I learned a new term last week. Sundowner. This is a very meaningful term in the nursing home world. It refers to residents suffering with dementia or psychosis who are pleasant people during daylight hours, but as soon as the sun sets, they ramp up and freak out.
Sadly, my father is a textbook sundowner. He’s happy to spend his day chatting with people about flying, travel or what have you. But when the sun goes down, he sees riots in his room, tries to break them up and is appalled when staff members try to restrain him. He has pinched people, elbowed them in the ribs, twisted arms and generally tried to fight them off.
Dad tells me about how they are out to get him. And he demands that they “go back where they came from!!” Racist remarks he has curtailed for decades bubble up with embarrassing regularity.
My abiding impression from the last 10 days is that the people who work in hospitals and nursing homes are extraordinary and extraordinarily underappreciated. They take both verbal and physical abuse from such patients with amazing dignity, empathy and good grace.
My heart and gratitude go out to these hard-working, caring and dedicated people. We’d be lost without them.
2 comments:
Thank you for this post...it's bittersweet. I have two friends that work in geriatrics and both are selfless, patient, tender people. Thanks for reminding me to send them a note. Maybe even a link to your blog today:)
I keep telling these workers, "I wish you could have known him before! He was the guy who drove the disabled to doctor's appointments, ran errands for shut-in neighbors, and was just an all around good guy." They always smile knowingly and assure me they understand and everything is OK. God bless them, every one.
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