seniors

I Want to Live to Be 100 Years Old

Posted by Barbara Techel

Did I hear you say, “Seriously?” Or perhaps you said, “Are you crazy?”  Or maybe, just maybe, you are like me and want to live to be 100 years old?

I imagine this is me in the photo above tending to my flowers. I love the middle of May when I can go shopping for annuals. It’s like therapy to me planting all the colorful blooms in my clay pots. I imagine I will never tire of this.

I imagine I will live in a little white house with periwinkle shutters. There is a sweet little white house in my town where a cute little grandma resides. Every time I walk by, it makes me smile. I imagine I will have a sweet, handsome younger neighbor who will help me out when I need help with maintenance issues.

I imagine I will have a little wiener dog. Whether this one will be in a wheelchair or not, I am not sure. But I do imagine I’ll need to walk that sweet short dog around the block at least once a day, and talk with her throughout the day, and hold her each night on lap.

I imagine I may have some aches and pains but am hopeful my daily work of thinking positive and doing things that bring me joy will help those aches and pains seem minimal. And who knows, maybe my daily practice of yoga will be something I still do. I like to think that this is possible.

I imagine sharing my wisdom with neighborhood children and encouraging them to live each day to the fullest.

I imagine I will still like my glass of wine at the end of the day. Perhaps my end of day will start a bit earlier, since bedtime may come sooner too.

I imagine that John will still be at my side…at 104 years old.  Though if he does not have the same imagination as mine, this story may be a bit different. I will then pray for strength and comfort knowing I will see him again someday.

I imagine when my time is done on earth I will move swiftly to the other side in my slumber to the next realm, young in body once again, though in full spirit of knowing I was here on earth.

Yes, I want to live to be 100 years old.  Anyone with me?

 

 

 

 

 

What Does 105 Years Look Like? Meet the Very Special Libby.

Posted by Barbara Techel

From left:  Christine Thill (owner of Libby’s House and granddaughter to Libby), Libby, Phyllis (Libby’s daughter), Jeremiah (Libby’s great grandson) and Ona (Libby’s great, great granddaughter)

Libby, 105 years old is a real delight to know. Frankie and I have been honored and privileged to visit with this exceptionally beautiful and spunky lady on a few occasions when visiting Libby’s House, Senior Assisted Facility.

We have been going to Libby’s House once a month for 3 1/2 years. This year begins visiting only every other month so Frankie can enjoy her senior years, just like Libby. I’ll treasure our visits there even more now and am glad we are scheduled to go today.

We met Libby a little over a year ago when she came to live at Libby’s House, named after her, by her granddaughter Christine, who owns and operates the lovely facility.

When Frankie and I were training to become a therapy dog team I heard Libby’s House was looking for a therapy dog to visit. Though we were not yet officially certified I called them and let them know of my interest. They were excited to have us on board and told me to let them know when we were ready and they’d be ready for us.

I almost quit after my first training with Frankie at another facility, a nursing home. Sadly, not all nursing homes are as nice as Libby’s House. The facility we trained at was, in my opinion, quite sad. Initially, I was shocked and a bit freaked out at the condition of the place and of the residents. Driving home after our first visit, I cried, and thought, I can’t do this. But I’m so glad I didn’t give up. While I couldn’t change the circumstances of the facility, I could for a brief time make a difference in those patients lives with Frankie.

I was nervous beginning our work at Libby’s House as I also didn’t quite know how to be around people who had Alzheimer’s which Libby’s House is set up to take in. Not all patients have Alzheimer’s- some have dementia- as well as other health issues. But the biggest lesson I learned, especially with Alzheimer patients is that there is someone “still in there.” They may not resemble the person they used to be, but they are still there.

Often times I don’t understand what they are saying as they talk, but I nod as if I do. All they want is for someone to listen. And as you can imagine, having Frankie to pet and love brings them much joy.

It’s not often that one can say that they’ve met a 105 year old person. Meeting Libby at a young 104 was like meeting the Queen. She is remarkably sharp and has a great sense of humor. For most of her life she has not liked animals, but she adores Frankie– even letting Frankie sit on her lap now and then. During one visit Libby was petting Frankie’s back and she looked up at me and said, “Frankie is love.”

It is one of the highest compliments I could have ever been paid of my work with Frankie. There is no denying Libby has left a profound mark on my heart.

Being a therapy dog team with Frankie at Libby’s House is very rewarding. Writing my second children’s book that I published in 2010 about Libby’s House is no doubt, a path I was meant to travel. And to know Libby, who is such an inspiration, is such an incredible blessing. I can’t help think being with Libby is about as close to God as one can get. She is truly remarkable.

 

Libby, Frankie and me

The Healing Work of Therapy Dogs

Posted by Barbara Techel

One of the people Frankie and I talk about in our new book is Lyla, and she is one of our favorite residents.  As I say that, all the residents really are all our favorites…  They each have something unique and special about them that is so endearing.

Lyla just turned 96 years old and every time I see her, I just want to hug her.  At our recent book launch I did find out that Lyla’s heritage is German.  She never married or had children.  My husband met her for the first time at the book launch and said, “She looks like Aunt Clara from Bewitched.”  She especially did when she put on this darling mustard wool hat to make her way back to her room.

I laughed and said, “Oh my gosh, you are right!  She does!”  Bewitched is my all time favorite shows and I have all the shows on DVD.  As hard of a time as my husband likes to give me about watching the episodes over and over again, he picked up on the Aunt Clara in Lyla that I didn’t even see.  This has made Lyla even more endearing in my eyes.

You cannot understand when Lyla talks and it sort of sounds gibberish with no rhyme or reason.  But one day as Frankie was licking and licking her hand, clear as a bell she said, “Kisses.”  I looked at Lyla, as my hand flew to my heart and said, “Lyla you just said kisses!”  She smiled and went back to her gibberish.

So you see, even though her communication is different than what we are used to, her spirit is alive and well- the healing nature of a therapy dog, like Frankie, brought out the best in her.  And the fact she said kisses really warmed my heart.  I love it when moments like this happen.

The name of Lyla is not her real name, but changed to protect her privacy.