Tales from Aged Care

A while back I told you how my one time piano teacher is a resident of the aged care facility where I work. Her husband lives in the retirement village on-site. Even when I was a student, I was aware of Mr Piano. She spoke of him often and I was aware that he was used to having people jump to attention.

Now he is an old man who phones persistently and sometimes makes unreasonable requests. It didn't take me long to realise he is highly anxious so one day we silently came to an agreement. Mr P was being a bit demanding and I gave him all the respect in the world but held a calm, firm line. I can't remember what it was about but I know he has treated me like an old friend ever since.

Mrs P is coming very close to the end of her life and Mr P is distraught. Today he was nearby and I popped out to talk to him. "Did you know Mrs P was my piano teacher?" 

"No, I didn't, do you still play? I'm so glad you told me that. I still have the piano, you know....."

And off he went, telling me about the piano and various other things.

At one point he told me he doesn't mean to be but he thinks he is a pain to the staff. The right response just came to my head and I told him, very truthfully, that we are all very respectful of his dedication to her.

It was just a ten minute conversation but it was one of the most beautiful ten minutes of my week.

Able-ism and Age-ism

 

A few years ago, an elderly lady (old enough to be my mother) told me that she had been advised to wear orthopaedic shoes. She then commented that there was no way she wanted to wear those ugly things.

And I understood. Wearing ugly shoes was never something I wanted to do but I do. I accepted that if i want to walk, I need AFOs and they need to be worn in a solidly constructed, supportive shoe.

Anyhow, I had a giggle to myself because the old lady was complaining about something I had been forced to make peace with forty years younger. She was also unintentionally insulting me.

Over the years, I have heard many of these types of comments about walking sticks while I stand there with my pink and red stick. I usually nod sagely and say "well they are a pain until you really need them"

I often hear about old people who resist the move to aged care because of "all the old people"

This week, I asked mum if she would go on the Friday bus trip her aged care facility organises. She was horrified at the suggestion, saying that she doesn't want to do the silly activities. Then she told me that she once went to a sing-along and hated it because it was "a bunch of old people in wheelchairs" Guess who is an old lady in a wheelchair?

If we could just get past the able-ism and age-ism where all this originates, if we could just see people using a variety of adaptations as people who are trying to get the most out of life, maybe we would all do better when we got to the point where we become the person with the daggy shoes, the walker, the wheelchair or for that matter, the incontinence product.

Himmel und Erde

I saw this German dish created on Instagram. "Heaven and Earth" is mashed potatoes, stewed apple and caramelised onion.
Apparently potatoes are called earth apples in Germany (if you know better then let me know) so I guess the name is a play on words with earth apples and heavenly apples.

Anyhow, the idea of apple, mash and onion grabbed my attention and I intend to make it some day. I did make a variation which was sauteed leek and apple with mash. It was good and I put the left over apple and leek in the fridge and ate it on toast with cheese. Also very good.

My cooking becomes simpler and simpler as my life gets busier and I also have less stamina for standing than I once did so even though this is a simple dish, it is more peeling and chopping than I really want to do. As I thought about how I really wanted to try it, I decided to make it easier by using frozen mashed potatoes.

I have never bought frozen mash before although I have probably eaten it any time I have a pub meal of sausages and mash. On my regular shopping trip I bought a bag of frozen mash. It's about $5 for a kilo so actually about the same price as the potatoes themselves. I understood every listed ingredient, too: potatoes, milk, salt and pepper. 

 

Can I tell you, frozen mash is a revelation! It is frozen in little cylinders (extruded from a pipe and snap frozen, I would think) I put the little cylinders in the microwave for a few minutes, added a splash of milk to create the texture I like and hey presto, delightful mash.

The downside is, it is imported from Belgium. A very long way with a very big lot of fuel used. I don't like that part but I think if I remain committed to eating Australian potatoes when they are cooked another way, I can justify it.