Well done. Education and more awareness is vital. I pray that eyes and hearts will be touched to the need for more support and loving, understanding, patience and care. All the best

 Comment Written 06-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 06-Jan-2016

Thank you Cecilia, for this great review, six stars and for creating the contest. I enjoyed entering, and am honoured to win. Cheers, Chris xoxoxoxoxo

Comment from Louise Michelle

Excellent

Oh, wow, you did such a good job with this writing challenge - your words are very powerful.

And the ending, presented like a post script, is so creative and really leaves an impact. Well done! Hugs, lou

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 04-Jan-2016

Thank you very much Louise!
Cheers
Chris
xoxoxoxoxox

Comment from bayoupoet

Excellent

This is very indicative of the ageing process especially where Dementia is concerned. The fact that he could keep a journal until onset of death did not seem like Alzheimer's disease. It's such a shame that no one cared to preserve the book for posterity if for no other reason. This writing is truly well done. It had a few bumps in the rhythm, but the story was very much intact. Good Luck.

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 04-Jan-2016

Thank you bayoupoet! It actually is a free verse poem, but I appreciate your excellent rating regardless, and your kind comments
Cheers
Chris xoxoxo

Comment from JanPerry

Excellent

Yes, so you are not the one in the wheel chair? I always wondered how they could cope and how they are feeling, watching others moving around them all day.
Sorry to hear about the elderly. In our case our elderly wanted to be left alone in the home. He does not want my visit at any time. I don't even know where he is.
But I am sure the materialism you speak of is the only thing keeping young people sane in this hectic world, spinning out of control!

 Comment Written 03-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 04-Jan-2016

Thanks JanPerry. It saddened me to hear about your father? grandfather? It's odd when they don't want anyone to see them, but maybe he's ashamed of his own "condition" and doesn't want you to see him that way. Maybe you're right: materialism might retain sanity to a degree, but I don't like the way the world is going and hope it's all a case of getting worse before it gets better! Again, thanks for your very thoughtful review, cheers, Chris xoxoxoxoxox

Comment from l.raven

Excellent

this just broke my heart...but I know it is true...I would visit a friend there...and I would see the old people sitting in the hall...no one to talk to...it was so sad...I would never let anyone in my family live there...your poem and story are heart wrenching...very well told..and very well written...luff Linda xxoo

 Comment Written 03-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 04-Jan-2016

I sent out a silent plea today that I be in a position to take my parents in under my roof when that time comes, regardless of the water that has gone under the bridge in recent years. We mended that bridge last year, and I'll be damned if I want to see either of them put in a place like the one I work in. Yes, ours is known as one of the best in our state. Yes, our staff are very good, very caring and look after the elderly like they're one of their own. But it still smacks of prison and the end of days to me; hence my prayer this morning.

Thank you, Linda, for your very heartfelt review! You almost had me in tears!!
Cheers
Chris
xoxoxoxoxo

reply by l.raven on 04-Jan-2016

HI Chris, I remember my mother saying once that she didn't want to leave her family...she is 86...I told her that would never happen... and I know my father wouldn't let it...she cleaned me as a baby...I can clean her as an adult...you are soooooooo very welcome...xxoo Linda

Comment from ExperiencingLiphe

Exceptional

This is so sad and you know how many people probably don't visit their loved ones like they should. My parents always went and got my great-grandparent out of the nursing homes for the holidays and we always went up and visited. I was young so I don't know what they talked about but I do know they got to see us kids which I'm sure helped. Great job friend and I love that you're giving these people voices.

 Comment Written 03-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 04-Jan-2016

Neither of my grandparents ever saw a nursing home, thank God. On my mother's side, my Grandfather saw his days out in hospital which wasn't very long. On my father's side, my Grandmother died peacefully in her bed if memory serves. My other (Grandparents were dead before I was able to hold a spoon). I want to be in a position to take both my parents in when that day comes, because, as good as some nursing homes can be (including ours), I don't want either of them in one either.

Thank you very much indeed for your kind review and those shiny six stars! I'm glad you liked this one :)
Cheers
Chris
xoxoxoxo

Comment from Katiesherrill

Exceptional

Thank you for writing this beautiful piece. There are many things from how it flowed and read with ease that I loved. But the story you told was so clear, I felt like I come see the man in front of me.

Our church goes to the same nursing home every month to care for, laugh with, talk to and listen to the residence there. We don't preach, just listen. Reading this, makes me so happy that we do, but make me realize we could do more.

Blessings,

Katie

 Comment Written 03-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 03-Jan-2016

It's not up to you to do more Katie. It's up to the bloody idiot governments who control health and aged care to pour more funding into it, rather than keep slashing the budget even further every year. The buck rests with them, not those who are doing their damndest to help these poor folk in their final days.

And by the way, can I thank you for your very kind review and six stars? And thank you for doing what you can for our elderly. We have volunteers who do the same and really, what they do, is quite enough. Somewhere, some day, this materialistic world will undergo a proper wake up call, and we might get back to being able to actually CARE for those we love.

Bless you
Cheers
Chris
xoxoxoxox

reply by Katiesherrill on 03-Jan-2016

Thank you for the perspective and thoughtful words. Blessings,

Katie

Comment from frogbook

Excellent

Great art and poignant, all too true, message. I am a nurse also so have seen the same and as I age myself, it is also a person sadness I feel at times. Very descriptive phrasing and I lived that you added the postscript. The only thing I might suggest is, instead of all stanzas being together in this free verse, maybe a couple stand alone for impact. For example the last line before the postscript, "Does anyone care what you (I) are (am) feeling?" Best ofluck in the contest. You definitely deserve the votes.

 Comment Written 03-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 03-Jan-2016

Thank you for your in depth and perceptive review. I will take on board your suggestion too! And even though I'm a domestic, we do some basic nursing due to our facility being a multi-purpose rather than straight aged care or hospital. I used to do home based care work with the aged/disabled prior to this, so we sure have a common "bond" here! It is sobering, depressing and frightening sometimes watching what they go through. And yet, their determination to cling on to life is awe inspiring; that is until they give up and want to die and we are required to keep them alive way past the point of a dignified death. This is the aspect of aged care I truly loathe, but what can we do?

Cheers
Chris
xoxoxoxoxo

Comment from Pantygynt

Excellent

I would really class this as free form with some rhyme. It actually mirrors the old man's decine as things that are occasionally taught gradually collapse as he gets more and more frail and week minded.

I have a terror of ending up in one of those places but I suppose it is almost inevitable as the medical profession's ability to keep us alive exceeds their ability to give the aged any real quality of life.

 Comment Written 03-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 03-Jan-2016

I did class this as free verse with "gentle" rhyme as it turns out lol! Thanks for your thoughtful and perceptive review. Like you, I'm also terrified of ending up somewhere like my workplace, regardless of how good a job the staff do. I also agree that it's the medical profession keeping everyone alive, regardless of quality of life, that is contributing to the problem. It's no life sitting in a chair or lying on a bed unable to do anything for oneself. We treat our pets better!
Cheers
Chris
xoxoxox

Comment from brenda bickers

Excellent

Hi,
what a wonderful poem. This situation affects so many of us in todays world,
How sad that a whole life time is left unnoticed by others who are still wrapped up in their own worlds to even bother to notice.
A great poem and well written.
Loved it.
Brenda

 Comment Written 03-Jan-2016

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reply by the author on 03-Jan-2016

Thank you Brenda xoxoxoxo