Bea's Retreat

Yesterday’s Frontline Living Old explained the coming crisis for the elderly in our society. Hopefully this PBS documentary will motivate new thinking and solutions. The Web site has a great selection of resource material. Individuals do have many questions on elderly care. Here are the latest Internet searches that led strangers to Bea’s Bedside:

• Disorientation in elderly (UK)
• Handling dementia and hallucinations of elderly
• How to position bedridden person to prevent bedsores
• When elderly parent withdraws and won’t communicate.

This search seems particularly relevant today.

Lisa and I talk in whispers. Bea is in a quiet place. She may lie still on the bed between us, but her spirit is wandering as Lisa again massages her toes, cold. At the end of life, such a retreat is normal and must be respected.

“Are you ready for her to leave?” Sven asks later.

A child is never ready, no matter how much sense the departing makes. An orphan I will be, but one who was loved intensely.