On the wall just outside Dad's room on St. Luke's wing at Holy Family was this mural of the Ukrainian countryside and a field of sunflowers. Since his parents came from Ukraine and grew sunflowers it was a lovely familiar connection for Dad.
My father spent the last three years of his life in Holy Family Home, a Ukrainian Catholic facility where they had a special wing dedicated to people who had advanced dementia. His ward was called St. Luke's, which we always thought was kind of appropriate since in the Bible Luke was a physician and my Dad was a physician too.
My sister and brother and I with Dad at the St. Luke's Christmas party in December
My sister and I, who each visited Dad several times a week, got to know the patients and staff on St. Luke's very well as we walked the halls with Dad, rolled him out to join others on the ward balcony, helped Dad with his meals, attended in-house concerts and other events with him, and celebrated special occasions. The staff in turn got to know us and our Dad in a personal way.
My brother looks at a photo book with Dad in one of the special private rooms Holy Family provided on each floor for family visits.
Dad going for a walk in the garden at Holy Family shortly after he moved there
So at the end of April when were told that Dad needed to be moved to a different ward two floors up in the same building we were kind of hesitant. How would Dad adjust to new surroundings and new people? We found out that Dad's new ward was called St. Paul's. That was kind of appropriate too since my Dad's first name is Paul.
The view out Dad's window on the St. Paul's wing at Holy Family
Although it was different than St. Luke's, the residents on St. Paul's were lively and conversational, and the staff seemed caring and interested in Dad. Just two weeks ago Dad and I played Bingo with the recreational director and other St. Paul's residents and Dad even won a prize. One lovely thing about the St. Paul's ward was that in the dining room there was a huge window and every morning Dad's chair was wheeled right in front of it so he had this gorgeous view.
Dad bowling on St. Luke's ward
When Dad's condition deteriorated last week and he was put on end of life care, our family kept vigil at his bedside.
We watched in wonder, as one by one, over a period of days, a parade of his caregivers from St. Luke's, where he had been a resident for nearly three years, came up to his room on St. Paul's to visit him and say good-bye to him.
Many were in tears as they stood at Dad's bedside. They held Dad's hand, hugged him and hugged us. They asked us if they could pray for us, and with Dad. They told us how much they had loved Dad, related funny things he had said, talked about how much they missed him on their ward, how he was one of their favourite residents, and told us what a sweet man he was.
It made us feel so good to know that he had been looked after by people who had connected with him so personally and had so obviously cared deeply about him.
The staff on St. Paul's where Dad lay dying didn't know him as well, but they looked after him with professionalism and they looked after us too, as we accompanied Dad hour after hour through his last days.
They brought us food, drinks, recliners to spend the night, blankets, checked in on us regularly, sent the chaplain to see us, comforted us, stopped in the midst of their busy work rounds to talk to us or offer a blessing, asked repeatedly how we were doing, and responded to all our requests and questions about Dad's care.
After Dad died, staff came to hug us, tenderly prepare Dad's body and walk with us out to the hearse. They simply could not have been kinder or more attentive.
Our family's experience over the last few days illustrates how many Manitoba nursing homes are staffed by a myriad of amazing people, who despite less than ideal and often challenging working conditions, are passionately dedicated to their jobs and genuinely care for those they serve.
Dad's chair by the window at Holy Family is empty now
Other posts............
Looking At the Newspaper With Dad
Down on the Farm
My Globe Trotting Parents
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